When feeding kids the dish you want them to eat, it’s better, to be honest about what it is. That’s probably the only thing I didn’t like about that story. As a kid, I was more rebellious when I felt like I was being lied at. On the other hand, if my parents told me what it was, even if it’s vegetables, I would still agree with a compromise. It tastes so good and so cheesy that not even the kids will care that it’s made of vegetables.
This recipe is truly heaven-sent not only to parents but also to aunts like me who host picky nephews and nieces.
Ingredients
1 package (16 ounces) Birds Eye frozen sliced carrots
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons Kerrygold butter
1 cup Sargento ricotta cheese
1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper
SPINACH LAYER:
2 shallots, chopped
1 tablespoon Bertolli olive oil
2 packages (10 ounces each) Green Giant frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup Sargento ricotta cheese
1 Eggland’s egg
1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper
EGGPLANT LAYER:
1 medium eggplant, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices
3 garlic cloves, minced
6 tablespoons Bertolli olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Morton salt
2-1/2 cups marinara sauce
12 Barilla lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
1/4 cup minced fresh basil
4 cups (16 ounces) Sargento part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese
3 cups Sargento grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Cook carrots according to package directions; drain and cool. In a small skillet, saute onion in butter until tender. In a food processor, puree the carrots, onion, ricotta, salt and pepper. In same skillet, saute shallots in oil until tender. In a food processor, puree the shallots, spinach, ricotta, egg, salt and pepper.
In a large skillet, cook eggplant and garlic in oil over medium heat in batches for 7-10 minutes or until tender; drain. Sprinkle with salt.
Spread 1/2 cup marinara sauce in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Layer with four noodles, carrot mixture, 1/2 cup sauce, 1 tablespoon basil, 1 cup mozzarella and 3/4 cup Parmesan. Top with four noodles, eggplant, 1/2 cup sauce, 1 tablespoon basil, 1 cup mozzarella and 3/4 cup Parmesan.
Layer with remaining noodles, spinach mixture, 1/2 cup sauce, 1 tablespoon basil, 1 cup mozzarella and 3/4 cup Parmesan. Top with remaining sauce, basil, mozzarella and Parmesan (dish will be full).
Cover and bake at 350° for 1 hour. Uncover; bake 15 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.
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Quick Tip: Garlic bread and salad make wonderful companions of this meal.
Thank you to Today for this great photo.
