Vegetable Lasagna

Ever since I went to Bunco at my friend Missy's house six years ago I have been looking for a delicious White Vegetable Lasagna recipe. Her's was yummy and she claims to not remember which vegetable lasagna recipe she cooked that fun & fantastic evening before I had three blood hungry leeches hanging from my bosom. I have since tried a few different recipes, but I am usually left underwhelmed and hungry. Tonight's Vegetable Lasagna came from a free e-mail subscription of Martha Stewart's Everyday Food and I must announce that my hunt is over. I HIGHLY recommend this Freeze-Ahead Lasagna Primavera and since I can't mess with perfection, I'll give you the recipe just as Martha did...word-for-word.

Besides being packed with veggies, loaded with cheese, and easy to prepare, this dish uses uncooked lasagna noodles. That means one less pot to clean and one less step to take. Enough said. Amen. End of story. Or as my 4-year old Sass-Pot daughter would say: E. N.

And on a sad note, I gave back my sister her awesome camera with the macro lens. That means, until my sweet and thoughtful husband buys me the camera of my dreams, I am back to another borrowed camera that, although I am grateful for, doesn't flatter a novice photographer like myself. I will think of it as a opportunity to improve my skills as a picture-taker. You will think of it as an opportunity to look at some other blogs with better pictures. My husband will think of it as no dinner on the table until the goods are delivered (preferably by the UPS man)!

Below are the ingredients. You can see I use only the finest - GV brand.

This is my first layer. There was plenty of everything, unlike some recipes where you are stretching your ingredients to make sure you have enough for a second layer.

Ladies and gentlemen, Freeze-Ahead Lasagna Primavera!

Freeze-Ahead Lasagna Primavera from Everyday Food Email Newletter

1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for foil
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups whole milk
2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 package (10 ounces) frozen peas
1/2 pound carrots (4 to 5), halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 container (15 ounces) part-skim ricotta (about 2 cups)
1 large egg
1 package (9 ounces) no-boil lasagna noodles (12 to 16 noodles)
1 pound part-skim mozzarella, shredded
1 cup grated Parmesan

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium; add flour and garlic. Cook, stirring constantly, 2 to 3 minutes (do not let flour mixture darken); whisk in milk. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, and cook, whisking occasionally, until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add spinach, peas, and carrots; season with salt and pepper. Set sauce aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, egg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and teaspoon pepper.
3. In the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, spread a thin layer of vegetable sauce. Layer noodles, half the remaining vegetable sauce, another noodles, half the ricotta mixture, half the mozzarella, and half the Parmesan; repeat.
4. Cover dish with lightly oiled aluminum foil, and place on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake 45 minutes, uncover, and bake until bubbling and browned, about 20 minutes more. Let cool 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

To freeze: Prepare through step 3. Cover lasagna tightly with plastic wrap, then aluminum foil; freeze up to 3 months.

To Bake From Frozen:Remove plastic wrap; cover baking dish with lightly oiled aluminum foil, and place on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 1 1/2 hours. Remove foil, and bake until bubbling and browned, about 30 minutes more. Let cool 10 to 15 minutes before serving.