Recipe: Vegetable Lasagna with White Sauce

VEGETABLE LASAGNA WITH WHITE SAUCE
Source: Betty Crocker's Pasta Favorites
Servings: 8

This fresh-tasting lasagna is a great way to serve vegetables to fussy eaters.

FOR THE WHITE SAUCE:
1/3 cup butter or margarine
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 cups milk
FOR THE LASAGNA:
1 (10 oz.) package frozen chopped spinach
2 cups cottage cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon pepper
12 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 (8 oz.) can mushroom stems and pieces, drained and coarsely chopped
2 medium carrots, coarsely shredded
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

TO PREPARE THE WHITE SAUCE:
Heat butter or margarine in 1-quart saucepan over low heat until melted. Stir in flour, salt, and nutmeg. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until bubbly; remove from heat. Stir in milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute; cover and keep warm. If sauce thickens, beat in small amount of milk.

TO PREPARE THE LASAGNA:
Rinse frozen spinach under cold running water to separate. Drain; pat dry with paper towels. Mix spinach, cottage cheese, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese, the basil, oregano, and pepper.

Arrange 4 noodles in ungreased 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Top with half of the cheese mixture, 1/2 cup of the Mozzarella cheese, and 4 noodles. Layer mushrooms, carrots, onion, and green bell pepper on noodles. Spread half of the White Sauce over top; sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the Mozzarella cheese. Top with remaining noodles, cheese mixture, White Sauce, and Mozzarella cheese; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.

Bake uncovered until hot and bubbly, about 35 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.