Recipe: Ravioli Lasagna (with carrots, peppers and turkey sausage)

RAVIOLI LASAGNA

"I love making a lasagna with ravioli, which eliminates several steps in making a traditional lasagna. You can substitute your favorite vegetables, such as mushrooms or spinach, for those I have suggested, or add a layer of turkey sausage for a heartier dish. Serve it with steamed green beans sprinkled with lemon juice and salt."


1 (26 ounces) jar red pasta sauce
1 (20 ounces) family-sized package refrigerated cheese or meat ravioli
1 1/2 cups shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup thinly sliced cooked turkey sausage (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a 9-inch square baking dish and one side of a foil sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

Spread a few spoonfuls of the pasta sauce in the bottom of the dish. Top it with 1 layer of ravioli (let their edges touch but not overlap). Top the ravioli with half of the veggies and half of the cheese as well as the turkey sausage (optional). Repeat the layers once more, ending with the cheese. (You will probably have some left over ravioli, which you can cook separately for pickier eaters.)

Cover the lasagna tightly with the foil, sprayed side down. Bake it for 1 hour and remove the foil for the last 5 minutes of baking.

Makes 8 servings
Adapted from source: The Six O'Clock Scramble: Quick, Healthy, and Delicious Dinner Recipes for Busy Families by Aviva Goldfarb