Pumpkin Lasagna

Ugh, I promise I am going to give you guys some recipes that don’t include Pumpkin…..next July. Just kidding, next week… But for now, another pumpkin recipe. It’s really good if that makes up for my pumpkineyness. I just love pumpkins.

See?

Before last night I had never made a lasagna… I always thought they took SO long to prepare and I’m more of an instant gratification kind of girl. If it takes longer than 30 minutes and doesn’t involve a crock pot – I’m OUT!

Oh and Adam if you are reading this there was TOTALLY ground turkey in there 😉

Pumpkin Lasagna (Vegetarian)

Ingredients

• 1 pound 5 ounces (or 21 ounces) fresh mozzarella, divided
• 1 1/2 cups fat-free ricotta cheese
• 3 tablespoons earth balance butter
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 3/4 cups pumpkin puree
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon all spice
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• pinch white pepper
• 1 (1 lb) box no boil – whole wheat lasagna sheets

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Shred 12 ounces of mozzarella and mix with the ricotta in a large bowl. Set aside.

3. In a 2 quart pot, melt butter on low heat. Add garlic and brown lightly. Stir in pumpkin, brown sugar, maple syrup,  cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Stir until it’s all warm. Remove from heat and set aside.

4. Smear a thin layer of pumpkin mixture on the bottom of a 9×13 glass baking dish.

5. Place 3 lasagna sheets across. Smooth a layer of ricotta/mozzarella on. Smooth a layer of pumpkin mixture on top. Repeat until you have 5 layers of pasta, cheese, pumpkin. (You will use 15 lasagna sheets in total so there may be extra sheets in the box.)

6. Let sit for 5 minutes and slice squares to serve

7. Eat your sweet, ooey and gooey lasagna.

I loved the sweetness of this lasagna – If you are in the mood for something new, definitely try this… If you are looking for an original lasagna, you’ll have to spend more time on it.

I also highly suggest washing it down with a couple squares of heaven.

If there’s any left in stores that is… Because I plan on wiping every Trader Joes clear of them.

Happy Friday!!!

QUESTIONS: Have you ever made a homemade lasagna? I cant believe this was my first time.

Outerbanks Update & Recipe

Happy Friday! 3 more days left on Vacation 😦 I thought I would give you guys an update on how my vacation is going so far by playing the number game. Here it goessss.

27 

trips so far down the stairs to the beach

15

pounds of candy brought

11 

times the boys have planked/owled

4

theme nights so far (Italian, Hawaiian, Mexican & American)

1

restaurant trip (which was AMAZING)

Sweet Potato Biscuits

House salad w/ feta red wine vinaigrette

Fresh Rockfish in a mango coulis with blueberries, rice & broccoli

 The restaurant won best dessert. Would it shock you to tell you I picked the peanut butter chocolate chip cheesecake? Didn’t think so.

5

Happy Hour’s attended (at home)

Watermelon Spritzer

2

trips to Harris Teeter. LOVE.

1

beautiful sunrise (i’ve been sleeping in!)

3

times I’ve complained that I’m SO burnt.

but I keep laying out

6

desserts made and still 4 more to come

300

good memories and lots more to come 🙂

1

recipe to share with you

This is a staple in our family – We make this ALL the time because a.) it’s that good and b.) it takes about 5 minutes. It’s not exactly “homemade” but nobody would ever know.

Strawberry Banana Pudding

Ingredients

• 1 Large Box Sugar Free Vanilla Pudding
• 1 Small Box Sugar Free Vanilla Pudding
• 2 1/4 cups of COLD unsweetened Almond Milk
• 2 Tubs of Sugar Free Cool Whip
• 5 Bananas
• 2 lbs of Strawberries
• 1 box of Mini Vanilla Wafers

Directions

• Whisk almond milk and pudding in a large bowl
• Fold in bananas

• Fold in 2 containers of cool whip

• Add one layer of mini vanilla wafers to a 9×13 dish

• Add 1/2 of pudding mixture on top of vanilla wafers
• Add another layer of vanilla wafers on top of the mixture and spoon remaining mixture on top of cookies

• Cut strawberries in half and add to the top

• Cool in fridge until ready to serve or serve immediately

Warning: You will not be able to settle on one serving of this.

De.freaking.licious.

Now if you’ll excuse me i have to go soak in the sun.

QUESTIONS: Do you take family vacations? Whats your favorite memory??