Zucchini has long been out of season in my garden. But, did that stop me from making a zucchini lasagna? Nope. I've been craving comfort food. I made chicken and noodles last night. Lasagna tonight. I have a great recipe for a completely from-scratch lasagna that takes several hours to make. This, on the other hand, is quick. It uses a store-bought sauce that you just doctor up a bit. Replacing the noodles with zucchini is a nice way to add vegetables and leaves you feeling less heavy than when using noodles. Sadly, my children have caught on to my scheme...I'll have to find a way to hide the vegetables better. (I suppose peeling the zucchini would be one way). But, Wayne and I really like this, and I like having leftovers for quick lunches throughout the week. So, it all works out. :)
Zucchini Lasagna
(I know, not the greatest picture, but you get the idea...I couldn't wait to take a picture until after we had already eaten).
1 onion, finely chopped
1.25 lb ground beef (or sausage, turkey)
1 jar (25 oz) spaghetti sauce
2 cups frozen spinach, optional
2 garlic cloves
Salt, pepper, seasoning (Italian, etc)
16-oz cottage cheese
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
2 tsp dried parsley
3 zucchini, sliced into 1/8" pieces
(or 1 home-grown zucchini) OR eggplant OR lasagna noodles
8 oz shredded mozzarella (at least)
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Arrange zucchini slices and lightly season with salt and pepper. Bake for 5 minutes per side. Then remove from onion. Reduce oven heat to 375 degrees.
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Arrange zucchini slices and lightly season with salt and pepper. Bake for 5 minutes per side. Then remove from onion. Reduce oven heat to 375 degrees.
2. Saute onion in a little oil. Add ground beef and brown. Drain.
3. Add spaghetti sauce, spinach, garlic, and seasonings. Simmer for at least 10 minutes.
4. Mix cottage cheese, eggs, Parmesan, and parsley. Set aside.
5. In a 9x13 casserole dish, spread meat sauce to cover the bottom. Next a layer of zucchini, then a layer of cottage cheese mixture. (Optional: sprinkle a layer of mozzarella on top). Continue to layer until all ingredients are gone and casserole is full. Top with mozzarella. Cover with aluminum foil.
6. Bake at 375 for 1 hour.
7. Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown and bubbly.
8. Let rest for 10 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
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