Simple, No Cooking (Microwave) Lasagna Florentine Recipe

I was cleaning out my bookshelf today and discovered an old recipe I used to make during my college days. There's been a lot of chatter lately that manufacturers are shrinking food packages to maintain prices. The lasagna recipe from the early the 90's certainly bears this out. The recipe calls for 1 can (16 oz.) of whole tomatoes but I was only able to find 14.5 oz whole tomato cans at my local supermarket. The recipe also calls for 1 container (15.5 oz.) of ricotta cheese but the supermarket only sold ricotta in 15 oz. containers.

As you know, I often make one-pot-wonder meals on Sundays to take to work for the upcoming week's lunches. Despite the shrinking packages of some of the ingredients, I was still able to make a delicious, easy-to-prepare, vegetarian lasagna that is completely cooked in the microwave. This means no pre-cooking of noodles necessary!

Hope you enjoy this recipe (courtesy of Colleen Harris):

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Makes 8 servings. Nutrient Value Per Servinces: 430 calories, 25g protein, 21g fat, 37g carbohydrate, 687 mg sodium, 96 mg cholestrol (This would vary depending upon the ingredients used, of course.)

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1 jar (14 oz.) prepared spaghetti sauce (Cost: $1.69)

1 can (16 oz., now 14.5 oz.) whole tomatoes, with their liquid (Cost: $0.79)

1/2 cup water (Cost: Already had.)

1 container (15.5 oz., now 15 oz.) ricotta cheese (Cost: $4.29)

1 package (16 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese (about 4 cups) (Cost: $7.00)

1 egg (Cost: Already had.)

9 uncooked lasagna noodles (Cost: $1.99)

1 package (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained (I cooked fresh spinach rather than using frozen spinach. Cost: $1.99)

3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (Cost: Already had.)
1. Combine spaghetti sauce, tomatoes with their liquid and water in bowl. Stir to blend and break up the tomatoes. Set aside.

2. Combine ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup of the mozzarella, egg and garlic powder in small bowl; mix well.

3. Spread 1/3 of the spaghetti sauce mixture in bottom of microwave-safe baking dish, about 12x8x2-inches. Place 3 noodles on top of sauce. Spread 1/2 of the ricotta mixture over noodles. Layer with 1/2 of the spinach adn 1 cup fo the mozzarella. Repeat layers (sauce, noodles, ricotta, spinach and mozzarella). Cover with the remaining noodles; pour on remaining sauce mixture.

4. Cover dish with microwave-safe plastic wrap, turning back one corner to vent. Microwave at full power 8 minutes. Rotate dish 1/2 turn. Microwave at half-power (50%) for 30 to 36 minutes until noodles are tender, turning dish another half-turn after 15 minutes). Sprinkle the top evenly with Parmesan cheese and the remaining mozzarella cheese. Cover dish again with plastic wrap and let stand on solid surface for 10 minutes before serving.

TOTAL COST: $17.75 div. 8 = $2.22/serving