Sensational Meat Lasagna with Dip Topping

• 1 pound sweet Italian sausage
• 1/2 pound lean ground beef
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds (optional)
• 2 jars Italian sausage and peppers sauce
• 1 cube onion bouillon
• 1 cube garlic bouillon
• 1 cube beef bouillon
• 1 large container whole milk ricotta, reserve 1/3 for top layer
• 1/2 lb shredded mozzarella cheese or to taste
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or 1 tablespoon dried
• 1 lb package lasagna noodles
• Another 1/2 lb mozzarella for topping
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 pound sliced provolone
• Top Layer:
• 1/3 of ricotta cheese
• 3 small jars marinated artichoke hearts
• 1 10 oz box frozen spinach
• 1/3 jar Alfredo sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 block cream cheese at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Heat Alfredo sauce until warm. Drop 3 bouillon cubes in and stir. Brown Italian sausage and ground beef and set aside. Add fennel seeds if you opt to use. Mix together 2/3 of ricotta cheese with 1/2 lb mozzarella cheese, parsley, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning pepper and eggs. Top layer: Mix together remaining ricotta, minced garlic, chopped and drained artichokes without oil, cooked and drained spinach, cream cheese, egg, parsley and Parmesan. Add salt to taste. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles, 3 at a time, in boiling water for 8-10 minutes. Drain noodles on a towel, cover and keep handy until all are done. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. To assemble, spread sauce in a 9 X 13 baking dish to cover so noodles do not stick. Arrange noodles to cover lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with a 1/2 of ricotta/mozzarella cheese mixture and cover with meat in places where pieces would be cut. Spoon sauce over mixture. Layer with more noodles and repeat. Criss-cross noodles to give lasagna more stability. Top with spinach and artichoke mixture. Top with a layer of sauce, cover this layer with provolone cheese and shredded mozzarella, then cover with foil. To prevent sticking, spray foil with cooking spray, or make sure foil does not touch cheese. Bake 25 minutes, remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Let sit an additional 15 minutes before serving.

This recipe is great. I thought it up one day when I was at a restaurant eating spinach and artichoke dip-my favorite-knowing that I had to make lasagna the next day for a family gathering that weekend. Decided to try it, it was a hit, and the rest is history.