Last night I made veggie lasagna, and it was amazing!! Definitely the best lasagna I’ve ever made. I’ve always preferred veggie lasagna to meat lasagna (perhaps as a result of growing up vegetarian), and this one was wonderful– loaded with spinach, mushrooms, and red pepper, with lots of delicious cheese. I used this recipe for veggie lasagna from Allrecipes, but I adapted it a bit (using some of the suggestions in the comments on the recipe). Here’s my version:

Spinach Lasagna

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 medium red pepper, chopped
• about 12 crimini mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large bunch spinach
• about 1 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cans basil-garlic flavored diced tomatoes
• 1 tsp. brown sugar
• 1/2 of an 8-oz. box of lasagna noodles
• 15 oz. low-fat ricotta cheese
• about 1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
• about 1/2 cup fresh grated mozzarella cheese

To make the sauce: saute the onions, garlic, mushrooms, and red pepper in the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, and 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning. When the vegetables are tender, add the 2 cans of diced tomatoes (undrained), and the brown sugar. Lower the heat and simmer for a few minutes.

To prepare the spinach: steam the spinach over boiling water until it’s lightly cooked (but not overcooked).

To prepare the cheese: In a large bowl, mix the ricotta cheese with the parmesan cheese, and add 1 tsp. Italian seasoning.

To prepare the lasagna noodles: bring a pot of salted water to boiling, and add the noodles. Cook only for a few minutes, until the noodles are starting to become soft and pliable, but aren’t yet fully cooked. Drain.

In a 9×6 casserole dish, layer the sauce, noodles, spinach, ricotta cheese, and mozzarella cheese, until it’s all used up, ending with a layer of sauce and mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350 for 1 hour, and then let rest for about 10 minutes before serving.

Vegan lasagna with spinach & meat sauce

½ box lasagna noodles, about 9
1 cup of reserved pasta sauce
1 recipe for “meat” sauce
1 recipe for “ricotta”
2 cup package of mozzarella shreds, 1 cup for ricotta mixture & 1 cup reserved for topping
vegan parm & nutritional yeast for topping, optional

vegan meat sauce

1 recipe rehydrated TVP, recipe below or vegan equivalent for 1lb ground beef
extra-virgin olive oil for misting pot
1 onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic
1 cup of wine (i used cooking sherry & white)
2 25oz jars of pasta sauce, store bought or homemade, RESERVE 1.5 c!
1 or 2 vegan Italian sausages, chopped
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp vegan worcestershire
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. dried basil
Crushed red pepper flakes to taste

Rehydrated TVP:
1 c. “beef” stock
1 tsp. liquid smoke
1 tsp. vegan worcestershire
1 c. TVP

Directions to rehydrate TVP:
Bring stock, liquid smoke and worcestershire up to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in TVP. Cover until ready to add to sauce.

Directions:

1. In a large pasta pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil to medium heat and add onion and sausage. Cook until onions are translucent. Add garlic, cook for an additional minute.

2. Add the wine and TVP. Scrape up any browned bits at the bottom of the pot and stir until wine evaporates, about 5 minutes. Add [all but the reserved] pasta sauce, and remaining ingredients. Reduce heat and simmer for at least 15 minutes.

ricotta & spinach mixture

1 package extra-firm silken tofu, crumbled
1 cup of mozzarella shreds
3 tbsp. nutritional yeast
2 tbsp. vegan parm, optional
3 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp dried basil
2 tsp dried Italian herb mix
fresh ground pepper
5 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed (honestly, mine wasn’t even thawed. i just broke it up and mixed it in!)

Directions: Combine all ingredients and set aside.

Lasagna Directions:

Preheat oven to 375*F.

1. Cook noodles according to package instructions for al dente. Drain noodles, rinse with cool water, separate and set aside.

2. Spread a thin layer of reserved pasta sauce into a 9 x 13 baking dish to coat bottom, followed by 3 lasagna noodles. Spread half of the cheese & spinach mixture on top. Follow with half of the meat sauce. Repeat layers. Cover with last layer of noodles and the remaining reserved pasta sauce. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella evenly over top layer. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Basically, you prepare all the ingredients separately then just layer it all in a bowl. And while I didn’t run the nutrition facts, this has got to be decidedly healthier version than the baked version.

I made two major modifications to the original recipe (from the gods over at Bon Appetit)–1. I made my own sauce  (really very easy and so much better) and 2. I didn’t blanch the spinach (i feel the same way about slimy spinach that i do about bananas).

