Lasagna Deluxe and Sautéed Summer Squash With Onions and Garlic

Lasagna Deluxe

Pasta

Ingredients

1 box regular or gluten free lasagna noodles, or cook homemade lasagne noodles for 40 seconds.

Instructions

Cook the pasta according to directions on box, drain. I use a large pot for boiling lasagna noodles and after I drain the noodles I hang them along the rim of the pot.

Mornay Sauce

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 2/3 cup grated parmesan reggiano cheese (from an Italian deli)
• salt and pepper

Instructions

Melt butter in a heavy sauce pan, add flour and cooking for one minute to remove raw flour taste, then add milk and whisk until smooth and thickened. Stir in parmesan and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Meat Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef (or turkey)t
• 3 34 ounce jars of pasta sauce (I like to mix sweetened sauces with unsweetened ones.)

Instructions

Brown meat and drain. Stir in sauce.

Ricotta Cheese Layer

Ingredients

• 16 ounces ricotta cheese
• 1 egg, beaten
• pinch nutmeg

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a bowl.

Remaining Ingredients

• 1 16 ounce bag spinach, cooked, drained, squeezed dry and chopped
• 16 ounces mozzarella, grated, divided
• 3/4 cup asiago cheese, grated
• 8 ounces fresh mushrooms sautéed in 1 tablespoon oil for 1 minutes, add 1 large minced garlic and sauté 1 more minute (optional)

Assembly

Quick reference:

1. 1st layer:  morney sauce
2. 2nd layer:  lasagne noodles
3. 3rd layer: 1/3 of meat sauce
4. 4th layer: lasagna noodles
5. 5th layer: ricotta cheese mixture
6. 6th layer: spinach
7. 7th layer: 1/2 of the mozzarella
8. 8th layer: lasagna noodles
9. 9th layer: 1/3 meat sauce
10. 10th layer: lasagna noodles
11. 11th layer: remaining 1/3 of meat sauce
12. 12th layer: remaining 1/2 of mozzarella plus the asiago cheese
13. optional topping: sautéed mushrooms and garlic

Instructions

Spread the mornay sauce in a 15 by 10 inch casserole. Line four noodles next to each other and cut a fifth one for the end to cover all the sauce. Spread 1/3 of the meat sauce over the noodles and then another layer of noodles. Next spoon on the ricotta mixture and spread it evenly over the noodles. Sprinkle with half of the mozzarella and drop the spinach evenly over the cheese. Then do another layer of noodles, another 1/3 of the meat sauce, layer of noodles, and the remaining meat sauce. You can put the cheese on now or at the end of the cooking. Cover loosely with foil and bake at 350 degrees for one hour. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and the asiago cheese. Bake 15 to 30 minutes more. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Serve the lasagne with…

Sautéed Summer Squash

Ingredients

• your choice of summer squash, cut or sliced
• sweet white onions
• olive oil
• garlic salt
• parmesan reggiano cheese

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a skillet. Add the squash and onions and sauté until tender. Sprinkle with garlic salt and after it’s plated, sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

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