musings

recipe overview

• cook time: 01 hr 15 min
• yields: 06 servings

ingredients

• 12oz whole-wheat lasagna noodles (15 noodles)
• 08oz lean ground beef (90 percent lean or higher)
• 02t olive oil
• 08oz portobello mushrooms, diced (about 03 large mushroom caps)
• 04c good quality store-bought marinara sauce
• 01 (15oz) container part-skim ricotta cheese
• 01 (10oz) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
• 01 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2t salt
• 1/2t freshly ground black pepper
• pinch of ground nutmeg
• 1/4c grated parmesan
• 03oz grated part-skim mozzarella cheese (about 2/3 cup)

Directions

preheat the oven to 375 degrees f.

cook the noodles al dente according to the directions on the package. drain them well then lay out on waxed paper to prevent them from sticking to each other.

heat a large nonstick skillet over a medium-high heat. add the beef and cook until no longer pink, breaking it up into small pieces as it cooks, about 03 minutes. transfer the meat to a plate, discarding any fat remaining in the pan.

add the oil to the same pan and heat over a medium-high heat. add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally until all the liquid has evaporated and they begin to brown, about 05 minutes. return the meat to the pan. stir in 02 cups of the tomato sauce and simmer for 02 minutes.

in a medium bowl combine the ricotta cheese, spinach, egg, the salt, the pepper and nutmeg.

spread 01 cup of tomato sauce on the bottom of a 9 by 13 inch baking dish. place a layer of lasagna noodles on top, touching but not overlapping. spread half of the ricotta mixture on top of the noodles. add another layer of noodles. top with half the beef/mushroom mixture. repeat with another layer of noodles, then remaining cheese mixture, more noodles, then remaining beef mixture and finally 1 more layer of noodles. top the final layer of noodles with the remaining sauce, then sprinkle with the grated cheeses. cover loosely with foil and bake for 45 minutes. uncover and bake for 15 minutes more.

nutritional info

1. calories 530
2. total fat 16g
3. saturated fat 07g
4. mono fat 05g
5. polyunsaturated fat 0.75g
6. protein 35g
7. carbohydrates 62g
8. fiber 09g
9. cholesterol 90mg
10. sodium 1150mg

source: food network

i am a master of many talents. i think more than i should. i know less than i have a hunger to know. i want more sleep and sunlight. i have more than i deserve. i wish i was home with a book right now. i hate human depravity. i miss the concept of home. i fear settling into convention. i feel sleepy, yet happy. i hear scott typing. i smell nothing; yay allergies! i regret little if anything. i love the people i let into my life. i care more than i should. i always try to do no harm. i am not a lot of things. i believe in Jesus. i dance when i don’t realize it. i sing in the shower sometimes. i write the poetry that is html and css. i win every time he smiles at me. i lose sleep too much. i never use dreamweaver. i listen to lots of music!! i can usually be found at a computer, coffee house, or an asian restaurant. i am scared of dishonesty. i read books and blogs and newspapers – oh my! i forget things i shouldn’t. i just am. i am happy about seattle summertime coming soon.
thank ally for this post.

as you can see, this blog’s looking a bit different. this is a theme built by productive dreams for and provided by smashing magazine. a template, you say?! yes, i, a web designer, used a wordpress theme. gasp!

i’m currently redesigning my site, a process prompted a bit sooner than planned by the expiration of my hosting at godaddy (finally, thankfully!) and my consequent move to the beautiful blue dream of a host, that is, bluehost. they are a wonderful hosting service that ryan prompted me to, and robert, after his recent like transition, endorses wholeheartedly. unlimited domains on a single hosting and free privacy for my domains!! (my heart is all a flutter).

all of this to say, i’ve got too many irons in the fire – i sound like a blacksmith – and therefore, the change that’s gonna come is going to be slow in coming. in the mean time, this wordpress theme will suffice. it’s not the blue yucky default that makes me cringe every time i see it. be grateful for that.

being the ocd personality that i am, i edited quite a few somethings in this template. if you want a copy of it, let me know. i’ll zip it and send it on your way.