The lazy cook

I like to eat lasagne, but I don't like to make it. Even with no-boil noodles the mixing/spreading of the ricotta bumps it up over the threshold of Not Worth It. But, earlier this year I found a recipe in Real Simple that substitutes frozen ravioli. Makes sense - flat noodles and ricotta. Here's my version of the recipe:

Cheater's Lasagna
1 jar pasta sauce
1 30-ounce bags frozen large cheese ravioli
1 package Italian sausage patties, cooked and crumbled
1 16-ounce bag shredded mozzarella

1. Don fabulous apron. (Steve gave me this one for Christmas - he is so cool.) Cook sausage if you haven't already. I reserve about a cup and freeze the rest for next time. (Laziness promotes efficiency.)

2. Heat oven to 350° F. Coat a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with cooking spray and pour in enough sauce to coat the bottom.

3. Arrange 12 frozen ravioli on top and scatter ~1/2 cup sausage over them. Top with handful of cheese.

4. Tend to crying baby, if applicable.

5. Cover with another layer of ravioli, sausage, sauce and cheese (the first layer, not the baby). I ended up making an additional layer because I have a tall dish, but that may have contributed to running out of sauce and starting a second jar.

6. Cover with foil and bake 35-40 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 minutes more or until bubbly.

You can make this in advance and keep it in the fridge so it doesn't take as long to bake at dinnertime. In this case, don't forget to remove your apron before you go to the fabric store. Ahem.

Another option from the original recipe is to add a package of frozen spinach. Thaw it before you need it, and squeeze out the juice. Then layer in with the other ingredients.