My first recipe post. This is really, really good lasagna. Thanks to Leslie who advised me on adapting the recipe from the Trader Joe's box (and whose easy and satisfying home-made bread recipe is worth checking out. I've made this bread three times in the last two weeks!). How about I call it...

Meat and Spinach Lasagna with Mascarpone

Makes two 8x8 (or maybe one could be larger, like ~8x10) lasagnas. Eat one and freeze one!

• 1 box Trader Joe's (TJs) no-boil lasagna noodles (you won't use all)
• 1 package TJs sweet Italian sausage (1 lb.)
• 1 package TJs ground turkey (1 lb.)
• 2 jars TJs bolognese pasta sauce 
• 1 sweet onion 
• 3-4 diced or pressed garlic cloves
• 2+ tsp. dried basil
• 1 bag TJs sliced mushrooms (use 3/4 of a bag)
• 1 large bag frozen spinach (or chard would be yummy, I bet)
• 2 8oz. tubs TJs mascarpone cheese
• 2 8oz. tub TJs ricotta cheese
• ~ 1.5 c. grated parmesan
• ~ 2 c. shredded mozzarella
• 1-2 c. milk
• olive oil
• salt and pepper

1. Microwave the spinach according to package directions. Set aside to cool. 
2. Heat olive oil in a large sautee pan. 
3. Dice and sautee the onion until translucent and light brown.
4. Add mushrooms and sautee until soft, breaking up mushrooms into small pieces with spoon.
5. Add garlic and sautee until fragrant (1-2 min).
6. Remove sausage meat from casings. Add sausage meat and turkey to pan and cook through, breaking up meat into very small pieces with spoon.
7. Add 2 jars of sauce and basil, and simmer for 5 - 10 mins. Set aside to cool.
8. Preheat oven to 400.
9. Mix mascarpone and ricotta with about 1/3 - 1/2 c. milk, so the mixture is like a thinned paste (pourable, but not watery).
10. Dip noodles in mixture, slathering noodles completely with your fingers or a pastry brush. Stack coated noodles and set aside to soften. Continue adding milk to the cheese mixture so that it remains fluid enough to work with and to cover about 14-16 noodles.
11. Put the cooked spinach in a mesh strainer and, using your hand, press out as much of the liquid as possible.
12. Spray two baking dishes with cooking spray. 
13. Spread a thin layer of the meat mixture in each dish.
14. Carefully remove cheese-covered noodles from the stack and top the meat layer with a noodle layer. The noodles should be coated in the cheese mixture. Dollop some leftover cheese mixture here and there over the noodles.
15. Add another thin meat layer.
16. Add another noodles-with-cheese layer, dolloping extra cheese.
17. Add a spinach layer, spreading it out thinly and evenly with your fingers. Grind a little salt and pepper on the spinach layer.
18. Add one more noodle layer, and one more thin meat layer. (Maybe even add one more layer, if you have enough stuff left!).
19. Top with a thin layer of parmesan and a thicker layer of mozzarella. The top should be completely covered with cheese.
20. Let lasanga sit 10 - 15 minutes so the noodles can soften.
21. Spray tin foil with non-stick cooking spray and cover the lasagna dish with the foil.
22. Put lasagnas in the oven and reduce heat to 375. Cook covered for about 20 mins, then remove tin foil and cook uncovered for about 20 more mins, aiming for a 40 - 45 min cook time.
23. Let lasagna rest 30 - 60 mins before serving.

Note: Next time I might try more than 2 jars of sauce. Just curious if more would be better, but not sure it's needed. 

So, writing a recipe is an art. This is not that. And all that TJs stuff is probably a little weak. Nonetheless, if you follow these steps I'm pretty sure you'll end up with a delicious lasagna (or two).

I don't have a photo of the lasagna. So here's are a few shots of Luke and Halina from the first day of first grade that I've been meaning to post anyway.