Lasagna

Brown beef and Italian sausage well; drain. Add onions, bell peppers and mushrooms and cook for a minute or two; add garlic and cook at medium heat until vegetables are softened. Pour in red wine and allow to cook for 2 minutes. Add all of the seasonings and brown sugar, all of the cans of tomatoes, the jar/can of pasta sauce and 1/8 cup parmesan cheese. Stir at medium heat until pot begins to bubble. Cover and simmer for at least 1/2 hour but no more than an hour, stirring regularly. Prepare noodles as directed on package. Drain and place in cool water. Butter a 9x13 baking pan and pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. To "build" your lasagna: spread 1/2 cup sauce in the pan evenly. Place 4-5 noodles on top, overlapping slightly. Dollop 1/3 ricotta cheese over noodles (don't spread). Add 1/3 remaining sauce and spread over ricotta; cover with 1/3 mozzarella cheese. Repeat 2 more layers, beginning with noodles, then ricotta, then sauce and finally mozzarella. The last (3rd) layer should end by sprinkling 1/2 cup parmesan cheese over the sauce, followed by remaining mozzarella and the remainder of sauce. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake another 15-30 minutes, or until cheese has melted and lasagna is bubbling. Lasagne needs to set for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing. CAUTION: It's not uncommon for lasagna to spill over slightly while baking. To avoid messy clean-ups, place a cookie sheet on the lower oven rack.