A little more about the spinach: yes, you put it in there raw. On top of hot pasta and then layer hot sauce on top. What happens here is you get a great little wilted spinach situation–the leaves remain in tact, providing some nice fresh texture.  AND, then when you assemble your leftovers the next morning for lunch, you can just pop the whole thing in the office microwave and the spinach will be cooked–not overcooked. Brilliant. But despite what you’re thinking, I am not, in fact, a Rhodes scholar. Just a hungry girl-on-the-run.

full disclosure: I wrote this recipe the same way I actually prepared it all in the kitchen. I’m all about efficiency.  If it makes your head spin, click the source link and Framed has it written in a more sane manner.

With such a medley of vegetables and whole grains, I didn't miss the meat.

Veggie lasagna has always meant a disappointing Stouffer’s experience for me. But no more! I found a veggie lasagna that even the meat-lovingist of husbands can appreciate. It’s also quite simple and easily modified.

I used:

• Ronzoni Healthy Harvest Whole Grain Noodles (uncooked)
• A bag of fresh spinach
• 5 small mushrooms
• 1 large carrot
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 medium onion
• 2 tbs butter (or olive oil)
• 1 fresh mozzarella ball
• 1 cup of ricotta cheese
• 1 jar of Ragu Six Cheese pasta sauce (I had a coupon. A couple cans of diced tomatoes would’ve worked fine.)
• 1 tsp parsley

I cut up the carrot, garlic, onion, and mushrooms and sauteed them in the butter, throwing in the  spinach (entire bag) last in a skillet. Then I added the pasta sauce and parsley and let it simmer on low for about 5 minutes. Then I put the uncooked noodles in the bottom of a casserole dish, put on a thin layer of ricotta cheese, a layer of the sauce mixture, and a little bit of the mozzarella, which i cut into little bits (for lack of a cheese grater). I the same thing with the 2nd layer, except skipping the mozzarella cheese, saving most of it to cover the top for a total of 3 layers. I covered with foil and baked in a preheated oven on 375 degrees. I uncovered it and cranked up the heat to 450 for a couple minutes to get a little brown on my cheese. I let it cool for about 10 minutes before serving with some garlic Texas toast. It made some terrific leftovers, and I didn’t even need a side dish. Downside: it does take a while to make, but there is little clean up.

Let me know if you try it!

Shopping at my local farmers’ market is one of my favorite weekend activities. Midsummer vegetables are at their peak, and the mountains of gorgeous summer produce engulf my field of view — and also skew my better judgment. Invariably, I end up carting home way more veggies than I counted on buying, and the week is spent trying to use up a glut of fresh produce before next Sunday arrives and it’s time to do it all over again.

Granted, there are worse problems to have. And so, I gamely looked in my produce drawer this morning to re-discover a bag full of peppers, both sweet and hot varieties, as well as four cute little eggplants, and four fat portobello mushrooms.

First, I de-veined, de-seeded, and diced all the peppers. At this point, I was still waiting for inspiration to strike. Then, I figured you can’t go wrong starting a recipe with garlic and onions, so I diced up some of those . . . and finally, I had an idea worth running with! I would make a summer vegetable lasagna, using up all those veggies in a tomato sauce, layering it with whole wheat noodles and pesto-y spinach.

So, there you go. A vegetarian lasagna, light on dairy but packed with flavor. In addition to all those fresh vegetables, I used a box of Pomi chopped tomatoes,  a bag of frozen spinach, and a batch of pesto I’d made a few weeks ago, frozen into dollops for quick defrosting. If you choose to make your pesto without cheese, this recipe could easily go vegan.

This recipe makes a nice big lasagna, perfect for a summer dinner party. It also freezes beautifully in individual portions, which I will surely take advantage of — soon, the school year will start, and I will be happy to have some homemade lasagna to pack for lunch.

Oh, and one more thing. Instead of boiling my lasagna noodles, I place them in a baking dish, cover them with boiling water, and let them soak for half an hour. This way, they don’t stick to each other when you’re trying to assemble your lasagna, and the texture is not compromised at all. You could use no-boil noodles instead, but I like the substance and chew of whole wheat lasagna, and soaking the noodles hardly takes any work at all.

