Lisa's Lasagna

By lmeyer

Ingredients

• Bechamel Sauce:
• 1 9oz package no boil Barilla lasagna sheets
• 1 30 oz jar spaghetti sauce
• 4 cups mozzarella
• 1 cup grated Parmesan
• 6 T butter
• 5 T flour
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 3 cups whole milk-heated in the microwave for 5 minutes
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 10 ounce bag fresh spinach stems removed, coarsely chopped
• Sausage:
• 1 lb Italian sausage
• 1 green and red pepper chopped
• 2 cloves garlic crushed

Preparation

Step 1

For the Bechamel Sauce: Melt butter until bubbly but not brown. Whisk in flour and pepper to make a paste. Whisk in hot milk all at once and cook over medium heat, stirring, until thickened and smooth. Remove from heat, stir in nutmeg, Parmesan, spinach and cayenne pepper.

For the sausage: Brown sausage with peppers and garlic until sausage is cooked through and peppers are tender, about 7-8 minutes. Set aside

To assemble: Heat over to 375 degrees and spray a 9x13 pan with vegetable spray.

Layer in the following order:
1. Spread 1/2 cup marinara sauce in the bottom of the dish, cover with 4 pasta sheets, making sure they do not touch one another.

2. Spread half the bechamel over noodles, half of the sausage mixtures and 1 1/2 cup mozzarella and 1 1/2 cup marinara.

3. Layer 4 more noodles, the remaining bechamel, sausage, 1 1/2 cups mozzarella and 1 1/2 cups marinara.

4. Lay on 4 more noodles, spread marinara over noodles to cover and then top with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.

Cover with foil, tenting to prevent foil from touching top layer. Bake in the middle of the oven for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake 20 minutes longer, until top is bubbling and golden. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serves 10 generously.

Can be made one day ahead and kept in refrigerator. Take out 2 hours prior to baking so it's at room temp.