Lasagna

Have I written about my lasagna before? If so, forgive me. It's what's making me happy on this gray Sunday. Today's version is gluten-free, using rice noodles. I've heard the rice noodles don't hold up so well and that I should seek out quinoa noodles. For the lasagna, though, their durability isn't really an issue.

I've always included a variety of vegetables, and I believe the secret of my success is plenty of sauce and plenty of cheese. So in a very non-recipe kind of way, here's my recipe:

1. Instead of ricotta, I make Isa Moskowitz's tofu ricotta, which is a surprisingly easy blend of tofu, herbs, lemon juice, and nutritional yeast (which I didn't think to buy--and it was pretty good without it).
2. Saute onions and green peppers and zucchini, put in a bowl to wait.
3. Saute red chard in oil and vinegar until wilted.
4. Empty and wash your soup pot from two days ago and boil some water. Follow directions for the pasta.
5. Open your jars of Newman's Own sauce (it's for a good cause, people).
6. Open your bags of pre-shredded cheese (don't judge--I get to be lazy sometimes). I used some mozzerella and some 6-cheese blend.
7. Let the layering begin. First, be sure to lay a little sauce in the bottom of the pan--prevents sticking disorder. Then:

noodles
ricotta
onion/pepper/zucchini
sauce
cheese
noodles
ricotta
chard
sauce
cheese
noodles
sauce
cheese

Be sure, as you get to the top, to fill in gaps around the edges with sauce. Make sure all noodle surfaces are covered with sauce. Noodles left sticking out and naked will get burned and crusty. I say to thee--don't skimp on the sauce. Or the cheese. If you have a big, fancy pan like mine you will need about 1.5 jars of sauce.

Bake in a 350/375 oven for about 45 minutes. Put a cookie sheet over it for the first 20 minutes (you can use foil). Then remove and let that cheese bubble and brown. Eat as soon as it is cool, but like many things better the next day.

And here is the fruit of my labor, with my new digs in the background. Enjoy.