FREEZER TO OVEN TO TABLE LASAGNA

Ingredients:
6 Tbsps olive oil
3 onions, chopped fine
1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
8 garlic cloves, minced
3 Tbsps tomato paste
3 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes, drained, or about 25-30 plum tomatoes, washed well and cored
2 tsps oregano
4 bay leaves
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp celery salt
1 tsp pepper
3 tsps pesto, or about 6 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
3 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp flour
3 1/2 cups milk
1 (8 oz.) pkg. low fat mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 lb. oven-ready lasagna noodles (non cook noodles such as Barilla or Ronzoni)

Method:
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Heat the oil in large saucepan over medium heat.
Stir in the onions.
Cook 5 minutes or until soft.
Crumble the beef into the saucepan.
Cook for 5 minutes or until browned.
Add the garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Stir in the tomato paste, tomatoes, oregano and bay leaves.
Bring the mixture to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low.
Simmer 20 minutes.
Stir in the salt and pepper.
Remove from the heat and set aside.
Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat.
Stir the flour into the butter until completely moistened.
Briskly stir in 2/3 cup of the milk until the mixture is smooth.
Add the remaining milk and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2 minutes.
Remove from the heat.
Stir in the cheese. Heat through, stirring constantly, until completely melted.
Prepare a large baking pan by lining it with foil and greasing it with cooking spray, for easy clean ups.
Cover the bottom of the prepared baking pan with a layer of the no-cook lasagna noodles.
Spread the meat sauce over the top of the noodles, working it to the edges so that everything is covered.
Spoon some of the cheese sauce over the meat sauce.
Add a second layer on top of the first.
Repeat with the meat sauce, then the cheese sauce.
Add a third layer. 
Add the meat, and finish with the cheese on top.
Bake the lasagna in the over for 35 minutes, or until the top starts to get brown.
Remove from the oven and let stand 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Serve with Italian bread and a side salad.

To freeze:  Cover and freeze for up to 3 months. You can freeze the entire pan if you do not want to eat this right away, or want to have something easy on hand for a potluck or family meals that will serve a large number of people. 
Or, slice into desired portion sizes and put into freezer containers. You can also slice into desired sizes, and freeze the whole pan. Then lift out the foil and wrap each slice in waxed paper, followed by tin foil. Be sure each piece is completely covered to avoid freezer burn or absorbing tastes from the freezer.

To serve after being frozen:
The slices can then be used cold as a substitute for sandwiches (thaw overnight in the refrigerator) or as a fast, easy microwave meal. Unwrap the foil. Keep the wax paper on it to prevent the noodles getting too dry. Place on a plate.  Heat for 3 minutes and let stand for 1 to be sure it is heated through from the center outwards and there are no icy bits. Unwrap and eat.

If you have frozen the entire lasagna, thaw overnight in the refrigerator. You can serve cold or leave it out for 30 minutes or so to let it come to room temperature.
To cook the whole lasagna from frozen, remove the frozen lasagna from the freezer.
Place in a preheated 350 F degree oven.
Bake the lasagna for 25 to 30 minutes or until the top is nicely browned.

Makes 8 servings

This tasty lasagna is so easy to throw together and even easier to pull out on a busy night. There is no need to thaw before baking. Just turn on the oven and put it in as soon as you get home from your busy day. Get washed and changed and set the table, and it will be ready by the time you've finished your essential little chores. Take it out and let it stand 10 minutes to rest and cool while you put together your additions to the meal. Add a salad and some garlic bread and you have a meal the whole family can enjoy in no time. Remember, cheese can be very hot, so if you have very young children, you might want to slice it into portions/cut it up into smaller pieces and let it stand for an additional 5 minutes.

Variations: Instead of beef, use ground turkey. Instead of meat or poultry, use the same amount of your favorite vegetables: celery, carrots, mushrooms, eggplant. Note that mushrooms will make it more watery, so you might want to cook them first and then add them to the pan with the other ingredients. If using whole, fresh tomatoes, allow 10 to 15 minutes of additional cooking time to thicken the tomatoes down to your desired consistency.

Preparation Time: about 20 minutes
Post-freezing cooking time: A whole lasagna about 30 minutes, smaller portions, 3 to 5 minutes in the microwave