SPINACH-TOFU-BEEF LASAGNE

My mom helped me with this recipe. Great Lasagne!

1 large can crushed tomatoes
1 large can petite diced tomatoes
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 Tbsp. sugar
6 cloves garlic, pressed
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion
1/2 green bell pepper, finely diced
coarse ground black pepper

2 small packages frozen chopped spinach
1 Tbsp. butter
salt

1 lb. ground round
1/2 lb. extra firm tofu in water, which has been frozen and thawed
1/2 onion
1 large clove garlic, pressed
salt
coarse ground pepper

1 lb. "no boil" curly edge lasagne noodles
8 oz. shredded cheddar and mozzarella
parmesan cheese
about 12 slices american cheese
2 1/4 C 4% milkfat small curd cottage cheese
vegetable oil spray

Peel onion, leaving whole, and microwave covered for 5 minutes. Use kitchen scissors to coarsely chop onion in bowl. Add 1 cup crushed tomatoes to blender. Add onion and blend well. Add to pot with remaining crushed tomatoes and petite diced tomatoes. Cook over medium low heat. Add olive oil, bell pepper, garlic, oregano, basil, pepper and sugar. When sauce is bubbly reduce heat to low and simmer for about 1 hr.
Remove spinach from packages and defrost on high in microwave, pouring off excess water. After spinach defrosted microwave on high for 2-3 minutes. Stirring often. Add butter and salt. Mix well.

Firmly squeeze excess moisture from tofu and crumble. Add ground round, tofu, 1/2 chopped onion and garlic to skillet. Cook until ground beef is browned. Add salt and pepper.

Lasagne Layers:

(1) sauce to cover bottom of 12 x 8 x 3-inch lasagne pan (sprayed with Pam first)
(2) lasagne noodles
(3) Beef mixture combined with some of the sauce
(4) lasagne noodles
(5) spinach
(6) American cheese slices
(7) cottage cheese
(8) lasagne noodles
(9) tomato sauce
(10) sprinkle lightly with parmesan cheese
(11) cheddar-mozzarella cheese
(12) more parmesan cheese

Bake at 350F for 45 minutes. Wait 30 minutes before serving.

ANDREA'S BEAN AND BOW TIE CASSEROLE

This is kind of a dressy spin on beans. I wanted to invent a casserole and now I have!

1 lb. dried beans (15 kinds of beans)
Reserve 2 3/4 C of bean broth
1/2 lb. bow tie pasta, cooked and drained
8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp. all purpose flour
3/4 - 1 C shredded colby jack cheese (or your favorite)
1 medium onion, minced
1/2 green bell pepper, minced
4 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
1 clove of garlic, pressed
salt and pepper to taste
2 drops of Tabasco
plain yogurt or sour cream

Soak beans 8 hrs. Drain and boil until the navy beans (the small white beans) are al dente. Drain beans reserving bean broth. Cool beans and pasta. Salt and pepper beans, to taste. Add pasta and beans to a large bowl, mix well.

Cool and strain bean broth. Add 2 3/4 C of broth to blender. Turn blender on low and gradually add flour, then add tomato sauce. Pour broth-tomato mixture into a greased sauce pan. Add garlic and Tobasco.

Cook broth mixture over medium heat, stirring continuously, until bubbly. Add bacon and cheese. Stir until cheese is melted. Remove from heat. Add onion and green pepper. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Pour sauce over bean and pasta mixture. Mix well.

Pour into a greased casserole dish and bake in 350 F preheated oven for 30 minutes or until bubbly, and serve.

Makes 6 large servings or 8 or more medium servings.

This is great with a with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream.