members recipes

This was originally an experiment I began last year because of my younger sister, who is a vegetarian. The original lasagna was a big hit with my whole family, including my 5-year-old nephew. This is the final version, and is an even bigger success than the first. I hope you enjoy it as much as my family did.

Ingredients
1 large zucchini
2 bell peppers; any color
1 small onion
8 oz ricotta cheese, drained
8 oz cottage cheese
Balsamic vinegar, to taste
Thyme, to taste
Cayenne powder, to taste
1 box lasagna noodles
1 jar of pasta sauce
1 bag of shredded cheese

Method
Preheat oven for 325°. Cut zucchini into circular slices and place onto a greased or sprayed baking sheet. Lightly brush each slice with a small amount of balsamic vinegar (I used a raspberry balsamic, but you may use whatever kind you like.) Bake zucchini for approx. 20 minutes or until they begin to soften.
As the zucchini bakes, dice the peppers and onion, lightly sautéing if desired. In a blender, add the ricotta and cottage cheeses and blend. As the cheeses are blending, add the thyme, cayenne, and more balsamic until desired flavor is achieved. Set oven for 375°.
Once you have completed your prep, begin assembling in a greased or sprayed 9 x 12 x 2 baking dish. First, line the bottom of the dish with the noodles, then spreading the cheese mixture followed by pasta sauce on top of the noodles. Next, place the zucchini slices until the noodles are no longer visible. To begin the next layer, first spread the bottom of the next set of noodles with only enough of the mixture to stick. Repeat the process, this time adding the peppers and onion instead of zucchini slices. Once the top set of noodles have been placed, you may use some of the cheese mixture and pasta sauce to cover the top, as I did, or just use shredded cheese.
Once the lasagna is completely assembled, bake for no more than 45 minutes. Allow to cool for ten minutes, and enjoy!