Pizza Lasagna

Recipe challenge, week thirty-seven.

This recipe name is misleading.  This lasagna does NOT have pizza ingredients in it, but you could probably put pizza ingredients in it.  I made this on a Sunday at 7pm after a duck hunting trip to the middle of nowhere and I really only made it because Scott wanted food for dinner.  I would've been satisfied with cereal.  It was ready to eat before he had unloaded the kayak.

Not only was it delicious, but it was in the oven within 20 minutes AND it made two 8x8 pans, so I was able to freeze one for a busy night (said busy night has since come and gone and it was delicious that time too).

The secret is the oven-ready lasagna noodles.  They have a doughy texture, which is why this tasted like pizza smothered in homemade sauce, ricotta, and fresh spinach. I call it Pizza Lasagna because it tasted like and had the texture of a deep-dish pizza.

A perfect weeknight dinner.

Pizza Lasagna
makes two 8x8 pans or one 13x9 pan

1 package of oven-ready lasagna noodles
2-3 cups of marinara (1 jar)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese + more for sprinkling on the top
1/2 shredded Parmesan cheese
2 cups fresh spinach leaves, loosely packed
1 16-oz. container ricotta cheese
2 t. dried Italian seasoning (or fresh basil and oregano minced, if you have them)
1 egg
Ground beef or turkey, if you have it (I didn't)

In a mixing bowl, mix the mozzarella, Parmesan, spinach, ricotta, egg, and spinach. Stir it together until well-combined.

In your pan (or pans), spread 1/4 of the marinara into the bottom. Layer in noodles, spread a scoop (1/3 a cup) of the cheese mixture, and then another 1/4 cup of sauce. Repeat until all of the cheese/noodles/sauce are used.  (Step by step pictures would be nice, but it's just layering lasagna.)

Sprinkle extra mozzarella over the top.

Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Check at 20 minutes, though.  Remove the foil and broil for a few minutes until the cheese on top is browned. Let cool for a few minutes to set before you cut it.

For freezing: Wrap the foil pan in plastic wrap, then wrap tightly in foil. If you're using an 8x8 pan, it will fit into a Ziploc freezer bag.  Store in the freezer for up to two months. If you're using a larger pan (they do make bigger freezer bags), wrap it very tightly in another layer of plastic wrap after the foil.  Be sure to store flat in the freezer.  When ready to bake, just unwrap all the layers, be sure to cover the top in foil and then put into a 350 degree oven while still frozen.

Spinach Lasagna Roll-Ups

I desperately needed Scott to come home from Louisiana.  Not only to pay the bills and cut the grass (two things I'm apparently incapable of doing well), but to prevent me from existing on something other than chocolate chips, peanut butter, and marshmallows.

What's that you say?

No, not graham crackers actually.  I threw half a package of those away.  Averaging three s'mores a night meant that I had to be stopped. 

I spent a week thinking I should make these roll-ups and freeze them.  It was a week of:  staring at lasagna ingredients, stomach growling for real nutrients, and then reaching for the white chocolate chips instead.  This happened approximately seven 3 times.  Eventually, with the realization that Scott would soon be home and maybe, just maybe, would expect dinner at least one night a week, I put them together.

They make an excellent freezer meal and I would've went completely vegetarian with it.  

I added ground beef because my silly husband is one of those who believe a meal should have protein.

I don't think white chocolate chips have protein.

Spinach Lasagna Roll-Ups

1 lb. ground beef
1 jar spaghetti sauce (or homemade)
2 cups fresh spinach roughly chopped (think "big parsley")
1-15 oz. container part-skim ricotta
1 cup shredded mozzarella, separated
1 cup shredded parmesan, separated
1 t. onion powder
1 t. garlic powder
1 t. Italian seasoning
1 egg
1 box lasagna noodles (about 16 of them)

Cook the ground beef.  Add the sauce to the beef and set aside.

Cook the lasagna noodles according to the package instructions.  Strain and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, combined ricotta, spinach, egg, seasonings, and 3/4 a cup each of the mozzarella and parmesan.  Stir well to combine.

On a cutting board, lay the lasagna noodles out flat.  Spoon about 3 T. of meat/sauce and 3 T. of cheese mixture (really just a big scoop of each) onto each noodle.  Spread thinly.  Roll each noodle up and place seam side down in a 9x13 pan.  They should about fill up the pan.

Top with remaining shredded cheese.  Freeze for up to 2 months, if wrapped well, or bake right away.

To bake right away:  Bake covered with foil at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.  Take the foil off and bake for another 10-15 minutes until bubbly on top.

To bake after freezing:  If still frozen, bake covered with foil for at least 1 hour at 375 degrees.  Take the foil off and bake for another 10-15 minutes until bubbly on top.

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Friday Food