Easy, Cheesy Veggie Lasagna

One thing I really love about the cooler months is making warm, satisfying meals like casseroles, soups, noodle dishes, and lasagnas.  I made this lasagna last night in no time at all! There is no exact recipe (I will do the best I can to type the ingredients and measurements of things as accurately as I remember), and the beauty of it is that you can really use whatever frozen or fresh veggies you have on hand.  When I have used the "no-boil" lasagna noodles in the past, they have turned out a little chewy, but they worked beautifully with this dish.  I was surprised since I did not use a cream-based sauce or tomato sauce in the dish; instead, I added a little milk and olive oil.  I would recommend making this on a weeknight when you really only have about 15-20 minutes to prep your dinner.  The oven does the rest; after I made the dish, I put it in the oven for about 30 minutes covered and then 15 minutes uncovered.  It was BLISSFUL.  Savory, cheesy, and packed with vivid veggies, it is a real winner.  Enjoy!

Easy, Cheesy Veggie Lasagna
Source: my own, based on what I could find in my kitchen on a tired Thursday night!

Ingredients:
no-boil lasagna noodles (I used about 6 noodles for an 8x8 casserole dish)
about 1 1/2 cups of whole milk ricotta
handful of Italian blend cheese
a little bit of Parmesan cheese
3/4 bag of frozen broccoli florets
1 bag of frozen chopped kale (or spinach)
1 bag of mixed veggies (corn, carrots, green beans)
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 egg
dash of 2% milk (or cream for a richer dish)
olive oil
garlic powder
S & P

The Process:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  In a skillet with a few drizzles of good olive oil warmed to medium high, add all of your frozen veggies.  I also added a tablespoon of butter to the veggies, as well as a healthy dose of cracked black pepper, a few pinches of salt, and a few sprinkles of garlic powder.  (You could also saute some freshly chopped garlic for a stronger garlic flavor).  Stir occasionally to cook all of the veggies through, about 10 minutes.  While the veggies are cooking, bring out a separate bowl.  Add the ricotta, 1 egg, a little parmesan, and a large handful of chopped parsley to the bowl.  Stir to combine.  Add in a little S & P, and stir everything together.  

When your veggies have cooked, you can start to build your lasagna.  I drizzled a little 2% milk on the bottom of my casserole dish.  Then, layer few lasagna noodles so they are overlapping a bit. Next, spoon on some ricotta, and spread fairly evenly over the noodles.  Add some veggies.  Repeat the process.  I then topped everything with a hearty handful of Italian-blend cheese (or you could use mozzarella with parmesan mixed in).  Add some S & P and a drizzle of olive oil all over the top and sides of the dish.  

Bake, covered with foil for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake another 15 minutes or so until golden and bubbly.  I served this lasagna without a side, and hubby and I were both satiated! The beautiful blend of veggies mixed with the layers of noodles and creamy ricotta really make for a satisfying meal.  

Happy Weekend!