Courtney’s Spinach Lasagna

I know Courtney already posted this one, but it is WELL worth repeating, well worth the effort, although, not really enjoyingn cooking as much as Courtney does, I have modified it to make it a little simpler to understand and follow, more for the 'layman' :) It is an AWESOME recipe!

(makes a 9x13 pan)

Spinach
20 oz. spinach (fresh spinach that has been frozen in a ziplock, then crushed up)

Bechamel
5 TBS butter
1 TBS butter (for baking dish)
5 large shallots, minced, or about 1 C chopped onions
4 medium cloves garlic, minced (generous 1 TBS)
1/4 C whole wheat flour
3-1/2 C whole milk
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 C parmesan cheese

Cheeses and Pasta
8 oz cottage cheese
1 large egg
1/4 tsp salt
12 lasagna noodles (or make homemade whole wheat lasagna noodles)
1 C parmesan cheese
8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese

-cook pasta, and lay aside to dry a little.
-prepare all measurements of items to make it easier to assemble later on

-Bechamel sauce- melt 6 TBS butter in sauce pan over med heat, then remove 1 TBS to put in 9x13 pan. Add onions and garlic to butter in sauce pan and cook for about 4 minutes until translucent. Add flour and cook 1 minute, but don’t brown it. Slowly pour in milk, and bring to a boil without burning it. Add bay leaves, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Discard bay leaves, and add parmesan cheese. Turn off heat and set aside.

Cottage Cheese mixture- Blend cottage cheese , salt and egg in blender or food processor, 30 seconds until smooth. Set aside.

Assembly- Layer the following: 1/2 C béchamel sauce on bottom of pan, then stir in spinach to rest of béchamel sauce (mixture should be about 4 C now), then in pan do 3 noodles, 1 C spinach mixture, the 1 C parmesan cheese, 3 noodles, 1 C spinach mixture, 1 C mozzarella cheese, 3 noodles, 1 C spinach mixture, cottage cheese/egg mixture, 3 noodles, last C spinach, rest of mozzarella. Cover with tin foil tent, bake 20 minutes at 425. Then put oven rack closer to top and broil, uncovered, to brown the cheese, 4-6 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes.

Optional- can add 8 oz, mushrooms to béchamel sauce. Just add them to melted butter and cook them before adding garlic and onions.