I love lasagna!

Yes, this is me - well maybe not the diving-in part, but definitely the aversion to sharing part! In fact, one of my favorite childhood toys was a plush Garfield in a chef's hat, with an apron that read "I LOVE LASAGNA". However, as a child, my hopes for a diet consisting at least 80% of lasagna were dashed by my father, who claimed to hate lasagna. It was therefore a rare treat. I say he 'claimed' to dislike lasagna, because, no sooner did I leave home, he actually TRIED lasagna and declared it to be rather nice, thank you very much. Oh, the torture wrought by parents on their children...

Anyway, now that I control the kitchen (buahahahahaha!), I eagerly seek out new lasagna recipes whenever I can find them, with one caveat - since eldest son hates ricotta cheese (a texture thing, I believe), they need to be recipes that don't use that. He also hates melted cheese on top of things (honestly, at this point, his parentage should really be in question - how can a child of mine resist melted cheese?), but that is less of an issue, since I merely scrape the offending melty goodness off the top, and give it to someone else more deserving as a bonus (with any luck, me!).

This recipe fit the bill perfectly, and was eagerly enjoyed by all five members of the family, and then served up in the form of leftovers the following lunchtime - lasagna twice in two days: this was a week to remember! And the fact that it uses easy ingredients like pre-marinated artichokes and a jar of marinara sauce is something I refuse to apologize for on a busy weekday!

Artichoke Spinach Lasagne
Serves 8
adapted from Taste of Home

10 oz no-boil lasagne sheets
olive oil spray
2 TBSP olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup vegetable broth
1 TBSP chopped fresh rosemary
1 12-14 oz jar marinated artichokes, drained and roughly chopped
1 10 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed dry
1 24-28 oz jar marinara sauce
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
6 oz crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup fresh chopped basil

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9" x 13" baking dish with oil spray.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and sauté the onions and garlic until tender (8 minutes or so). Stir in broth and rosemary and bring to a boil. Stir in artichokes and spinach, then reduce heat and simmer, covered for 5 minutes. Stir in the marinara sauce.
3. Spread a 1/4 of the marinara mixture in the bottom of the baking dish, and top with a layer of lasagna sheets. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup of mozzarella.
4. Repeat the layers 2 more times, followed by the last remaining 1/4 of the marinara mixture. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella over the top, followed by the feta cheese.
5. Cover with foil, and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and then bake for 15 minutes more, or until hot and bubbling.
6. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting, then serve sprinkled with fresh basil.