I was in the mood for something cheesy yet a little healthy, this is healthy right? Hey if it’s not, I don’t want to know ok? I have to do what I have to do to get spinach into an 11yr old girl without pulling the stunts I did when I was little. We won’t go into that. Anyway yes, this is a daughter approved recipe! Noodles, ricotta cheese, spinach and a marinara sauce ..it’s vegetarian night here the easy way. I got 15 rolls out of this which made enough for 5 people.

You will need the following:

• 1 box of lasagna noodles
• 1 large jar of pasta sauce, 2 if you like a lot of sauce (9.5oz for 1 or 19oz for two jars)
• 1 Tbs olive oil
• 1 bag cut leaf spinach frozen is best for this I think
• 15-16 oz cottage cheese whole milk or part skim
• 1 egg
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• 2 tsp salt  (I use kosher)
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 small chopped cloves of garlic

In your large pasta pot, add water, 1tbs of Olive oil and your pasta sheets of lasagna. You want these al donte and check on them and make sure they do not stick they are no fun to pull apart.

When done rinse and set aside. If they stick you can always just rinse them again and pull apart gently.

Take spinach out and place in a microwave safe bowl (Because I did not thaw ahead of time, which you can do)  Microwave in 1 min increments until thawed and drain and squeeze all the excess water out, place in bowl and set aside.

You will need a large casserole dish. Mine is about a 11×9 glass and I have ladled in about 2 cups of some left over pasta sauce I had. You can use your favorite jarred or make your own.  At the bottom, is a simple Marinara at the bottom if you need to make a quick one for reference.

Into your filling bowl add 1 1/2 Cups of Mozzarella cheese (1/2 cup reserved for top), 1 egg, salt, Parmesan cheese, pepper, minced garlic and stir.

Now add the squeezed and drained spinach. I can’t say that enough as if you leave the water in the frozen spinach it will be a watery mess. Fold in.

On a cutting board or clean area lay out three of your pasta noodles in one nice row. Ok, as nice as you can get it.

Take some of the filling on a spoon and spread evenly down one of the sheets. Then from the bottom up roll gently nothing to firm just as you do not want it squeezing out the sides on you.

Repeat….Place your rolls into your prepared lasagna pan. Lining them up across or facing up which ever you prefer. Don’t they look pretty. I love spinach with tangy cheese.

When you are done add another 2 or more cups of sauce on top..like so.

Last sprinkling cheese about a 1/2 of a cup …(psstt…. if you want more I am not against it.)

And bake for about 40-45 min in a 350 degree oven.

Seal of approval from daughter and we are ready to serve!! Here is the Quick Marinara recipe as promised!

This is what she made while I was doing this lasagna. Don’t they look yummy! Simple toasted French bread slices with goat cheese, lox (smoked cured salmon very nice) and capers and some with black olives for me because she knows I love them~ awwww.