Zucchini, ricotta, and petit pois lasagne

After running errands in high heels this weekend, my feet ached. Kevin said we should head straight downstairs to work on our canoe project, but I said I needed a break. Three hours later I woke up on the couch. HOLY COW! Where did the time go?

Our canoe hoist may never get finished (it should be easy, right?) but I did manage to make dinner. This recipe is the way vegetarian recipes should be. Heavy on the vegetables and no meat substitutes in sight. There is nothing worse than seeing a vegetarian recipe that calls for "veggie burgers" "tofu" or any other meat substitute. If you don't want to eat meat fine, but it is no fair cheating and using a fake meat.

You may be wondering why I took a picture of the cookbook instead of a picture of our dinner. It was either:

1) I am so artistic that the cookbook picture of a picture called to me.

2) When dinner was done I ravenously ate and ate until the pan of lasagna was no longer photo worthy.

Bless you heart. You picked #1. Sorry to disappoint - as soon as the oven bell chimed I started digging in. It was worth the lost photo and the burned taste buds. Then, after one more slice, I had the urge to make another pan just for the picture, but ultimately settled on the slacker's option.

Zucchini, ricotta, and petit pois lasagne

9 sheets ready to use lasagna noodles

1 T olive oil

2 onions, chopped

1 pound zucchini, thinly sliced

2 cups frozen petit pois (or peas)

2 T mint, chopped (if desired - feel free to leave it out)

1 pound ricotta cheese

1 1/4 C milk

1 1/4 C sour cream

1/4 C Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

green salad to serve with

Put the lasagna in a shallow bowl, cover with cold water, and soak while you prepare the filling. Soaking it makes it lighter and nicer.

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan, add the onions, and fry gently for 5 minutes until the onions begin to soften. Add the zucchini then cover and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender but not browned. Stir in the petit pois and mint, season with salt and pepper, and remove from heat.

Mix the ricotta with 2 T of milk to soften it a little, and season with black pepper.

Drain the lasagna and arrange a single layer in the base of a casserole dish. Spread half of the ricotta mixture and put half of the zucchini mixture on top of that. Top with another layer of lasagna, ricotta, zucchini, and finish with a layer of lasagna.

For the topping, mix together the sour cream and remaining milk. Pour this mixture over the top of the lasagna, then sprinkle thickly with the Parmesan cheese. Bake in a preheated oven, 400 degrees, for 40 minutes. Serve with a crunchy green salad.