Rabbit Food, Day 1.

I guess New Year`s Day was probably not the smartest day to start this whole thing...considering I had more than one gin & tonic last night (not to mention, the champagne....oh, the champagne....)  I don`t know about you, but the first thing I wake up thinking about after a night when I`ve had a few beverages is not "Oooo...a salad sounds soooo good."  Actually, I usually want a chicken sandwich or chicken fingers!  I dunno why, but I do.  I remember in college when my friends and I would go out, we`d make the ever-so-popular 3 am drive-thru trip before we went home.  Now that I`m so old and so mature (NOT), I can`t do that.  A.) Because I don`t drink as much or as often as I used to...it`s not as fun and I want to be a better person than that. B.) Because I`d be fat as a cow if I ate "fourth meal" all the time. C.) I can`t remember C, but maybe it will come back to me...


Anyway, I survived the morning just fine with some homemade granola mixed with FAGE greek yogurt (mango flavor) =)  My first all-vegetarian recipe that I`d recommend is simply fabulous.  I found it on goodhousekeeping.com, then altered it (as usual). This does have eggs in it, FYI, but I believe egg beaters may be used (since obviously, I don`t need all that cholesterol).  Please try it at home and see what you think!  If you have any suggestions, I`d love to hear them.  


Vegetable Lasagna


2 zucchini, diced
1 1/2 c broccoli (fresh), chopped
1 pack frozen spinach, thawed
Olive Oil
Butter
1/2 t dried oregano
Salt to taste
1-15 oz container of part-skim ricotta cheese
2 large eggs
12 lasagna noodles
1/4 c flour
2 1/2 c skim milk
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 c blue cheese (or Gorgonzola) crumbles
1- 8 oz package part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded


Saute zucchini, broccoli, oregano and salt in olive oil over medium heat.  Only cook 5 minutes or less; the zucchini and broccoli should be tender, but crisp (not mushy). Remove from skillet and set aside in a prep bowl.  In the same skillet, saute spinach.  Add salt to taste.  Cook until heated through, then drain.  Add spinach to other vegetables in prep bowl and toss.  


In another prep bowl, combine ricotta and eggs and set aside. Boil lasagna noodles as directed on the box and drain.


Preheat the oven to 350.  In a saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons of butter.  Stir in the flour and 1/4 t salt until smooth.  Gradually add in the milk to make a roux.  Stir constantly until this begins to boil and thicken.  Remove from heat.  Stir in Parmesan and blue cheeses.


Layer bottom of 13 x 9-in pan in the following order: cooked lasagna noodles, ricotta mixture, vegetable mixture, mozzarella, white sauce.  Repeat this sequence until all of the lasagna noodles have been used. Make sure that the last layer is the mozzarella cheese.  


Bake for 40-45 minutes until the cheese bubbles.  Let stand for a few minutes before serving.