📖 Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). This is crucial for even cooking and melting that cheese to perfection. I forgot to do this once and it took almost twice as long to cook, so don't skip this step!
2. Cook the sausage: In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the sausage, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks. Drain off any excess grease. Nobody wants a greasy lasagna.
3. Add the onions and garlic: Add the diced onion and minced garlic to the skillet with the sausage. Cook until the onions are softened and translucent, about 5-7 minutes. This step adds a foundational flavor to the lasagna, so take your time.
4. Stir in the apples: Add the peeled and diced apples to the skillet. Cook until they are slightly softened, about 5 minutes. The apples should retain some of their texture, not turn to mush. Mushy apples are no good.
5. Incorporate the spices: Stir in the ground nutmeg, salt, and black pepper. Nutmeg is the secret ingredient that ties everything together, so don't skimp on it!
6. Prepare the cheese sauce: In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until smooth, creating a roux. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. This is the base of your creamy cheese sauce.
7. Add milk and cream: Gradually whisk in the milk and heavy cream until the sauce is smooth and thickened. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Be patient and make sure there are no lumps! Lumpy cheese sauce is sad cheese sauce.
8. Melt the cheddar: Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the shredded cheddar cheese until it is melted and smooth. Set aside. Mmmm, cheesy goodness.
9. Assemble the lasagna: Spread a thin layer of the cheese sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. This prevents the lasagna noodles from sticking.
10. Layer the ingredients: Arrange a layer of lasagna noodles over the cheese sauce, overlapping as needed. I always slightly undercook my lasagna noodles so that they are perfect once baked.
11. Add sausage mixture: Spread half of the sausage, onion, apple mixture over the noodles.
12. Repeat layers: Spoon half of the remaining cheese sauce over the sausage mixture. Repeat layers: noodles, remaining sausage mixture, remaining cheese sauce.
13. Top with cheese: Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the top layer. Don't be shy with the cheese!
14. Bake the lasagna: Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly browned. The cheese should be irresistable!
15. Rest and serve: Let the lasagna stand for 10-15 minutes before cutting and serving. This allows the layers to set and makes it easier to cut.