There is a simple truth in life: Lasagna is comfort food, and comfort food is lasagna. Oooey, gooey cheesy mceasy lasagna. It's pastalicious. It's tomato...icious. And best of all, it can be very easy to make (and even easier to eat)!
This recipe is so flexible - you can make it as easy or complex as you'd like. You can go to great (and commendable lengths) and make your own pasta sauce, ricotta cheese, and lasagna noodles from scratch, or you can go the easier route with grab and go items from the grocery store. With this recipe I split the difference, choosing to shred myself a block of parmesan cheese and cut up fresh mozzarella slices. I also go with an organic, bottled tomato basil sauce. My feeling toward food is the less preservatives the better, and just by taking a few of these extra steps to buy "whole" foods I find that our meals are a lot healthier and the process virtually similar (I find there's always time while waiting for the water to boil or the oven to heat to get some cheese grating done). Just be sure to season the cheese mixture well with salt and pepper before rolling, and don't hesitate to add fresh basil or minced onion or whatever else you may have available. Also, you could easily add browned ground beef to the pasta sauce. Oh the options - the endless pasta-bilities!!
As with most lasagna dishes, this one is better the next day (but don't let that stop you if you're hungry!) Heat up one pinwheel for a easy, quick lunch, or pair two or three with buttered, toasted cheese bread and a bright green salad for a wonderfully filling dinner.
As always, this recipe is tried and true from my kitchen to yours,
Kimberly
Lasagna Pinwheels Serving size: approximately 12 "Pinwheels"
Recipe by: Kimberly Meyers
As always, this recipe is tried and true from my kitchen to yours.
Ingredients:
8 oz. box lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
1 15 oz. jar spaghetti tomato sauce (your favorite brand)
1 10 oz. package frozen spinach, dethawed, minced
1 15 oz. carton Ricotta cheese
8 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated
4 oz. Mozzarella cheese, sliced or grated
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. dried oregano leaves
1 tsp red chili flakes
Salt and black pepper to taste
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. To a pot of salted, boiling water, add lasagna noodles and cook until "al dente" 8-10 minutes; drain and let cool. Into a 13x9 inch baking dish, pour 1/4 jar of sauce and evenly coat the bottom. Combine in a bowl the minced spinach, ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, beaten egg, dried oregano, red chili flakes, plenty of salt and black pepper to taste. Mix well. Spoon about 1 Tablespoon or more of the mixture onto each noodle and roll into a pinwheel. Place pinwheels, seam side down, into sauce. If there is any mixture leftover, combine with remaining spaghetti sauce and pour on top of noodles. Top with mozarella cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 50 minutes. Once done, broil the top for 5 to 10 minutes until the cheese is golden brown.
Yummy now, but best served the next day or two.
That looks so delicious. I don't make lasagna often enough but you're right, it's the best kind of comfort food, especially when the weather turns colder. x
ReplyDeleteThank you!! I used to have this idea that homemade lasagna was super difficult to make. All of those layers - it just seemed too involved to be easy. But rolling them like this is so easy and economical (and kid friendly too!). Let me know if you try it :)
DeleteThank you for visiting.
Always,
Kimberly