Redhead Says: BUTTERNUT SQUASH, SPINACH AND SAUSAGE LASAGNA

Oh, the PASTAbilities! Think beyond the tried-and- true with a twist.

Try a new spin on lasagna with this recipe!

I honesty don't know what to saaaay! I don't know how to best

describe this insanely delicious lasagna.

It's cheesy, it's creamy, it's gooey, it's sweet, it's salty.

Do I have to convince you to try it, don't the ingredients say it all…?

Cheese, Sausage, Butternut Squash, Spinach and Milk :)

First, pure your butternut squash using your food processor.

Combine butternut squash with Ricotta cheese, milk

and blend.

Add salt and nutmeg.

Mix very well, taste and add more salt if needed.

For the spinach filling combine ricotta cheese, mozzarella, garlic, salt and pepper.

Cook lasagna noodles till al dente.

After you cook two cups of your favorite sausage

prepare your baking dish with a little olive oil.

The fun part…Assembling, first 1/3 cup butternut squash mixture.

Spread evenly in the baking dish.

Sprinkle lightly with mozzarella cheese.

Top with another layer of pasta and then some half the spinach mixture.

Top with a little more mozzarella cheese.

Next sprinkle sausage.

Continue the assembling.

Oh my goodness almost done.

Generously sprinkle remaining mozzarella cheese, parmesan,

Italian seasoning, paprika and basil.

Cover baking dish with foil and off to the oven!

Wait till you smell this cooking…OMG

You will so want to cut strait into this lasagna but…Wait

just a few minutes to let the cheese set up.

I am very excited to cut some pieces and serve our friends.

John is the wine poured?

Creamy Dreamy Autumn Lasagna.

My husband who is a pretty picky on his lasagna...

LOVED this dish.

I said to him, "Oh the PASTAbilities are there ".

Have a bite.

INGREDIENTS

BUTTERNUT SQUASH FILLING

2 cups butter nut squash (cooked)

1 cup ricotta cheese

1/2 cup (or more if need)

1/4 + 1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

SPINACH FILLING

1 cup cooked spinach

1 cup ricotta cheese

1 cup mozzarella cheese

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 teaspoon salt

pepper, to taste

OTHER INGREDIENTS

2-3 cups of cook crumbled sausage

10 oz lasagna noodles

1 and 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese (or more) :)

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (on top)

Italian seasoning

Paprika

Basil

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Butternut Squash Filling

2. You will need to have pre-cooked butternut squash. Using your food processor, combine squash and pure with Ricotta cheese, milk, salt and nutmeg. Add more milk if needed. Mix very well, taste and add more salt if needed.

Spinach Filling

3. Combine spinach, Ricotta cheese, mozzarella, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix, taste, add more salt and pepper, if needed.

Sausage

4. Cook crumble sausage in a saute pan and set aside.

Cooking Lasagna Noodles

Bring a very large pot of water to boil, and cook lasagna noodles according to package instructions. Rinse cold water, drain. Using knife, trim noodles to fit your baking dish (if necessary).

Lasagna Assemble

5. Prepare a baking dish - I used a casserole dish 11x 8.5 inches x 3 inches deep. Grease the lasagna dish lightly with olive oil spray. Spread 1/3 of butternut squash filling on the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle lightly with mozzarella cheese. Top with cooked lasagna noodles without overlapping (I used 3 noodles)

6. Spread half of the spinach filling over the noodle. Top next with half the sausage. Top lightly with Mozzarella cheese. Top with cooked cooked noodles.

7. Spread another layer (1/3) of butternut squash mixture, then sprinkle with Mozzarella cheese. Top with cooked noodles.

8. Spread the remaining half of spinach filling over the noodles and then the sausage. Top lightly with Mozzarella cheese. Top with final layer of cooked noodles.

9. Spread a generous amount of butternut squash filling (the remaining1/3) over the final layer of noodle, sprinkle with grated Parmesan and the remaining Mozzarella cheese (about 1/2 cup mozzarella). Generously sprinkle the cheese with Italian seasoning, paprika, basil.

10. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake 30 min. Remove foil and bake additional 10 minutes.

Enjoy!

P.S.