My Version Of Lasagna

I made lasagna the other day and this is what I did to customize the dish. I like creating and trying different spins on sometimes a traditional dish. I thought this combination would taste good together and it did. I made homemade small meatballs and then I coarsely chopped them up to use as a layer in the lasagna. I have had lasagna several times in which the layer of ricotta cheese would tend to dry out and not have a creamy texture once it was baked in the oven.
I searched recipe ideas to find a creamy type of ricotta filling. This is what I came up with. You take cream cheese and butter that are softened (not melted) and mix the two of them together. The recipe called for adding cheese to the mixture but I did not. I did add a slightly beaten egg to this mixture and I did not season the ricotta cheese mixture with salt and pepper which the recipe called for. I like the sweeter, creamy version of ricotta cheese and it did not need seasoning for there is already seasoning in the sauce and the meatballs I made.
I made my homemade sauce and I needed to add to it to have enough sauce so I used two combinations, one I liked a lot and the other I would not use again (it was too strong tasting with the herbs in it.) The brand I did like was Bertolli (Vineyard Premium Collection Sauce) Marinara sauce with Burgundy wine in it. The other Marinara sauce I did not care for was from Aldi, Priano (Gourmet Pasta Sauce) Chunky Marinara. I added that one last and then I doctored it up with a bit of sugar added and some Burgundy cooking wine. It was then fine.
I placed sauce on the bottom of the pan, layer of lasagna noodles, ricotta mixture on top then more sauce and layer of the meatballs then topped with Italian blend grated cheese and some Parmesan cheese. Then repeat the layers again and top off with a layer of the noodles, sauce and then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and any other grated cheese you may have left over and did not use in the prior layers. I then added a few slices of Provolone cheese. I followed two different recipe directions on baking it in the oven. I started off with baking at 350 degree oven for half an hour then I turned up the temperature to 375 degrees and continued to bake it another 30 to 40 minutes longer. You want to let the lasagna rest a bit before you cut into it so it does not just fall apart when cutting it.
It was delicious.
I was busy also making a few Valentine cards for my family this past week. Here is a picture of them. Enjoy what life has to offer to you today and do not dwell on negatives in life but be thankful that you are alive and there is destiny to be fulfilled in your life. So, do not settle for anything less than God's best for your life.