Lasagna's Cousin

So on Sunday's, when I only have 40 things to do instead of 107, I like to cook something a bit more labor intensive for dinner. (It should be noted for context purposes, that it takes me about 60 minutes to make most of Rachel Ray's 30 minute meals. It should also be noted that in the past, I have considered 'healthy nachos' a weeknight dinner. Full disclosure, people.)

Anyway, today I stayed home from Paige's late afternoon soccer 'defensive drill' class to spend some quality time with a new creation I'm calling 'baked veggie spaghetti,' or her preferred name, 'Lasagna's cousin.'

Lasagna's cousin likes veggies. Lasagna's cousin would prefer to be photographed under better lighting. Lasagna's cousin would also prefer my family buy her a drink before so rudely slicing into her.


Ingredients:
box of spaghetti
2 teaspoons canola oil
salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground turkey
1/2 cup diced onion
1 cup diced yellow summer squash
1 cup diced Portobello mushrooms
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 jar of tomato sauce
3 cups low-fat ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese

Steps:
Preheat the oven to 350 and grease a 13 x9 baking pan

Cook spaghetti according to package directions, until it is al dente. Be sure to use plenty of (lightly salted) water in the pot, so spaghetti doesn't stick. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a medium size pot and cook ground turkey. Add onion, garlic, squash, mushrooms, basil, and oregano. Cook, stirring, until the meat is browned and the vegetables softened. Drain fat.

Ladle about 1 1/2 cups of tomato sauce into the pan and spread evenly. Layer a third of the spaghetti over the sauce in an even layer, and top with half of the turkey mixture.

Spoon the ricotta into a Ziploc with the corner snipped off and pipe cheese evenly over the sauce. Top with another third of cooked spaghetti. Repeat, layering with sauce, spaghetti and turkey mixture.

Layer final spaghetti on top. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and shredded Mozzarella.

Bake for 40 minutes.

Eat after a long day parenting, or your soccer sprints.