LASAGNA CUPS

Lasagna Cups are filled to the max with delicious sauce and ooey, gooey cheese! They taste just like lasagna and they’re fun to eat! I have to tell you guys, I had a lot of fun with this recipe! I had a blast making these with my niece and turning this idea into dinner the other...

Ingredients

for the sauce-

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 large onion

1/2 pound lean ground beef cooked and drained

1/2 red bell pepper chopped

1 small zucchini diced

2 cloves garlic minced

1-6 oz. can tomato paste

1-8 oz. can tomato sauce {+1/2 can water to wash out can}

1-14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes

1 tablespoon dried basil

1/2 tablespoon dried oregano

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon sugar

salt & pepper to taste

for the cheese filling-

1-10 oz. tub Philadelphia Italian Herb & Cheese Cooking Cream

1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

3/4 pound mozzarella cheese grated & divided

1/3 cup ricotta cheese

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 egg

21 lasagne pasta sheets

Instructions

For the sauce- heat olive oil over medium heat and saute onions, pepper, zucchini and garlic until tender, 5 minutes. Stir in cooked ground beef and tomato paste until well incorporated. Stir in remaining ingredients and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low and cook 30 minutes or so. {The longer it cooks, the better it will taste!} This will be very thick.

For the cheese filling- stir all ingredients together excluding half of the grated mozzarella cheese. Set aside.

For the pasta- Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta sheets 2 minutes less than package directions and drain. Place pasta on greased baking sheet until you are ready for assembly.

For assembly- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12 jumbo muffin tins with squares of parchment paper. If they don't stay in on their own, that's ok--the pasta will help with that. Line the edges of the muffin tins with 1 pasta sheet per cup. {Pasta sheet will overlap about 2 inches.} Spoon about 1/2 tablespoon of sauce into the bottom of each cup {#1}. Next cut 9 pasta sheets into quarters and press one of these pieces of pasta into the bottom on top of the sauce {#2}. Top pasta sheet with a generous tablespoon of sauce {#3} and then a generous tablespoon of cheese filling {#4}. Repeat this pasta-sauce-cheese layering one more time being sure to press out any air bubbles. Top these lasagna cups off with a 3rd piece of pasta, more sauce and the remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until everything is hot and bubbly. Serve hot.