Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Lasagna~The best lasagna recipe you will EVER make. Seriously.

Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Lasagna

1 box lasagna noodles

1 to 2 lbs hamburger

2 cups chopped fresh spinach

2 cloves garlic, minced

Half of a 15 oz container Ricotta cheese

4 oz cream cheese

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack or Mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup cheddar cheese
1 cup milk

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp salt split

1/2 tsp pepper split

1 tbsp basil split

1 tbsp oregano split

1 1/2 can/jar spaghetti sauce (26 oz size jar/can)

Directions
Pre-heat over to 375
Boil your noodles. Adding a little oil to the water helps keep them from gluing together. Drain water, and if needed (if you are not immediately using) spray with cooking oil spray to keep them from sticking.

Brown your hamburger. I add some of the seasonings to my hamburger as it cooks, such as: pepper, oregano, basil, and garlic (this is why I put "split" in the ingredients list. I put half in the white cheese sauce and half in the meat. for the garlic, I would put a tiny amount of garlic powder in the white sauce, and put the fresh garlic in the red sauce. If all I have is garlic powder, I do it for both the meat and the white cheese sauce. I don't know the exact measurement and I'm afraid of guessing). After draining excess oil, add spaghetti sauce and heat till simmering.

Mix together all of the cheeses, milk, and the spices. I stick mine in the microwave long enough to get it melted so it spreads on nicely, but that is not necessary.

Spoon some of the red sauce on the bottom of the 9 x 13 dish. Then spread a little of the white cheese sauce on the bottom as well. Put down your first layer of 4 noodles. Then put more red sauce and meat. Shred a thin layer of cheese (white or yellow, your pick) over the meat, then lay down another layer of noodles. Spread on some of the white cheese sauce, and then sprinkle on some of the spinach. repeat layers. on the top put the remaining red sauce. then put the remaining white sauce. Sprinkle a small amount of Monterrey or mozzarella on top. Sprinkle a light amount of Parmesan on top.  Bake for approximately 20-30 minutes covered, and then remove the tin foil and bake another 5 minutes. you want to see the sauce boiling when you take it out and all of the cheese on top melted and maybe even beginning to barely brown.

Ryan loves lasagna, so we have made it a great deal over the last 8 years. He is very picky about his lasagna. He doesn't want anything weird or funny in it. His ideal lasagna is noodles, a can/jar of spaghetti sauce, hamburger,  and cheddar cheese-- without anything else added in. Even spices. I do not like this recipe, and over the years I dislike it more and more. But he loves it and so I most often make it. But occasionally I'll try to tweak it.

I recently figured out this recipe, and the kids and Ryan love it. Ryan agreed it was the best I had ever made. I honestly do not measure things out when I cook, so I did my best to estimate the spices in order to share it on here with you. If you do not like a lot of spices, than add a little less of each than I did. You can always add more the next time you make it if it's too bland. I made it with tomatoes tonight, but I won't do that again because I didn't like how it turned out. I made it tonight to try and get some food into Violet because she isn't eating as well as I would like, and I know she loves lasagna... but she just picked at it tonight. I tried, right? :)

Stuff

I drove my sister to a wedding of one of her friends in Rexburg Saturday, and after dropping her off went over to campus to walk around for a moment and eat lunch. These pictures show what I miss about BYU-I. I didn't think I missed school anymore, but apparently I was wrong. I stepped in the Taylor and a wave of memories hit me. Surprisingly, I didn't have quite the same reaction to the art building (the Spori) as much as the Taylor (it was the religion building, and we had church meetings there as well).

If I were to do it all over again, I think I would pick horticulture as my major. 

I do really miss having the open studios to go paint/draw in. A wave of nostalgia hit me when I entered the studio rooms. 

  

 Two of my favorite pieces of art (currently hanging in the Taylor), by one of my past (now retired) teachers, Brother Bird.

 I do not miss these drawing horses. I actually got back pain just by looking at it... lol

 My clematis is beautiful. Granted it is only about 5-6 inches high, but still, I love the color.

Iris's looking beautiful.

 cuddling on the couch waiting for Aunt Stephanie to show up.

 I was grateful for all the help painting our house. I messed up picking the color, and it wasn't what I had thought it would be, but it looks much better than it did.

 I was washing sheets and came in to find hunter all cutely curled up on my clean sheet-less bed... yeah, he got booted, but not until after I took a picture. I found Tinker curled up in my sock drawer, and they both got thrown outside.

Does anyone else have trouble getting their kid to eat? Violet won't eat enough, and then either wakes up during the night starving, or wakes up super cranky and hungry in the morning. But she won't eat. One day she will act like a certain dish is her favorite and eat it up so fast. The next time I make it she won't even touch it. Yesterday she didn't eat lunch or dinner. I even relented and gave her a second option of scrambled eggs for dinner which she ate maybe 3 bites of before saying she was done. So, around 3 in the morning she woke up hungry. I gave her some milk and brought her into bed with me because she wouldn't stop crying. Around 4 I could feel her little hand patting me on my back very sweetly. It was clear she wasn't going to go to sleep because she was still hungry. So, I got up and gave her a yogurt which she only ate half of. Luckily she ate oatmeal and a banana for breakfast today... and only a string cheese for lunch. My mother-in-law always says that a kid will eat when they are hungry and won't starve if food is put in front of them, but I wonder if Violet wants to prove that theory wrong. All morning she laid around with her blanket and binki, and I don't know if it's just cause or if she doesn't have the energy cause she won't eat.