Spinach and butternut squash meatless lasagna

 Here's a nice meatless lasagna recipe.

 Ingredients:
12  cooked lasagna noodles
1-2 cups grated mozzarella or cheddar cheese
 Light sprinkling of Grated Parmesan, or as desired

Butternut Squash Filling:
• 2 cups butternut squash puree(about half of squash)
• 3 T butter
• 1/2 cup water (or more, if needed)
• 
  
Spinach Filling:
• 5 handfuls of spinach (1 cup when "cooked")
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

1. Mix the butternut squash filling with butter and water. 

2.  Separate bowl mix all the things together for the spinach filling.

3. Grease a 9x13 dish, then  place half the butternut squash filling on the bottom of the dish. 

4.  Add cooked  lasagna  noodles to cover the squash. And then add the spinach feeling as the second layer on top of those noodles. 

5. Add another layer of cooked noodles and then put the remaining half of the  puréed squash on top.

6.  Lastly, at the last layer of noodles on top and cover with grated cheeses.

7.  Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. ( covered if you don't want it to get too dry  or crispy).

Eggplant Lasagna

Sauce:
      1/2 t. vegetable oil
      1/2 c. chopped onion
      1 garlic clove, minced
      1/2 c. dry red wine
      1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
      1/8 t. thyme
      1/8 t. rosemary
      1/8 t. black pepper
       Dash of salt
      1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
      
Eggplant:        
   1 eggplant (3/4 lb.), cut crosswise into 1/8 inch slices
  1/8 t. salt
  1 1/2 t. water
  1 t. vegetable oil
  1 egg white
  1/3 c. Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
  Cooking spray
  
Remaining ingredients:
 1/2 c. (2 ounces) shredded mozzarella
  2 T Parmesan
  1/8 t. black pepper
  cooked lasagna noodles

Preparation:
1.  To prepare sauce, heat 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Add garlic, and sauté 30 seconds. Add wine; cook 1 minute. Add tomatoes and the next 5 ingredients (tomatoes through tomato sauce). Reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes.
2.  Preheat oven to 450°.
3.  To prepare eggplant, arrange the slices in a single layer on paper towels. Sprinkle 1/8 teaspoon salt on both sides of eggplant. Let stand 15 minutes, and pat dry. Combine water, 1 teaspoon oil, and egg white in a shallow bowl, stirring with a whisk. Place the breadcrumbs in another shallow bowl. Dip eggplant in egg white mixture, and dredge in breadcrumbs. Place breaded slices on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 450° for 24 minutes or until eggplant is golden and crisp, turning after 12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack
4.  Combine cheeses and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Spoon 1/4 cup sauce into bottom of an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan. Line some noodles over sauce. Arrange a single layer of eggplant slices over noodles; top with 1/4 cup sauce and about 3 tablespoons cheese mixture. Repeat the layers.

I have never come across a better eggplant recipe!  I usually HATE eggplant but actually ate the eggplant plain before adding to the lasagna and it was really good!  Recipe from www.myrecipes.com. 

Spaghetti with Turkey Meatballs

This is a more healthy alternative to regular Spaghetti with Meatballs but is DELICIOUS!

Whole Grain or Whole Wheat Spaghetti (10-12 oz.)
Feta Cheese, crumbled


Meatballs:
1-1/2 lb lean ground turkey
1/2 c. quick oats, blended to a coarse flour
1 t. worchestershire sauce
1 egg
1/2 t. sea salt
1/2 t. parsley
1/2 t. oregano
1/2 t. thyme
1/4 t. pepper
2 T oil

Sauce:
2 T. butter
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 bell pepper, diced
1 can mushrooms
2 cans diced tomatoes
2 T. fresh cilantro
1 t. parsley
1/2 t. oregano
1/2 t. basil
1/4 t. thyme
salt & pepper to taste

First, combine all the meatball ingredients with your hands till well combined, then form into small balls.  Heat the oil in a large saucepan over med. high heat.  Place all the meatballs in the hot oil and cook for about 5 minutes.  Flip them over and cook for another 5 minutes or until there is no pink left.  Remove them from the saucepan and set aside. 

Next, melt the butter in the same but now empty saucepan and saute the onion, garlic, and bell pepper together until softened.  Add the mushrooms, diced tomatoes and seasonings and cook for about 20 minutes or so.  Add the turkey meatballs, and cook for another 5 minutes.  Serve the meatballs and sauce over the spaghetti and don't forget to crumble the Feta Cheese on top (Serves 6-8 people).

Pasta Lugano

4 c. noodles, cooked (bowtie or penne)
1 c. Italian sausage, cooked
1 c. ham, diced (opt.)
1 c. mozzarella, cubed
2 peppers, chopped (colorful are best)
2 T. fresh basil, finely chopped
1-2 Tomatoes, chopped
1/4 c. olive oil
2-3 T Balsamic vinegar

Mix all together well and let sit for at least 20 minutes (to blend flavors)