Another "Throw-together" Success Story

We love vegetables, we love cheese and noodles -- and we love lasagna (see earlier posts). But the last time I made lasagna and used the whole-wheat noodles, I wasn't crazy about the outcome. The noodles were gummy to me, and just not "yummy." So I decided to try a different kind of noodle next time.

Last night, I had veggies (always), I had a can of crushed tomatoes (always), and I had noodles and cheese that needed to be used. So I decided to make a "lasagna-style" vegetable casserole. It turned out really good, and I'm glad I get to have the leftovers for lunch today! (There was only about one serving left of the whole pan -- but that was after supper with family, it wasn't just us.)

Here's what I did:

In my large glass casserole dish, I first drizzled the bottom with olive oil. Then I put a thin layer of the canned crushed tomatoes (just enough to cover the bottom of the pan). Then I put a thick layer of veggies: chopped onion/bell pepper/celery, diced squash and carrots, chopped spinach, a little bit of cooked leftover cabbage. Then a layer of several herbs/spices: salt, black pepper, parsley, oregano, garlic powder, basil, a sprinkle of red pepper. Then a layer of whole-wheat egg noodles, about 1/3 to 1/2 the package. Then a layer of cheese: about one-third or half a carton of cottage cheese, shredded mozzarella, and grated parmesan. I topped it all with a layer of crushed tomatoes (the rest of the can), another sprinkle of herbs/spices, and a last sprinkle of parmesan. Covered with foil and baked at 350 for probably about 45 minutes. All but two of the young ones said they liked it, even the ones normally picky about their veggies!

Too bad I didn't take a picture. I'm trying to start doing better about that. Alright, my leftovers are calling me ....