Summer Vegetable Lasagna

1 lb. box whole wheat lasagna noodles
1 batch Summer Vegetable Sauce (recipe below)
1 batch Pesto Alla Genovese (recipe below)
1 lb. bag frozen spinach
1/4 C. grated Parmesan cheese

1. Place the lasagna noodles in a 9″x13″ baking dish. Cover with boiling water and let soak for 30 minutes.

2. Defrost the frozen spinach according to the package directions.  Drain of any excess water and mix with pesto.

3. Preheat oven to 375F.

4. Set the cooked noodles aside, dry your baking dish, and ladle a cup of the Summer Vegetable Sauce evenly over the bottom of the dish.

5.. Place a layer of lasagna noodles on top of the sauce. You may have to cut them to fit.

6. Spread a layer of pesto spinach over the noodles, then add another layer of noodles. Now, ladle on a few cups of the sauce. Add another layer of noodles. Repeat until the pan is full and all noodles are used.

7. Top lasagna with grated Parmesan cheese. Bake for 45 minutes, until browned on top. Cool for 30 minutes before slicing.

Summer Vegetable Sauce

2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 large cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 large red onion, diced
8 mini bell peppers, diced
2 gypsy peppers, diced
2 anaheim chiles, diced
2 guajillo chiles, diced
4 small Rosa Bianca (4″ long, egg-shaped) eggplants, diced
4 medium (4″ diameter) portobello mushrooms, diced
1 750g box Pomi chopped tomatoes
1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1. Heat the olive oil and garlic in a large (12″) skillet over medium flame. When the garlic begins to bubble, add the onion and saute for a few minutes, until softened.

2. Add the peppers and chiles to the pan, and saute for a few minutes to soften.

3. Add the eggplant, mushrooms, chopped tomatoes, and salt. Stir to combine everything, turn heat down to medium-low, cover skillet, and let simmer for 30 minutes, until eggplant is thoroughly cooked.

4. Transfer sauce to a large bowl. Using an immersion blender, blend the sauce until it is mostly smooth, with a few chunks of vegetables.

Pesto Alla Genovese

1 bunch basil
1 bunch flat leaf parsley
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
4 oz. parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 C. walnut halves
1/2 C. pine nuts
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 C. extra virgin olive oil

1. Combine ingredients in food processor. Process until well blended.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and boil the lasagna noodles and drain. Then mix ricotta, egg, salt n pepper and nutmeg together. Then stir in spinach, 8 oz of mozzarella, garlic and onion and set aside. Next pour enough tomato sauce into lasagna/caserole dish to cover the bottom. Make 1 layer of lasagna noodles then spoon on a layer of the spinach mixture and another layer of noodles. Pour tomato sauce on the layer to cover and spoon on remaining spinach filling. Top with another layer of noodles, cover with remaining sauce and sprinkle remaining mozzarella on top and bake for 30-45 minutes.

Serve with salad and garlic bread.

1 Pkg (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry  (sometimes I use 3 cups fresh spinach)

1 cup shredded mozzarella

1 cup cottage cheese ( I will sometimes use 1/2 cup cottage cheese and 1/2 cup ricotta)

3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided

1 egg lightly beaten

6 lasagna noodles

2 cans (15 oz each) seasoned tomato sauce for lasagna- you can also use a jar of spaghetti sauce

1 lb ground beef or turkey

1/2 tsp minced garlic

1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning

Brown beef/turkey  with garlic and Italian seasoning, drain beef

In a bowl, combine spinach, mozzarella, cottage cheese, 1/2 cup parmesan and egg.  Add ground beef Spread a heaping 1/3 over each noodle

Roll up; secure with toothpicks and place seam side down in a baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Pour the tomato or spaghetti sauce over the roll-ups. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 33-38 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese. Discard the toothpicks.

Note: This recipe was adapted from the 2008 Quick cooking cookbook. I don’t usually refrigerate overnight, I do however usually prepare dinner in the early afternoon and let it sit in the fridge for a few hours. I also added the ground beef and seasonings.  My husband insist upon meat with his meals

I will start with a completely different spin on traditional lasagna…..a white and creamy chicken spinach lasagna. I don’t even want to know how many calories are in this baby…I just pretend it’s healthy because it has chicken and spinach in it. Oh, and this sucker takes some time….but is well worth the effort. I believe this was my very first attempt at making a white sauce all on my own that didn’t come in a bottle named Alfredo Sauce. I was so darn proud of myself. I could almost cry thinking about it. Sniff sniff.

