Rice Lasagna

This is a favorite in our house, but you do need to think ahead and cook the brown rice before hand. I often have made this with leftover rice. If not, then you need to plan your assembly time to start after your rice is cooked. 1 cup of uncooked rice makes about 3 cups of cooked rice.

[Just in case you don't know- Cook brown rice in a medium pan with lid. 1 cup rice and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil. Lower heat to low and simmer covered until rice is tender. (Brown rice takes about 45 minutes or less at our house.)]

Rice Lasagna

1 lbs Ground Beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
30 oz. spaghetti sauce (your favorite jarred or homemade. I like Muir Glen-Garlic Roasted Garlic)
15 oz ricotta or small curd cottage cheese
2 egg whites (or 1 whole egg)
8 oz. or more of shredded mozzarella
3 cups cooked rice (I use long grain brown rice)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium sized pan brown beef and onions and then drain off fat. Stir in spaghetti sauce. In a separate bowl combine ricotta/cottage cheese, egg whites, and shredded mozzarella (you can add more than 8 oz if you like it cheesier). In a 13X9 lasagna pan spread 1/3 the meat sauce mixture, then 1/2 of the cooked brown rice and then 1/2 the ricotta mixture. Repeat layers a second time. Save last 1/3 of meat sauce for very top. Finally, cover top  with grated Parmesan. Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.