Kitchen Adventures: Lasagna Edition

This summer I've definitely accomplished my goal of learning how to cook something besides mac and cheese, grilled cheese, frozen pizza, and breakfast foods.  

This is my second kitchen adventures post. 

In the past month I've made to variations of lasagna: zucchini lasagna roll ups and skinny white lasagna.  Both recipes were really easy to execute and quite tasty. 

Skinny White Lasagna

1 box of no-bake lasagna noodles

1/2 c. butter

1 chopped onion

2 cloves garlic chopped

1/2 c. flour

1.2 tsp. salt

Pepper (For taste)

2 c. chicken broth

2 c. nonfat milk

4 c. mozzarella cheese, divided 

1 c. shredded Parmesan cheese, divided

1 tsp. basil

1 tsp. oregano

1 c. park-skim ricotta cheese

1 1/2 c. cooked and shredded chicken

1 small box frozen spinach, thawed and drained

1 small box frozen butternut squash, thawed

Place chicken in a baking dish with salt and pepper and bake in the oven until it is cooked all the way through.  Once the chicken has cooled, shred it. 

Melt butter in a saucepan. Add onions and garlic, then cook over medium heat until they are translucent.  

Add flood, salt, and pepper- cook the mixture for 2 minutes. 

Add chicken broth and milk. Bring to a boil then stir for 1 minute.

Turn off heat and add 2 cups of mozzarella cheese and 1.4 c. Parmesan cheese.

Stir in the dried spices.

Spray a 9x13" baking dish with cooking spray.

Ladle the cheese sauce onto the bottom of the pan so that it has a thin coating.

Add a layer of lasagna noodles. Layer is with cheese sauce, chicken, and ricotta cheese.

Add another layer of lasagna noodles.  Top with cheese sauce, spinach, and 1 c. mozzarella cheese.

Add another layer of lasagna noodles. Top with cheese sauce, butternut squash and 1 c. mozzarella cheese and 1/2 c. Parmesan cheese.

Add a final layer of lasagna noodles and top with the rest of the cheese sauce and Parmesan cheese.

Cover with tin foil and bake it in the oven for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.  

Allow the lasagna to rest for 15 minutes before slicing it.

Zucchini Lasagna Roll Ups

1 box no-bake lasagna noodles, cooked

1 tsp. olive oil

3 cloves garlic, crushed

2 zucchini, grated

1 c + 2 tbsp. part skim ricotta cheese

1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

1 egg, beaten

1/2 tsp. salt

1 3/4 c. marinara sauce

1/2 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Spray a 9x13" baking dish with cooking spray

Ladle 1 cup of sauce in the bottom of the baking dish.

In a skillet- saute garlic and olive oil for 1 minute.  Add zucchini, salt, and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes.

In a bowl, combine zucchini, ricotta cheese, egg, salt, and pepper.

Dry off lasagna noodles.

Spoon 1/3 cup of cheese mixture onto the noodle and spoon it out evenly. 

Roll up the noodle and cheese and place it seem side down into the baking dish.

Top with sauce and sprinkle mozzarella cheese.

Continue until all noodles have been rolled up.

Bake in the oven for 40 minutes.

xoxo

-mQs-