RECIPE: Creamy Chicken Spinach Lasagna

Servings 9

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

1/2 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups chicken broth

1-1/2 cup milk

4 cups mozzarella cheese (note: will be split, read directions carefully)

1-1/4  cup parmesan cheese (note: will be split, read directions carefully)

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

1 pinch cayenne pepper

2 cups ricotta cheese

2 cups chicken, cooked and shredded

20 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and drained

9 each lasagna noodles, cooked

1 tablespoon fresh  parsley, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until tender.

2. Stir in flour and salt and simmer until bubbly.

3. Slowly mix in chicken broth and milk  stirring constantly until mixture comes to a boil.

4. Add 2 cups mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup parmesan and stir well until cheese is melted.

5. Stir in italian seasoning, white pepper, and cayenne. Remove from heat.

To assemble lasagna:

1. Spray 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray. Place 1/3 cup sauce on bottom of pan.

2. Top with 3 noodles, 1 cup of ricotta, 1/2 of spinach, 1 cup of chicken, and 1 cup mozzarella.

3. Top with 3 more noodles, 1 cup of ricotta, remaining spinach, remaining chicken, 1/3 cup sauce, 1/2 cup parmesan,  1 cup mozzarella.

4. Top with 3 more noodles, and remaining sauce. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and 1/4 cup parmesan.

Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 45 minutes.

 The great thing with this recipe is you can play around with it.  Add less spinach, more chicken. Replace spinach with broccoli or zucchini. Add romano cheese or asiago cheese.  Maybe add a pinch of nutmeg to the white sauce. Have fun!

Eggplant Lasagna

Makes 4-5 servings: 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/2 large purple eggplant cut in 1/4 inch slices
• 2 hot Italian sausages without the casings
• 1 tbs parsley
• 1/4 cup diced tomatoes
• 1/4 cup diced onions
• 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
• 1 tbs minced garlic
• 1 cup cooked spinach (I make it fresh-sauteed with garlic), drained good
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 egg
• 1 tbs grated parmesan cheese
• 1 cup mozerella cheese
• 1 can tomato sauce
• 2 tbs olive oil
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 1 tbs crushed red peppers (optional)

Directions:

1. In a bowl, mix ricotta cheese, egg, pinch of salt, parsley, parmesan, and spinach thoroughly and set aside.
2. Place eggplant slices spread out on a cookie sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and lightly salt & pepper. Broil in oven for 5 minutes or until golden brown. Set aside.
3. Preheat oven to 350.
4. In a saucepan on medium-high heat saute onions and garlic in 1 tbs of olive oil for 2 minutes. Add sausage and cook thoroughly for 5-7 minutes. Add diced tomatoes and mushrooms and cook for 2-3 more minutes.
5. Add tomato sauce and reduce heat to medium. Add Italian seasoning. Simmer for 7-10minutes.
6. In a bread loaf pan, layer bottom with a spoonful of meat sauce. Layer with eggplant, ricotta cheese, and repeat. Top with remaining eggplant slices and end with mozerella cheese on top. Cover with foil.
7. Bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and increase heat to broil for remaining 5. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Here is what I learned in the 90 minutes we were there.  There is a strong sense of community in Kansas City, Kansas — in the “Dotte”, shorthand for Wyandotte, the county where Kansas City, Kansas is located.

Pat and I talked about our book, Four Ordinary Women. We talk a lot about this book, and every time we do, we are reminded of why we wrote it, and why we speak to groups of women and the subject matter never feels stale or redundant.  Women like to come together to share —- for in doing so, we help each other voice our feelings, our thoughts and our own unique slant on things. And in doing that we realize that we are not so very different when we peel away skin color, socioeconomic differences and age.

As we began our talk this afternoon, I looked out at the audience of women and looked into those faces.  Faces that have shared the same dreams, the same sun, the same disappointments.  And perhaps, in the sometimes gritty sharing in our book, we pave the way for some other woman to reach out, share their pain, their struggles, with someone else.  To take that chance, to risk.

I left the YWCA with our box of books (which I am please to say was substantially lighter than when I arrived!).  Several women came up to Pat and I offering contacts, email addresses, suggestions of how to market our book.  And just 90 short minutes ago, these women were complete strangers.

We have talked to many groups of women.  These woman were amazing in their generous spirit — wanting us to succeed.  Cheering on two of their own.  Thanks, ladies for a wonderful afternoon, and the spinach lasagna was terrific.

