Creamy Three Cheese First Time Lasagna

Lasagna is a dream food of mine. I don't get to eat it often, but when I do, I savor every bite. I never even knew how to make it, and figuring out how slightly intimidated me.  I settled for eating it when ever I had a new baby and one was brought to me, or ordered at a restaurant every once in a while. 

no longer. I don't know what changed, but I had been pinning a few [ahem, an exorbitant amount] of lasagna recipes on Pinterest, and it awakened a craving in me, and I got over my fear of failure, and gave it a shot. 

My friend Rachel and her family had us over for dinner Wednesday evening and we both agreed that we'd like to put together a lasagna-she chose a traditional red one, with a tomato based sauce and ground beef, and I chose a white one, using chicken and a fun variety of cheeses. I must say both were a success. I loved putting it together even though it was my first time, and it was exciting for me to be back in my kitchen domain creating something with my own hands, a labor of love, brought to the table to share. 

I found this recipe on Pinterest as I mentioned earlier, I didn't dare not go by a recipe, and once I used that as a guide, I deviated off it a little, but not too much. I omitted some ingredients, added some, and adjusted as I saw fit. The result? A newly revised version of a good solid recipe, but not so exact that I can't claim some of the ownership..

So without further ado, I share this recipe. I will be sure to link the original at the bottom too because I would still be cowering if i hadn't had assistance:)

you'll need:

9 lasagna noodles, boiled in a large pot according to directions
1 small purple onion, chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
a generous drizzle of olive oil [i didn't measure, guestimate maybe 1/4 cup?]
1/2 cup white flour
a generous pinch of salt [again, eyeball it]
2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 cup milk [i used 2%]
2 cups mozzarella, shredded
1/4 cup shaved Parmesan
2 tablespoons basil
1 tablespoon oregano
1/2 tsp cracked ground black pepper [be generous]
2 cups cottage cheese
2 cups shredded boneless skinless chicken breast [ i just took a few breasts and boiled and shredded beforehand]
1/3 cup drained artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
another 2 cups of mozzarella
[another]1/2 cup Parmesan
parsley 

so. preheat oven to 350 degrees.

boil noodles.

while that is happening, in a large pan, saute onions and garlic in olive oil.

add flour and season with salt. coat onion mixture. continue stirring.

add vegetable stock, milk, and do more stirring action. bring to a boil.

add first set of 2 cups of mozzarella, and 1/4 cup Parmesan.

melty melt! mix mix mix!

then comes basil, oregano, perhaps more salt, and black pepper.

In a baking dish [suitable for lasagna] here you assemble the layers:


1/3 of your white creamy sauce
3 lasagna noodles
2 cups cottage cheese
shredded chicken
chopped artichoke hearts
3 lasagna noodles
another third of the sauce
2 cups shredded mozz
1/2 cup Parmesan
3 lasagna noodles
remainder of sauce
a generous sprinkle of parsley and cracked pepper
1/4 shaved Parmesan

Bake that bad boy for about 40 minutes covered in foil. 

enjoy. 


the original recipe in which i leaned on as a guide line is here:
http://www.pipandebby.com/pip-ebby/2012/5/20/white-chicken-lasagna.html