Simply Speedy Lasagna

Ingredients

• 1 pinch basil 
• 1 cup olives black sliced
• 1 pound bulk sausage italian
• 1 tablespoon onion flakes dried
• 1.5 teaspoons sage dried
• 2 tablespoons garlic minced
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder 
• 1 pound ground beef 
• 2 teaspoons ground pepper black
• 16 ounce lasagna noodles 
• 1 tablespoon oregano dried
• 8 ounces ricotta cheese 
• 1 pound mozzarella cheese shredded
• 28 ounce tomato basil sauce classico®
• 0.5 cup warm water 

Equipment

• frying pan
• oven
• knife
• baking pan

Directions

1. Brown the ground beef and Italian sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Drain excess grease. Stir in the water and black olives, and season with basil, garlic powder, oregano, sage, pepper, minced garlic, and onion flakes. Simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the pasta sauce, and remove from the heat.
3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
4. Place a layer of the meat and sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Cover with a layer of dry noodles.
5. Spread a thin layer of ricotta cheese over the noodles, and sprinkle with a little mozzarella cheese. Cover with another layer of sauce, and repeat layering ending with the meat and sauce on top. Reserve about 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese for later.
6. Bake for 45 minutes in the preheated oven, but check after 30 minutes depending on how thick the lasagna is. Lasagna is cooked when you can easily stick a knife into it.
7. Sprinkle the reserved cheese over the top, and return to the oven for about 10 minutes for a nice melted cheese topping.