.lean lasagna.

in an effort to save money and stop going out as much (and also to expend some of the ever growing energy i've miraculously acquired in the new year), i've decided to start cooking meals that i can enjoy multiple nights. i looked at one of my favorite cooking blog websites epicurious for inspiration, and found a recipe for lean lasagna with ground turkey, mushrooms, and spinach. delightful right?

Lean Lasagna
(originally from Self Magazine)

* Vegetable-oil cooking spray
* 1/2 cup chopped onion
* 1 lb ground turkey breast
* 3 cups tomato sauce
* 3 tsp Italian seasoning (or 1 tsp each dried basil, parsley, and oregano)
* 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
* 1/4 tsp garlic powder
* 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
* 6 cups chopped fresh spinach (or chard)
* 2 cups fat-free ricotta
* 1/4 tsp nutmeg
* 1 package whole-wheat lasagna noodles(about 8 oz, or 9 noodles)
* 2 cups (8 oz) shredded part-skim mozzarella

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a medium-sized nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Sauté onion for 2 minutes, then add turkey and cook an additional 5 to 7 minutes. Add tomato sauce, all seasonings and mushrooms and simmer 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat. In a bowl, combine spinach, ricotta, and nutmeg. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse with cool water. Coat a 9" x 13" baking pan with cooking spray. Arrange 1/3 lasagna noodles (3 noodles) on the bottom of the pan. Spread a layer of ricotta mixture, then turkey mixture, then 1/3 mozzarella. Repeat layers, ending with mozzarella. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until cheese bubbles. Cool at least 5 minutes before cutting.

yeah. it is delightful. until you start making it. you know what's time consuming? making a lasagna from scratch. i wish the recipe was outlined a little clearer like at the beginning saying "IF YOU LIVE IN A NY APARTMENT, START BOILING WATER WHEN YOU PREHEAT THE OVEN." something like that. because that tiny stove i have i believe took 20-30 mins to heat up the 6 quarts of water i needed to boil for the noodles. insanity. so the process took a bit longer than i thought....like 1.5 hours longer than i thought. so i ended up eating something else for dinner because i was going to pass out from starvation. but i did taste it after and it was really, quite delicious.

so when i was optimistic about cooking dinner, i sauteed the onions and ground turkey and tomato sauce and simmered it and all that jazz.

while i was waiting for the water to boil (FML), i took the mixture off the heat and began chopping the spinach for the ricotta layer

then i layered the noodles (3) on each layer, followed by the ricotta/spinach mix, turkey/tomato mix, and part skim mozzarella.

i then caught up on some of what was happening on true life: i have a fetish.(WHAT IS THIS SHOW?), and found out that foot fetishes like everything about feet. like the way they sweat. and the way the smell when they sweat. and want them in their mouth. ok barf (no judgement). i guess i can cross foot fetish off the list of fetishes i don't have.

and after that lovely intermission, i then managed to peel myself off the couch when the buzzer rang to take this little beauty out of the oven.

whew. all in all, it was a great experience. i do feel like i'm learning and 'honing' if you will, my cooking skills. learning things about my kitchen. like about the stove not boiling water fast. and the oven light blows out almost everytime i cook and i'm terrified to re-light it (but i do it). and how i have almost no counter space to cook anything. but i made a lasagna. from scratch. that's pretty effing awesome.

way to go first monday of 2011. so far, so good.