All-American Lasagna

By Tufgrlz

Lasagna is a chameleon - add in whatever you're craving. This one has cheeseburger-esque twists: cheddar and a little ketchup for sweetness.

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 6 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 1/2 cups whole milk, warmed
• 12 ounces sharp yellow cheddar, shredded
• salt and pepper
• 3 tablespoons EVOO
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 pounds 85% lean ground beef chuck
• 1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1 bunch broccoli (about 1 lb 5 oz) florets cut into 1-inch pieces, stems trimmed, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 3/4 pound dried lasagna noodles

Preparation

Step 1

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the scallions and cook, stirring often, until soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk; bring to a simmer and whisk for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in 8 oz. cheddar and season with salt and pepper; let cool, stirring occasionally to prevent a skin from forming.
In a large, deep skillet or pot, heat 1 tbsp. EVOO over medium heat. Add the onion and 14 tsp. each salt and pepper; cook, stirring, until the onion is softened and browned, about 5 minutes. Push the onion to the side of the pan; in the center, add 1 tbsp. EVOO and crumble in the ground beef. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook, without stirring, for 3 minutes. Break up the meat with a spatula, then cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, ketchup and 112 cups water. Bring to a simmer; cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 30 minutes. Let cool.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, bring 2 inches of water to a boil. Add the broccoli and cook until al dente, 2 minutes; drain. Rinse with cold water until cool; coarsely chop and season with salt and pepper.
In a pot of boiling, salted water, cook the remaining EVOO and the noodles, stirring, until al dente; drain. Transfer to a bowl of cold water.
Place a baking sheet in the oven and preheat to 400 degrees . Greasea 9-by-13-inch baking dish; pour in 34 cup of the meat sauce. Add a layer of noodles, overlapping slightly. Spoon on 112 cups of the meat sauce and 12 cup of the remaining shredded cheddar. Add another layer of noodles, half of the broccoli, 114 cups of the cheese sauce and another layer of noodles. Repeat with more meat sauce, the remaining cheddar, more noodles, the remaining broccoli and more cheese sauce. Add a fifth layer of noodles, the remaining meat sauce and the remaining cheese sauce. Cover the pan with a greased sheet of parchment, then wrap with foil. Place on the baking sheet and bake for 1 hour; uncover and bake for 15 minutes more. Loosen the foil, then let stand for 30 minutes before serving.