Comfort Food

This is what we are having for dinner tonight....

Veggie Lasagna...you won't even miss the meat.

Here's my recipe...it starts with the sauce:

2 Tb. olive oil

1 small onion, finely diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 medium carrots, peeled & finely diced

2 celery stalks, finely diced

2- 28 oz. cans crushed tomatoes

2 tsp. dried crushed basil

1 Tb. dried crushed parsley

a pinch or 2 of crushed red pepper flakes (about 1/4 tsp.)

Salt & Pepper

1 box "no boil" lasagna noodles

1 small container part skim ricotta cheese

2 eggs

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 box frozen chopped spinach, thaw & squeeze out extra moisture

1 container baby Portobello mushrooms (or Cremini),chopped

about 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat your oven to 350. Heat olive oil in a large sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add onions, garlic, carrots & celery to sauce pan. Add salt & pepper to taste, saute veggies until tender, & onions are translucent, about 8-10 minutes.

2. Add both cans of crushed tomatoes to saucepan, stir to combine. Add basil, parsley, & crushed red pepper and a little more salt and pepper. Bring up to a simmer, cover & turn heat down to med-low; stir occasionally.

4. In a medium bowl, mix together ricotta cheese, eggs, Parmesan cheese, salt & pepper. Set aside.

5. Layer as follows in a 9x13 casserole dish:

**1 cup sauce

**4 noodles, 1/3 of the ricotta mixture, 1/2 of your mushrooms & spinach, 1 cup cheese, 1 cup sauce.

**4 noodles, 1/3 of the ricotta mixture, 1 1/2 cups sauce

**4 noodles, last of the ricotta mixture, last of the mushrooms and spinach, 1 cup mozzarella, 1 cup sauce.

**4 noodles, the rest of the sauce, the rest of the cheese (add a little more Parmesan if you like)

6. Cover tightly with foil & bake for about 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes until bubbly & cheese is golden brown.

7. Allow to cool about 15 minutes before cutting (I was impatient & cut mine a little early...it sets up more if you allow it to cool a little). Enjoy! Serves a lot :).

***you can always add browned ground beef or sausage...substitute where the mushrooms & spinach are added.

***if you don't want to make your own sauce, use 2 regular jars (or 1 large) prepared spaghetti sauce.