Every now and then… I’m lying, every weekend I make a big dinner where I like to create my own recipes or put new twists on traditional ones. One of the latest twists and creations I’ve made is a spinach ricotta lasagna with a garlic roasted marinara sauce. I’m always cooking for picky eaters (Just my luck) and last week it was my step father who was the troublesome one… He doesn’t like white sauce (Alfredo sauce) but wanted a veggie pasta dish… Thus, the Spinach Ricotta Lasagna with Garlic Roasted Marinara Sauce was born… This dish can be labor intensive so BEWARE! Nonetheless, enjoy because it is AMAZING!!!

Ingredients

• Ricotta Cheese (whole milk, this isn’t a diet recipe ^_^)
• Spinach (the more the merrier. Spinach wilts down to nothing! I used a pound to a pound and a half to make a whole pan)
• Thick cut turkey bacon (smoked is better)
• Garlic… (LOTS OF IT!)
• Fresh Basil (yes, fresh basil makes all the difference!)
• Red wine (why not? lol)
• Fresh grated parmesan cheese (now I’m just getting fancy lol regular is fine too)
• Shredded Mozzarella Cheese (You can shred it yourself or buy it already done. You’ll need about two cups worth)
• oregano
• Fresh Parsley
• One egg
• Salt
• Pepper
• Adobo/Seasoning Salt (optional)
• Lasagna Pasta
• Extra Virgin olive oil
• Favorite marinara sauce (Ragu… Prego etc… or you can make your own)
• Garlic powder
• Lemon/lime

Directions

1. Boil water with some salt and oil and add lasagna pasta once it begins to boil. Boil pasta halfway.
2. Dice up half the pack of turkey bacon into small pieces
3. Dice up half to a whole head of garlic into very small pieces
4. Cut parsley and basil into small fine pieces
5. Throughly clean your spinach (3 to 4 times to be exact! Get that dirt out) 
6. Heat up extra virgin olive oil and add turkey bacon. Brown and crisp them up
7. Add garlic. Continue to sauté them
8. Now add spinach… little by little. Your whole batch isn’t going to fit at once. Wait for some to wilt then add more until your batch is added
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10. Mix and add some salt and pepper and a little bit of lime/lemon juice. Set to the side once cooked
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12. In a mixing bowl add ricotta cheese, one egg, parsley, basil, parmesan cheese, pinch of adobo/seasoning salt, garlic powder and pepper. Mix thoroughly and set aside.
13. Once pasta, spinach, and ricotta cheese are all ready begin to layer your lasagna.
14. Before you begin to layer add some olive oil at the bottom on the pan along with a little bit of red sauce.
15. Place down first layer of red sauce and then add a layer of ricotta cheese. Add another layer of pasta and now add a layer of spinach. If you have some ricotta cheese add a thin layer on top of the spinach. Now add another of pasta.
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17. At the very top layer add your add sauce, shredded mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, and basil.
18. 
19. Bake at 350 until cheese is melted. Broil at the very end to brown cheese. Remove let cool for a few minutes then serve and enjoy!
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