vegetable lasagna

It's almost summer weather, so before the heat sets in, I wanted to make lasagna. It ended up being perfect timing, as I made it on Wednesday and it was very chilly in Chicago!

I wanted to title this post "homemade vegetable lasagna" but I felt it wouldn't be right since I didn't make the noodles from scratch. I actually quite love making my own pasta noodles but unfortunetly, my kitchen does not have a pasta machine, nor the space to lay out all the noodles. Therefore, it's semi-homemade. It doesn't come in a Lean Cuisine box, so that's something!

I used a recipe from Baked Bree. I chose the recipe simply because I liked the ingredients it called for and the pictures were nice. However, I made many changes to the recipe as I went along.

Here are the changes I made:

1. Instead of using 3 peppers, I used 2.
2. Instead of using 1 lb of mushrooms, I used about 1/2 lb.
3. I emitted the red pepper flakes and basil
4. I used all shredded mozzarella instead of a mix of shredded and fresh.
5. Instead of getting 2 jars of marinara sauce, I got one jar of Trader Joe's garlic marinara sauce and added one can of crushed tomatoes.

Obviously, if you like your lasagna big, thick, and hearty, then use all the ingredients. I personally like my lasagna a little lighter so I just used less. Also, the recipe forgets to mention where to add the 1 egg; add it in with the ricotta mixings. Here's the recipe from Baked Bree:

"Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 12 ounces baby spinach
• 2 red peppers, sliced
• 2 yellow peppers, sliced
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 pound mushrooms, sliced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tablespoon dried basil
• 1 Tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 egg
• 1 box no boil lasagna noodles
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese (I use a mixture of fresh and shredded)
• 2 jars Rose Romano’s Red Bells (or a jarred marinara with roasted peppers)
• 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped

Instructions

1. In a large saute pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and mushrooms and cook until they soften, about 5 minutes. Add red and yellow peppers. Cook until soft, about 10 minutes.
2. Add spinach and season with 1/2 teaspoon each salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook until wilted, about 2 more minutes. Set the vegetable mixture aside.
3. In another bowl, mix together ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, garlic, oregano, basil and remaining salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Set aside.
4. To assemble the lasagna, start by spreading a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of a 9×13 pan. Add a layer of lasagna noodles and ricotta mixture. Add a layer of vegetables. Add slices of fresh mozzarella and shredded mozzarella. Repeat until you have used all of the ingredients. Top with chopped parsley.
5. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 1 hour covered with foil. Remove the foil and bake an additional 20 minutes. Let rest for 20 minutes before slicing."