Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna

Has butternut squash worn out its welcome around these parts yet?  Hopefully not, because this use of it is a serious winner (a couple of years ago I made it for my book club and everyone was fighting over the leftovers, it's that good! : ).  It is serious comfort food and the leftovers taste almost better than the original dish.  Originally adapted from a Cooking Light recipe, it's even pretty healthy as well!

If squash is not your thing (Please don't knock it til you try it!  And, by the way, butternut squash is the creamy tan, bell-shaped vegetable in the winter squash section), you could certainly play around with the fillings to have other white sauced lasagna options: for example, spinach, mushrooms and Italian sausage; other mixed vegetables like zucchini, spinach, red bell pepper and carrots (first sauteed and seasoned how you like); sliced cooked chicken, you get the picture...

Finally, although there are several components, all the steps can be done ahead of time.  Prepare the white sauce, roast the squash and saute the spinach and then refrigerate until you're ready to assemble your lasagna.

Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna
8 cups (3/4") cubed peeled butternut squash (about 2 1/4 pounds)
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Cooking spray3 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (about 1 ounce)
4 tablespoons butter
8 garlic cloves, minced and divided
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
3 (6-ounce) bags fresh baby spinach
9 cooked lasagna noodles, al dente (8 ounces uncooked noodles)
1 1/4 cups shredded Asiago, Romano or Parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Place squash in a large bowl.  Add vinegar and toss to coat.  Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and toss to coat.  Spread evenly in one layer on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.  Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and thyme.  Bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes, stirring after 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add half of minced garlic and cook about 30 seconds to a minute or until fragrant.  Add flour to pan and cook 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, or until smooth and golden.  Remove from heat, add about 2 tablespoons warm milk to flour mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk.  Gradually add remaining milk about 1/2 cup at a time and whisking constantly until all the milk is added and mixture is smooth.  Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and nutmeg.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook until smooth and thickened.  Remove from heat.  Cover surface of sauce with plastic wrap, set aside.

Combine remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, red pepper and remaining garlic in a large pot over medium heat.  Cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Add spinach, 1 bag at a time; cook until wilted, stirring frequently.  Add remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook until liquid evaporates, stirring frequently.  Remove from heat and set aside. 

Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. 

Spoon 1/3 cup white sauce mixture in bottom of a 9x13 inch baking pan coated with cooking spray.  Arrange 3 noodles over sauce, top with spinach mixture, 2/3 cup milk mixture, 1/2 cup Parmesan and 1/4 cup mozzarella.  Arrange 3 noodles over cheese; top with butternut squash mixture, 2/3 cup white sauce, 1/2 cup Parmesan and 1/4 cup mozzarella.  Top with remaining 3 noodles, remaining white sauce mixture and remaining Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbly.  Let stand 15 minutes before serving.
Makes 8 servings

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light Magazine December 2007

Summer Lasagna and Menu

Happy Birthday, Open Fridge!  Today marks the One Year Anniversary of my first post.  My goodness, how time flies.  I feel like I've learned a lot in the last year and hope that some of those smarts have been passed on--at the very least, a bit of my photography has improved!  I've really enjoyed keeping record of things that have come out of my kitchen and have been so touched and humbled by your kind and encouraging feedback.  Thank you. Thank you. 

Today's recipe is a reminder of how much I love this time of year.  It never ceases to make me happy thinking of (and using!) the abundance of produce available in the summer. Confession, here's how much of a weirdo I am: it's only July, and I am already shuddering to think of every day bringing us closer to day light savings time...seriously, Lauren, stop and just enjoy the moment, will you?  This delicate lasagna is rife with the flavors of summer--fresh tomatoes, zucchini, basil and just the thing to bring me back to reality that I can currently enjoy abundant sunshine and freshly-picked vegetables that have not trotted the globe.  Make it as a main dish or as a starring player in the menu suggested below and then go outside and enjoy those balmy evenings (hopefully, more mosquito-free than we seem to be experiencing these days!)!


Menu:
Summer Lasagna
Grilled Italian Sausages (I used Chicken Basil flavored and they were yummy!)
Green Salad with Easy Balsamic Vinaigrette (try it with Toasted Walnut Oil!)
and Homemade Croutons
Angel Food Cake with Strawberries and Whipped Cream (or peach cobbler would be fantastic right now)

Summer Lasagna
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 cup basil pesto
salt and pepper to taste
9 lasagna noodles, cooked "al dente" to package directions
3-4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 small zucchini
1 small yellow (crookneck or zucchini) squash
4 garlic cloves, minced and divided
1-2 pints grape tomatoes, halved

fresh torn basil leaves for garnish

Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions.  Drain and set aside. 
While noodles are cooking, make ricotta mixture.  In a small bowl, stir together ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese and pesto.  Season to taste with salt and pepper, set aside.  
Thinly slice zucchini and yellow squash.  Place 1/3 of minced garlic and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saute pan.  Over medium high heat, stir frequently until garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.  Add half of zucchini and squash slices, season with salt and pepper and saute just until tender, 3-5 minutes.  Remove from pan, place in small bowl and repeat with remaining half of squash slices.  After zucchini has been sauteed, add remaining garlic, olive oil and tomatoes to pan.  Cook over medium high heat, stirring frequently, until tomatoes begin to break down.  Remove from heat and set aside.

To assemble: Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.  Lay down 3 lasagna noodles.  Top with a layer of zucchini (using about 1/3).  Spread a layer of half of the ricotta mixture over top (you can also just place small dollops evenly over surface).  Top with a layer of tomato mixture (about 1/3 of the tomatoes).  Repeat with a second layer.  Top with lasagna noodles, remaining zucchini and tomatoes.  Sprinkle with reserved 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and bake, just until heated through--20-30 minutes.  Garnish with fresh basil leaves, slice into pieces and serve.

Variation: The original recipe does not bake the lasagna.  Each noodle is cut into thirds and the lasagna is assembled on each individual plate.  This makes for a gorgeous presentation and will avoid heating up your kitchen from turning on the oven.  The lasagna will be served much closer to room temperature (which is still a delicious thing!).

Adapted from: Martha Stewarts' No Bake Summer Lasagna