Spinach Lasagna with Sweet Tomato Sauce

Have you read Judge Judy‘s “Beauty Fades, Dumb is Forever: The Making of a Happy Woman?” Don’t judge me. Summer is the time for light reading. In any case, there were parts of the book that made sense, other parts that seemed biased to Judge Judy’s default position that she was programmed into by her parents. She may be just a touch too sure of herself. Ya think?

If I have to think of my default position, I think of lasagna. Well-made lasagna is go-to comfort food. So, here we go. When my dear friend, Sheryl Shuchat, suggested this recipe, I looked it over quickly and decided to pass. Then I tasted it at a potluck dinner party and immediately demanded the recipe.

Spinach Lasagna

9 lasagna noodles, cooked according to package directions, rinsed and dried
10 oz frozen spinach, thawed and water squeezed out
500 g cottage cheese
2 c grated mozzarella, plus 1/2 cup for topping
1 ½ c grated parmesan, plus 1/2 cup for topping
1/2 c finely chopped scallion
1/2 t Italian herb seasoning
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Mix the spinach, cheese, scallion and seasonings.

Sweet Tomato Sauce

12 oz crushed tomatoes
1 onion grated
2 T olive oil
1 T sugar
1 bell pepper (red, yellow or orange), diced
1/2 t Italian herb seasoning
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil on medium high heat in a large skillet. Cook the onion for a minute, then add the tomatoes, bell peppers, sugar and seasonings. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes.

Grease a lasagna pan. Lay down 3 noodles. Cover with half the spinach mixture. Lay down 3 more noodles. Cover with the remainder of the spinach mixture. Lay down the last 3 noodles. Cover with the tomato sauce. Sprinkle on the extra parmesan and mozzarella. Cook at 350F for 45 minutes or until cooked through. Serve with salad or cold roasted vegetables.