Elegant Lasagna

This is the BEST lasagna you will ever eat anywhere in the whole world!!! I made this for my family's Christmas gathering last year, because we were all tired of turkey. Everyone RAVED over it. There is nothing low fat about it, and don't try to make it low fat. Let it be an indulgence. You can easily make it ahead and freeze it or split the recipe and do two 8x8 pans and freeze one of them. This was submitted to Central's cookbook by Kate Hancock.

Ingredients

1 T. butter
1/2 lb. of hot sausage (I use Italian sausage)
1 lb. ground beef
2 cloves of minced garlic (use fresh on this)
3 T. of parsley flakes
1 T. basil
1 tsp. salt
28 oz. can of diced tomatoes
12 oz. tomato paste
1 T. oregano
10 lasagna noodles
32 oz. of cottage cheese (I'm not crazy about cottage cheese but it is perfect in this)
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp. of black pepper
3/4 c. Parmesan cheese
1 lb. of grated mozzarella cheese

Brown meats in butter. Add garlic, 1 tablespoon of parsley, basiz, 1/2 tsp salt, tomatoes, tomato paste and oregano. Simmer meat mixture as you prepare the noodles and the cheese mixture. Cook noodles according to package directions and rinse in cold water to prevent sticking. Combine cottage cheese, eggs, 1/2 tsp. salt, pepper, other 2 tablespoons of parsley and Parmesan cheese.

To assemble: Arrange a layer of 1/2 the noodles in a lightly greased 13x9 pan. Spread 1/2 of the cottage cheese mixture over the noodles. Add 1/2 of the meat mixture. Add 1/2 the mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or freeze. To bake it frozen, I would cook it about an 1 and 1/2, but check it at an hour. You could always take it out of the freezer the day before you want to cook it and thaw it in the fridge and then cook for 30 to 45 minutes at 375.