Dinner Diaries - Spinach Lasagna Roll-Ups

First of all, what's UP with all this vampire hogwash? A simple country girl should be able to type "Dinner Diaries" without instantly thinking of "Vampire Diaries". And no, I have never watched the show. Or read the books. Or watched the movies.

I will. not. do it. It's a matter of principle at this point.

Let's band together and put a stake through its collective heart. I'll bring the garlic. (I do carry it in my pockets, after all.)

So. Dinner.

I do not remember where I found this recipe. It was in a magazine some odd years ago. It reminded me of the amazing dinner my friend Heather brought us after Ruby was born, so I tore it out and stuck it in my file.

It's a real crowd-pleaser and it's easy like Sunday morning.

(Recipe below)

Best of all? It provides the opportunity for a pasta facial. Forget about La Mer, ladies. Throw your mug over a colander of draining pasta and call it a day. Ancient Amish Secret.

You can be an over-achiever if you want to and make homemade marinara sauce, but please don't tell me about it if you do.

I have full confidence in your ability to not burn the bread. Why in Sam Hill am I always burning the stinking bread? And please, do not tell me that this bread is not burned. I won't hear of it.

Blast it.

You'd think by now someone would have invented an oven with a built-in timer that could be set for a pre-determined amount of time, thereby eliminating the risk of burned bread.


Spinach lasagna roll-ups

1 pk. (10 oz.) frozen spinach, thawed and drained (Wring it out, baby! Feels so...slimy.)

1 c. mozzarella cheese

1 c. (8 oz.) small curd cottage cheese

1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

1 egg

6 lasagna noodles, cooked*

spaghetti sauce

Combine spinach, mozz, cottage cheese, parmesan cheese and egg. (I also mix in a few shakes of garlic salt and oregano or Italian seasoning.)

Place 1/3 c. of mixture on each noodle. Roll up, place seam-side down. Pour sauce over. Bake at 350 degrees (covered) for 33-38 minutes.

* I make 7 noodles so my kids can share the remaining cold, cooked noodle after cleaning their plates. I dare you to think long and hard about that one without activating your gag reflex.