It definitely hits the spot as I’ve enjoyed it for 1 dinner and 3 lunches this week…and there’s plenty more to eat. The lasagna is filled with spinach, portobello mushrooms and 4 types of cheese – mozerella, ricota, provolone and parmesan. The recipe called for a bechamel sauce, a white sauce made by whisking scalded milk gradually into a flou-butter roux. This is the first I’ve tried this and it sort of flopped. The sauce didn’t thicken as it was still a liquefied milk mixture at the end. I worried that the failed sauce would ruin the dish, so a can of barilla marinera came to the rescue. I ended up pouring both the white and red sauces in the pasta and it was lovely. So cheesy, so saucy — just the way I like it!

On another note, today’s run ranks as one of my favorite. Since I’m traveling to visit college friends in Cincinnati this weekend, I needed to squeeze in my weekly long run, which is usually reserved for Saturdays. This morning Brian and I got up early to hit the path at 6:30 to log 7 miles before rushing off to work. The wind was brisk, but the cold wasn’t bothersome today. As we ran, the sun came up over the lake, drenching us in sunshine. It was such a peaceful beginning to the day, being out on the path–just us, the cold air, and the huge sun reflecting off building and the water. So quiet, so zen, as if we were running a trail in the woods, not a strip of pavement yards from hundreds of cars whizzing to work on Lake Shore Drive. It was one of those runs that takes an hour but feels like five minutes — these are rare, and not to be taken for granted.

The first time I made this was the day I graduated from college, which was in 19somethingoranother. After the ceremony, I made dinner for my family at my apartment. I’m sure I could have wrangled a restaurant meal out of my parents, so I must have really wanted to host a dinner party! The lasagna was a hit and my dad said that if I was going to cook like that, I could move back home. OK, that was a relief, because I was already packed up and set to move home while I looked for a job.

Fast forward to 2009 and I’m still making this. (And I moved out of my parents’ house long ago!) I’ve passed the recipe to many people; I don’t know how many times my mother-in-law has said “I made your lasagna again.” Even though it’s great for company, I make it for the two of us too. We enjoy eating it for a few dinners and then I freeze the leftovers. It’s a happy day when I discover a package of spinach lasagna in the freezer!

I wish I had cool photos of this, but it’s lasagna and I hope you’ll give me a break. And I hope you’ll give it a try.

(If you know me in real life and you haven’t had this, let me know and I’ll have you over for dinner!)

This recipe is my own, but it originated with one in the Ideals Gourmet Christmas Cookbook, which is a skinny paperback cookbook. This cookbook and I go way back; it’s also where I got the recipe for Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pie.

Spinach Lasagna

Noodles
8 oz (1/2 pound) lasagna noodles

Sauce
6 oz can tomato paste
15 oz can tomato sauce
15 oz can diced tomatoes, drained with juice reserved
2 tablespoons Italian blend seasoning, or your favorite combination of Italian herbs
Small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Add water to reserved tomato juice to equal 1/2 cup

Filling
2 eggs
10 oz box frozen chopped spinach, thawed with excess water squeezed out
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
15 oz container part-skim Ricotta cheese

For Layering
12 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
Handful of roasted red peppers, chopped (optional but tasty)

Noodles: Boil water in a large pot and cook noodles 10 minutes (they will be partially cooked).  Drain noodles, rinse, and set aside. While noodles are cooking, make sauce and filling.

Sauce: Mix all sauce ingredients in a saucepan and simmer at least 20 minutes.

Filling: Beat eggs in a large bowl.  Stir in parmesan and ricotta.  Add spinach.

Assembly: Spray a 13 x 9 x 2” pan (it bakes best in glass or stoneware) with non-stick cooking spray.  Spread a small amount of sauce in the bottom of the pan. Layer 1/2 of the noodles, 1/2 of the filling, 1/3 of the mozzarella, and 1/2 of the sauce twice, ending with the sauce.  If using roasted red peppers, scatter them on top of the filling in one of the layers.  Sprinkle the remaining 1/3 of the mozzarella on top. Spray a piece of foil with non-stick cooking spray and cover the lasagna.

Baking: Bake at 350° F 1 hour 15 minutes (1 1/2 hours if lasagna has been refrigerated). Remove the foil after 40 minutes of baking time. Lasagna is done when browned and bubbly around the edges. Let stand a few minutes before cutting.

