My favorite thing to cook...

Lasagna! It's quite ironic I love lasagna now. When I was about 7 years old I remember eating lasagna at the beach right before we loaded up the van to come back home. A stomach bug was being passed around our family and later that night I came down with. It took many years for me to be able to eat any pasta with cheese in it. And slowly almost 20 years later I've learned to love it. It's almost like an art layering the noodles, cheese and sauce. It's so hearty and the perfect comfort food.

I've made several versions of lasagna and we have two favorites. This is the veggie lasagna I first made for Ben's 27th birthday party when we hosted our family and friends over. It was a huge hit and even Ben who was a little skeptical of meatless lasagna loves it.

Hearty Vegetable Lasagna (Allrecipes)

1 (16 ounce) package lasagna noodles
1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
3/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
3/4 cup chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 (26 ounce) jars pasta sauce
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 (15 ounce) container part-skim ricotta cheese
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 eggs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese


Cook the lasagna noodles in a large pot of boiling water for 10 minutes, or until al dente. Rinse with cold water, and drain.

In a large saucepan, cook and stir mushrooms, green peppers, onion, and garlic in oil. Stir in pasta sauce and basil; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes.
Mix together ricotta, 2 cups mozzarella cheese, and eggs.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spread 1 cup tomato sauce into the bottom of a greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Layer 1/2 each, lasagna noodles, ricotta mix, sauce, and Parmesan cheese. Repeat layering, and top with remaining 2 cups mozzarella cheese.
Bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.