Mushroom Lasagna

I loved this Mushroom Lasagna dish!  It is so delicious and also different from your usual lasagna with red tomato sauce.  I came across a Wild Mushroom Lasagna recipe in my Food & Wine magazine (December 2013 issue) and revised it to what I had on hand.  The original recipe calls for wild mushrooms, such as chanterelle, shiitake and oyster mushrooms, fresh lasagna sheets and Taleggio cheese.  Feel free to add those if you want but I just went the simpler route this time with no boil lasagna sheets.  Definitely use lots of mushrooms and cheese for this dish, no skimping allowed!  Enjoy!

 

Mushroom Lasagna

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter, unsalted

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 medium shallots, minced

2 pounds mushrooms, sliced (I used cremini and white mushrooms)

salt

freshly ground black pepper

½ cup dry white wine (I used a chardonnay)

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream

1 box (9 ounces) Barilla lasagna sheets (no boiling required) or use fresh lasagna

4 cups of shredded cheese (I used an Italian cheese mixture and gruyere)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Lightly butter a 9x13 inch baking sheet.

In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, melt butter in olive oil.

Add shallots and cook for 1 minute.  

Add in mushrooms and season with salt and pepper.  Cook for about 15 to 20 minutes until mushrooms are browned.

Add wine and boil until evaporated, about 1 minute.

Add 2 cups of cream and bring to a boil.  Simmer over medium heat until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.

Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.

Arrange 4 lasagna sheets in the prepared baking dish.

Top with 1/3 of the mushroom mixture and ¼ of the cheese.

Repeat layering 2 more times and ending with a layer of pasta.

Brush top with remaining 2 tablespoons of cream and add remaining cheese on top.

Cover lasagna with foil and bake for 15 minutes.  Remove foil and bake addition 15 minutes or longer until top is golden.

Cover loosely and allow to rest for 15 minutes before serving.

(Note:  If using fresh lasagna sheets, prepare according to package directions.)

Serves 8.

Lasagna Soup

This Lasagna Soup is the best new soup recipe I've tried in a long time so I wanted to post this recipe ASAP.  I absolutely love the flavors of this soup.  The fire roasted tomatoes and hot Italian sausage gives this soup a nice kick.  My friend sent me this recipe from a farmgirl's dabbles, which I did modify for myself.  In case you were wondering, the leftovers are even better.  The flavors in the soup really develop.  Definitely keep the soup and pasta separate so the pasta doesn't get mushy if you store leftovers.   Enjoy this yummy soup - it is a winner! 

Lasagna Soup

Printable Recipe

Ingredients for the Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 to 1½ pounds hot Italian sausage (I used 3 links, casings removed.)

1 zucchini, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 cans (14.5 ounces) fire-roasted diced tomatoes

2 bay leaves

4 cups chicken stock (I used low sodium.)

½ cup fresh basil leaves, finely chopped

8 ounces campanelle pasta (fusilli or rotini would work well too)

Ingredients for the Cheese Topping

8 ounces ricotta

½ cup parmesan cheese, grated

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions

Heat a large pot over medium heat and add olive oil.  Add sausage, breaking it up into bite-sized pieces.  Cook until lightly browned.

Add in zucchini and cook until softened, about 5 to 7 minutes.  Stir in garlic, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes and tomato paste.  Cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

Stir in fire-roasted diced tomatoes, bay leaves and chicken stock.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer.  Cover and cook on low for 30 minutes.  Stir in basil before serving.

Cook pasta separately according to package directions.

While pasta is cooking, prepare the cheese toping.  In a small bowl, combine ricotta, parmesan, salt and pepper.  

To serve, add pasta to a bowl.  Ladle soup over pasta.  Spoon a dollop of cheese topping over soup.  Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top.

Serves 8.

Lasagna with Homemade Tomato Sauce

Lasagna can be an easy make ahead meal, especially if you make your tomato sauce ahead of time or use store bought sauce.  I actually like to use the no-boil lasagna noodles; it cuts the time in half and I don't notice any change in taste.  This time I made my own tomato sauce and added in sausage, but you could omit the meat if you want it to be vegetarian.  What I love about lasagna is how versatile it can be, you can add veggies, sometimes I add in mushrooms and/or spinach.  This recipe is a simple, traditional lasagna.  Enjoy!

Lasagna with Homemade Tomato Sauce

Printable Recipe

Ingredients for Tomato Sauce

28 ounce can crushed tomatoes

15 ounce can tomato sauce

6 ounce can tomato paste

16 ounce (1 package) hot pork sausage (I used Jimmy Dean brand.)

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

1 tablespoon parsley, dried

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 tablespoons Italian seasoning

2 teaspoons sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Ingredients for Lasagna

9 ounce (1 box) no-boil lasagna noodles (I used Barilla brand.)

14 ounce ricotta cheese (I used whole milk ricotta.)

2 eggs, beaten

4 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

½ cup parmesan cheese

Directions for Tomato Sauce

In a dutch oven, over medium heat, cook sausage until browned.  Add in minced garlic.

Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomatoe sauce, and tomato paste.  Add in parsely, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, sugar, salt and pepper.

Cover and simmer on low heat for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Allow to cool.

Directions for Lasagna

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a medium sized bowl, combine beaten eggs, ricotta cheese, 2 cups of mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese.  Set aside.

Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

Spread about 2 cups of tomato sauce in bottom of baking dish.

Arrange 4 lasagna noodles on top of tomato sauce, the noodles will overlap slightly.

Spread 1/3 ricotta cheese mixture over noodles.  Top with ½ cup of mozzarella cheese and 1 cup tomato sauce.

Next layer, arrange 4 lasagna noodles, 1/3 ricotta cheese mixture, ½ cup mozzarella cheese and 1 cup tomato sauce.

Next layer, arrange 4 lasagna noodles , remaining ricotta cheese mixture, ½ cup mozzarella cheese and 1 cup tomato sauce.

Last layer, 4 lasagna noodles, remaining tomato sauce, and ½ cup mozzarella cheese.

Bake covered with foil for 40 to 50 minutes.  (Spray foil with non-stick cooking spray to prevent foil from sticking to the cheese.)

Uncover and continue baking for additional 5 to 7 minutes minutes until cheese is melted.

Let stand  and cool for 15 minutes before serving.