Vegetable Lasagna

This recipe for vegetable lasagna is typically a "can't miss" recipe. I have made it before it has been absolutely wonderful. Today, I was left with only no boil lasagna noodles and I'm afraid it completely changed the quality and taste of the finished product.

I really enjoyed preparing the filling. I used a package of 1/3 fat cream cheese and three packages of 15 ounce fat free ricotta cheese. Both were healthy alternatives, but I definitely noticed the difference. With a hand blender, I mixed dry basil and garlic with the cheeses.

I chose broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, mushrooms, onions and zucchini as the vegetables. I chopped each one and added it to the cheeses. The vegetables were stirred in by hand with a wooden spoon.

Once the filling was ready, I put a layer on the bottom of a large baking pan. I then covered the layer with the no boil lasagna noodles (bad choice) and continued the process until I was out of noodles and filling. On the second layer, I secretly added shredded cheese.

After exhausting the filling and noodles, I covered it with almost a pound of cheeses. I used the traditional Italian cheeses--asiago, fontina, mozzarella, Parmesan and provolone. Then I spread Italian seasoning over the top.

Covering it with aluminum foil, I baked the lasagna at 375-degrees for 65 minutes. The bake time will vary depending on the pan and the oven.

I finally had the opportunity to sink my teeth into the warm lasagna and I found myself disappointed by how dry it was. Now, if anyone would have had this for the first time would have been very pleased. However, I have made this before with real noodles and fatty cheese. I have zero culinary training, but my guess is that it was dryer this time because the no boil noodles soaked up whatever moisture was in the filling. Boiled noodles already contain extra moisture. The fat free ricotta may have slightly contributed to the dryness as well.

Ingredients:
1 - 8 ounce package of 1/3 fat cream cheese
3 - 15 ounce packages of fat free ricotta cheese (I recommend some fat, though)
1 box (9 ounces) of no boil lasagna noodles (please, get the real thing)
1/2 onion (minced)
3 chopped zucchinis
~1 cup chopped broccoli
~1 cup chopped cauliflower
~1 cup chopped mushrooms
~1 cup chopped carrots
1 pound shredded Italian cheeses (asiago, fontina, mozzarella, Parmesan and provolone)
dry basil and garlic to taste

Music: Barry Louis Polisar - All I Want Is You
Weather: 40-degrees