spinach ricotta lasagna

I don't think I'd normally be making lasagna on a Sunday afternoon in July. Today though was a little more crisp, pouring rain, a good day for something cozy. Lasagna is always one of those things that seems to be more complicated than it is. Its also one of those recipes you can really alter to your dietary needs - you can get gluten free noodles, make it without meat, even make your sauce from scratch if you'd like. I kept it pretty simple today and used what I had on hand.

I started by browning a pound of ground beef. Normally I would caramelize some minced garlic and onion, however, today I was making this lasagna to share with Frank's gram, and she doesn't love a ton of onion and garlic - so I switched out to use dried minced onion and garlic powder instead. As the meat begins to cook, lower the temperature and pour in your sauce and season with a little salt and pepper. Again, I usually will make a quick sauce, but do what works best for your day, your schedule, and your preference. Let this all simmer together for about 5 minutes while you prep the rest.

Mix together in a medium sized bowl ricotta, fresh spinach and shredded mozzarella. Do yourself a favor and just get your hands dirty. It's too difficult to use a spoon or fork in my opinion. When this is done, you're ready to assemble your layers. I like to use an oven ready lasagna noodle. I like Barilla's Oven Ready. I'll put just a little sauce on the bottom of a greased 8x10 pan. Layer the noodles, then the ricotta mixture, more sauce and more noodles, and try to layer evenly. Repeat layers. I usually get about 3-4 layers. I always reserve a little sauce for the top, and then top with a little more shredded cheese. Listen, if you're going through the trouble of making lasagna, don't try to skip on the cheese.