Intertwining Love and Food and Butternut Squash Lasagna
I laugh when I think about the relationship between love and food with my family. They are always intertwined!
Especially with my teen boys, I can always feel their love when I pull a yummy dinner out of the oven. Arms wrap around me, telling me how much they love me. I know FOOD is their love-language, at least with me.
Good Food = Love.
The heritage we’ve had with good food, and the stories that go with many of the meals served in our home, includes an appreciation translating into nurture and love.
The “fresh aroma” is always enough for me to get some good Mommy Hugs.
Do you get Mommy Hugs with food, or feel appreciation from your family when you cook a healthy meal?
Today I’m sharing a delicious meal I made over winter break when my kids were all home. It was fast, easy, and I used Dave’s Gourmet Butternut Pasta Sauce.
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Recipe: Butternut Squash Lasagna {ReluctantEntertainer.com}
Summary: Make ahead and refrigerate the cooked lasagna for up to 3 days. Chicken is optional.
Ingredients
- 1 15-oz. container ricotta cheese
- 8 oz. mozzarella cheese, grated
- 1 tsp. ground nutmeg
- 1 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 cups pulled chicken, chopped (I used Rotisserie chicken)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 4 cups spinach, washed and thick stems discarded (optional to chop)
- 25 oz. frozen squash puree or Dave’s Gourmet Butternut Pasta Sauce
- 9 no-boil lasagna noodles
Instructions
- Heat oven to 425. Spray a 9×13 pan.
- In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, mozzarella, nutmeg, 2 eggs, chicken, and 1/4 cup Parmesan; salt and pepper.
- Add the spinach to the cheese mixture.
- Spread 1 cup squash on the bottom of a sprayed 9×13 dish. Top with 3 noodles, 1/3 of cheese mixture, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Repeat this process x3 in lasagna-fashion.
- Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese, cover tightly with oiled (sprayed) piece of foil; bake for 15 minutes.
- Uncover and bake until the noodles are cooked and lasagna is bubbly, about 15-20 more minutes.
Preparation time: 10 minute(s)
Cooking time: 30 minute(s)
Number of servings (yield): 6
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Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
I made this tonight and it was awesome. Two minor substitutions. I used fresh mozzarella that I cubed and I put sliced yellow squash on top of the spinach/cheese mixture layer. Sooooo good! Paired it with a chilled Viogner. Amazing!
We just tried this recipe without the chicken. It was fantastic! We used reduced fat mozzarella and ricotta to make it a little lighter. Thanks for posting! This is a great shortcut… all the other recipes I saw took 2.5 hours. I had this put together in less than 20 minutes.
Color Red Please…Thank sfor this giveaway.
The first recipe I would make in this processor is my roasted tomato soup. I currently blend the soup in an Oster blender, and I do so in three batches. I pick red for the color of the processor.
This looks amazing! I know exactly what you mean about love and food! One day, I made a dish for my grandson and he declared that I was the BEST NANA EVER!
Delicious recipe!!!! I made this last night and it was so wonderful. Since I cannot eat chicken I omitted it, however my husband and I were saying that the chicken would be really good in it as well. This past weekend I had gotten a couple butternut squash from our produce distribution and then on Monday while at Sam’s I picked up spinach. Not knowing yet what to make with the squash I woke up Tuesday morning to your recipe. What wonderful timing!!! Thank you Sandy for all of your delicious recipes.
Look yummy- love butternut squash!
Thanks for sharing
I have to try this recipe. I have a butternut squash that’s waiting to be turned into some yummy goodness. Thanks for sharing.
You make me grin. Nice title.
Also, know that because of what I have learned both here and at The Inspired Room, I felt comfortable taking on party-planning for a small vow-renewal ceremony! True! I’ve been delegating like it’s my full-time job, because…well…it kinda is as the coordinator! :) Things are coming together nicely, and I think it will be beautiful!
YUM! This looks so good.
Looks yummy, Sandy. I make a version of this – but it’s a lot more complicated and doesn’t have the spinach (which I think would be a great addition).
i think you just spoke my love language with that butternut squash! yum! on the menu for next week for sure!