Spinach Lasagna

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. whole grain lasagna noodles
• 4 cups chopped spinach
• 16 oz. tomato sauce
• 2 cups fresh ricotta
• 2 cups mozzarella

Directions:

1. Prepare lasagna noodles according to package directions
2. Steam spinach for 2-3 minutes, let excess water drain
3. Spread thin layer of tomato sauce on the bottom of a large casserole.  Cover surface with a layer of noodles, 1/2 of the ricotta, 1/2 of the spinach, 1/3 of the remaining sauce and 1/3 of the mozzarella.  Lay down another layer of noodles, the rest of the ricotta, the rest of the spinach, 1/3 of the sauce and 1/3 of the mozzarella.  Spread a final layer of noodles, the remainder of the sauce and mozzarella, bake uncovered at 350° for 40 minutes.

For other great recipes, a) read the book (my biggest piece of advice!) or b) go to the website.  Enjoy!!

xoxo.jenifriend

The rebound meal tonight: a simple spinach lasagna. Two layers of steamed spinach and a layer of sweet onion and fennel. With a simple besciamella and a spoonful of ricotta, this dish spoke well to my needs. So did the carrot fennel salad and clementine. What a relief. 

Reading Terminal is an interesting place, but not one I frequent regularly. It

opened its doors in 1892. The new Market was approximately 78,000 square feet and held nearly 800 spaces for merchants, each positioned in six foot stalls. The Market was laid out in a grid system similar to the streets of Philadelphia. There were twelve aisles and four avenues…. Today the Market is home to more than 80 merchants, two of whom are descendants of the original standholders from a century before. 

MASS

SPANISH – (Dr Jimenez) — chaper 14 test + dictation + evaluation.

LUNCH — food court @ Dolphin Mall with J.

DINNER — Spinach lasagna (with nuts & hard pasta)? + Robitussin drink + scarce salad bar.

RECTOR’s CONFERENCE – (Fr Michael) — part 2 on Virtues for new guys.

TV — watched last to episodes of Pushing Daisies procrastinating 2 philosophy papers due tomorrow.  [a blessing in disguise]

Wild Mushroom and Spinach Lasagna
Serves 12

5 pounds fresh spinach, stems removed
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
3 garlic, finely sliced
1 pound ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons coarse salt
1 3/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
3 pounds wild mushrooms, (chanterelles, oyster, and shiitake), trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
3/4 cup Madeira wine
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
4 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup grated pecorino Romano cheese
1 one-pound package fresh spinach lasagna sheets

Wash spinach leaves well in three changes of cold water; shake dry. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in large pan over medium heat. Add half the garlic; saute until light golden, about 2 minutes. Add half the spinach leaves, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain spinach in a colander. Repeat with another tablespoon butter and remaining garlic and spinach. When spinach is cool enough to handle, squeeze to rid it of liquid. Roughly chop spinach; place in medium bowl. Add ricotta, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add a third of the mushrooms; season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Saute until mushrooms are softened and browned, about 10 minutes. Deglaze skillet by pouring 1/4 cup Madeira into hot skillet with mushrooms and using a wooden spoon to loosen bits cooked onto skillet. Cook mushrooms until liquid has almost evaporated. Transfer cooked mushrooms to medium bowl. Repeat with another 2 tablespoons of butter, another third of the mushrooms, and 1/4 cup Madeira. (Reserve the final third of mushrooms and Madiera for topping.) Add two-thirds of the chopped parsley to bowl with cooked mushrooms; stir.

In medium saucepan over medium heat, heat 4 cups milk. Melt 8 tablespoons butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. When butter bubbles, add flour; cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Slowly add warmed milk; cook, whisking constantly, until mixture bubbles and becomes thick. Remove pan from heat. Stir in 2 teaspoons salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, the nutmeg, and 1/2 cup grated cheese.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Set aside 1/2 cup sauce. Assemble lasagna: Spread 1/2 cup sauce in bottom of 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Place layer of lasagna sheets in pan, trimming to fit; spread 1 cup spinach mixture, 1 cup mushroom mixture, and 1/2 cup sauce on top of lasagna sheets. Repeat layers several times. For last layer, place a layer of lasagna sheets on top; spread 1/2 cup sauce over lasagna sheets. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup grated cheese. Bake lasagna until top is golden brown, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Let stand 20 minutes before serving.

Just before serving, melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in the skillet over medium heat. Add remaining third of the uncooked mushrooms; season with the remaining teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook until golden and tender, about 10 minutes. Deglaze skillet, with mushrooms in it, with the remaining 1/4 cup Madeira. Stir in the remaining third of fresh parsley.

In a small saucepan, combine reserved 1/2 cup sauce with remaining 1/2 cup milk. Over medium heat, whisk until warm and smooth. Spoon cooked mushrooms over each serving, or serve on the side. Serve lasagna with warmed sauce.

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