Shelly's Recipe

MUSHROOM AND SPINACH LASAGNA

Category: Pasta - Baked

Sauce:
2 medium red peppers
1/2 medium onion
2 medium cloves garlic
4 medium tomatoes, raw
1/8 tsp ground thyme
1/2 cup home-made vegetable broth
1/8 tsp hot pepper sauce
1 tsp balsamic vinegar

Lasagna:
1 medium onion
3 medium tomatoes, raw
4 medium cloves garlic
6 oz mushrooms
1 cup skim-milk ricotta cheese
2 oz low-fat Swiss cheese
1/4 cup fresh basil
1 lb fresh spinach
1 tbsp fresh parley
6 oz spinach lasagna noodles
4 oz grated Parmesan

Sauce: Roast the red peppers and all the onions and garlic. (To roast onions and garlic in a microwave, place an unpeeled onion in microwave for 5 minutes on High. In the last 2 minutes, add the garlic cloves.) Combine peppers, onion, garlic, tomato (peeled, seeded, and diced), thyme, and stock in a sauce pan; simmer for 15 minutes. Transfer to a food processor or blender and add pepper sauce and balsamic vinegar; puree. Set aside.

Lasagna: Cook lasagna noodles per instructions, then drain and rinse with cold water. Wash spinach leaves and steam; chop coarsely. In a non-stick skillet, combine onions, tomatoes, garlic, and mushrooms; simmer until liquid evaporates, about 15 minutes. Let cool, then add ricotta cheese, Swiss cheese, basil, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix well.

In an oiled 9 x 13-inch baking dish, put down a layer of noodles. Top with a layer of spinach, then onion-and-tomato mixture, then Parmesan. Repeat layers until all ingredients are gone. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Serve with tomato-red bell pepper sauce on top.