Spinach and Turkey Sausage Lasagna Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 3 cups fat-free milk
• 3 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, cubed
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 pound Italian turkey sausage links, casings removed and crumbled
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seed, crushed
• 1 jar (7 ounces) roasted sweet red peppers, drained and chopped
• 1/2 cup white wine or reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 3/4 cup 2% cottage cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 9 lasagna noodles, cooked, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions

• In a saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour, salt and pepper until smooth; gradually stir in milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in cream cheese until melted. Stir in Parmesan cheese just until melted. Remove from the heat; set aside.
• In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, cook sausage and onion over medium heat until sausage is no longer pink. Add the garlic, oregano, marjoram and fennel; cook 1 minute longer.
• Add roasted peppers and wine. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 3-5 minutes or until liquid is reduced to 3 tablespoons. Remove from the heat; set aside.
• In a small bowl, combine the spinach, cottage cheese and nutmeg. Spread 1/2 cup cheese sauce in a 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with three noodles, half of the sausage mixture, half of the spinach mixture and 1 cup sauce; repeat layers. Top with remaining noodles and sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
• Cover and bake at 375° for 40 minutes. Uncover; bake 15-20 minutes longer or until heated through and top is lightly browned. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting. Yield: 12 servings.

Spinach and Turkey Sausage Lasagna published in Light & Tasty August/September 2006, p60