Skillet Lasagna Recipe

This recipe is for Lori since she's been wanting good recipes with cheap and simple ingredients so here it is. Of course it is from America's Test Kitchen website so you know it's good. I especially love to use fresh basil from my garden! I made it one night with Kaitlyn when our husbands weren't home and I think she'll vouch for me that it's a good recipe.

Skillet Lasagna
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
Water enough to make four cups combined with tomatoes
1 TBLS olive oil
1 medium onion minced
Table salt
3 medium cloves garlic, minced
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
1 pound ground beef (I like Italian sausage)
10 curly edged lasagna noodles, broken into 2 inch lengths
1 can tomato sauce
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus 2 additional TBLS
Ground black pepper
1 c. ricotta cheese
3 TBL chopped fresh basil

1. Pour tomatoes with their juices into 1 quart liquid measuring cup. Add water until mixture measures 1 quart
2. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and 1/2 tsp salt and cook until onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add ground meat and cook, breaking apart meat, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes
3. Scatter pasta over meat but do not stir. Pour diced tomatoes with juices and tomato sauce over pasta. Cover and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until past is tender, about 20 minutes.
4. Remove skillet from heat and stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper. Dot with heaping TBLS ricotta, cover and let stand off heat for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with basil and remaining 2 TBLS Parmesan. Serve.

The first time you make this it may take you a little over 45 minutes to do it all, but I've got it down to a science now and I can make it in about 30. This is also a great meal for leftovers.