Lasagna Rolls

Guess what!! I tried not one, but TWO new recipes this weekend!! All for you, my loyal readers. All for you.

...Ok, ok, a little bit for me as well. I am having so much fun in the kitchen! Of course, not everything is as successful as I would like it to be, but you can't win at everything.

For instance, this weekend I was a much bigger fan of one of the recipes than I was of the other. And because I'm just THAT excited about it, I've decided to share it first.

The idea for this recipe came partly from my SO, who has an uncle that has made something similar, and partly from (you guessed it!), Pinterest.

Allow me to introduce you to Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna Rolls, with a Pesto Cream Sauce!!!

First, you start off with some lasagna noodles, boiled, but still quite firm. Then you cover them with a layer of cream cheese and add your cooked spinach/mushroom mixture, roll, top with sauce and cheese and throw in the oven!

Here is a pic of the assembly line:

I must say a big thank you to my SO, who was an excellent helper! He made things go a lot faster than they would have gone if it was just me by myself.

I do have to admit... I don't think I was 100% successful with the pesto cream sauce. While I still LOVED the taste, I missed the mark on the texture and consistency. I am just not very good with making my own cream sauces... but I refuse to give up!

And here they are, topped with cheese and fresh out of the oven! :)

Now for my review...

I have zero complaints regarding taste. I thought they were super fantastic, and I was equally happy with the leftovers I had for lunch today. Obviously I need to improve my skills when it comes to the sauce, as previously noted... the only other comment I would have is that I need to put more filling in next time. Considering I was flying completely blind with no idea how much I would need, I still think we did pretty good. The SO was also a fan, his only comment being that he would have preferred "red sauce". But that's not surprising, he has never really been a big fan of cream sauce.

All-in-all... I loved them. And I will definitely be making them again.

Think you might want to give them a try? Here is the recipe:

Lasagna Rolls
1 package lasagna noodles
1tbsp butter
2 garlic cloves
1 package crimini mushrooms, sliced
1 pacakge portobello mushrooms, sliced
1/2 onion, chopped
1 bag baby spinach
1/4 white wine or broth
1/2 package cream cheese
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
salt and pepper

Sauce:
3 tbsp butter
2 garlic cloves
3 tbsp pesto
2 cups cream (half and half or heavy cream)
salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 350F. In a large pot of boiling water, cook the lasagna noodles, ensuring they are still el dente (about 8 minutes). Drain and lay out on a cookie sheet.
2. In a separate pot, melt 3 tbsp of butter for the sauce. Add the garlic cloves and saute until fragrant. Add the cream and bring to a boil.
3. Add the pesto and a handful of grated cheese to the sauce and simmer until it starts to thicken up a bit. Keep warm.
4. In a large skillet, melt 1 tbsp of butter. Add the mushrooms and onions and cook until they start to caramelize (about 15 minutes).
5. Add in the garlic and saute until fragrant. Then add in the white wine or broth, cook for a few minutes.
6. Add in the spinach and cook until just beginning to wilt. Salt and pepper to taste.
7. Spread a layer of cream cheese on each of the now-cooled lasagna noodles. You may want to warm up the cream cheese a bit, or have it sitting out beforehand, so that it will spread without tearing the noodles.
8. Add a layer of the spinach and mushrooms to each noodle. Top each with a bit of grated parmesan cheese and then roll the lasagna noodles.
9. In a baking dish, ladle a bit of the pesto sauce into the bottom. Then place your lasagna rolls (seam side down) in the dish and top with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle with the rest of the grated cheese and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly.

I know I'm not very good about putting precise measurements (sorry!!) but that's what you get for being an amateur cook! :)

Give these a try... a promise you won't be disappointed!

And stay tuned for the other new recipe, coming soon!

So until next time...

D.