More comfort food to comfort you.

If you read my last post, you need comfort food. (Do I ever really eat anything BUT comfort food? No.) If you skipped it, you probably could still use something yummy. Anyway, lasagna was one of the items that we got the most of after Will died. Hearty, big pans accompanied with fresh salads and crusty bread and a plate of cookies or brownies for dessert. I will have to say that the only type that didn't make me sick after 2 days of eating it was the vegetable lasagna from Kelly. Don't get me wrong, the meat type was good, but it just seemed totally endless. It is still hard for me to eat it b/c I ate so flippin' much of it over the month of January. The following recipe I got from Liz, years ago. By years, I'm talking like 15 years ago. I think I've made it maybe 2x but it's fabulous. Really good stuff. Slightly labor intensive but a labor of love because it's so tasty and fresh. I'd say make it in the summer when you can pop to the farmer's market to get the fresh veggies then stick it in the freezer and eat it when the weather is more conducive to heavy pasta dishes. I'd even be tempted to add in a little zucchini or spinach, maybe even fresh peas or green beans (French cut), carrots would be nice too... as long as you keep the total amount of veggies consistent and cook/drain everything prior to baking it. It's a little long go, but you can do it. Patience, Grasshopper, patience.

Liz's Vegetable Garden Lasagna
1 eggplant
1 t coarse salt
8 tbsp olive oil
1 green pepper- julienned
1 red pepper- julienned
1 large onion slivered
12 oz mushrooms- thinly sliced
1/4C flour
8oz lasagna noodles
3C tomato sauce
1 1/2 C Bechamel Sauce (see below)
8oz mozzarella, grated

Slice eggplant into 1/4inch rounds. Sprinkle with salt and let drain 1 hour. Wipe off salt and pat dry.
Heat 2 tsp of olive oil in a large skillet. Add peppers and onions and saute 10 minutes.
Remove peppers and onions and add 1 tsp of olive oil and mushrooms. Saute 5 minutes. Remove from pan.
Dredge eggplant in flour, shaking off excess and saute slices on both sides until lightly browned, adding more oil as needed. Dry on paper towels.
Preheat oven to 350.
Make Bechamel sauce (see below).
Cook lasagna noodles per package.
Spread small amount of tomato sauce at bottom of a 13x9 inch baking dish. cover with 1/2 the lasagna noodles, cover with peppers, onions, mushroom, and eggplant in layers.
Mix Bechamel and Parmesan cheese together and spoon 1/2 of it over the veggies.
Crumble the goat cheese over the Bechamel and sprinkle with 1/2 the basil, more tomato sauce.
Cover with more noodles, the rest of the Bechamel, basil, tomato sauce, and the mozzarella.
Cover with foil, back 30 minutes.
Uncover and bake 15 minutes more til brown and bubbly.

Bechamel Sauce
1/2 stick of unsalted butter (USE BUTTER, not margarine)
3T flour
1 1/2C milk
pinch of paprika
pinch of nutmeg
salt and white pepper to taste

Melt butter in sauce pan. Add flour and cook, stirring, over low heat, for 3 minutes.
Raise heat to medium and slowly add the milk, stirring constantly with a whisk.
Continue to whisk until sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.
Add spices, salt and pepper.
Stir well and remove from heat.