So this morning I was all set to talk about how Patrick and I finally played host and hostess to a great friend and her husband this past Sunday evening, for the Patriots and Colts football game. (The Patriots lost. Boo.)
I even snapped a picture of the spread of homemade goodies I had whipped up for the occasion. Pumpkin Walnut Bread. Brie & Pesto Bruschetta with Heirloom Tomatoes. Hummus. (The salsa was from Trader Joe’s. I know, I have failed you.) It wasn’t until I uploaded and processed the photo that I saw that my photo had an uninvited guest!
Hello, Clover. We meet again.
Thank you for upstaging me with your freakishly large ears! Sigh.
She always has to be the center of attention. Seriously. She’s the kind of girl who wouldn’t hesitate to steal your boyfriend (or your food) when your back is turned.
I digress.
In the days leading up to the game, I was admittedly nervous. (Okay, I was in full-on panic mode. Whatever.) I wanted to make something fun and different, but also really good. The last thing I wanted was to serve something that made people cringe. “Come on over! Enjoy inedible food!”
It was Thursday, and I was on my fifth episode of Barefoot Contessa. I binge-watch episodes of that show. Well, that and Good Eats. (I love you, Alton Brown!) Ina Garten was once again waltzing around her kitchen, whipping up “fabulous” food, waxing poetic about how “divine” ganache is. Then she started making a wild mushroom recipe, with all of these crazy looking varieties of mushrooms. It looked like an amazing idea…
…but I wasn’t entirely sold on her recipe. It did, however, inspire me to create my own. Thus my new favorite comfort meal was born.
Now I’m going to say one thing right off the bat: I am claiming this is good! I am not, however, claiming this is the healthiest dish in the world. In fact, feel free to call me Paula Deen for this post.
Portobello & Shitaki Mushroom Lasagna
Ingredients:
3 large Portobello mushroom caps (4″ to 6″ in diameter), sliced lengthwise
8 ounces Shitaki mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
8 ounces Asiago cheese, freshly grated
12 to 16 no boil lasagna noodles
1 quart whole milk
1 stick butter, or butter substitute (Hi, Paula!)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons pesto
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt
Pepper
You will need a 9″ x 13″ baking pan or dish.
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Over medium-high heat, melt butter in a large pot. When completely melted, add flour, and mix until golden and smooth.
3. Add milk over high heat. Let simmer until thickened, mixing regularly. Depending on your stove, this could take about 5 to 10 minutes, so keep an eye on it.
4. Add pesto. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Mix in thoroughly and let simmer for another 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
5. Time for assembly! Coat the bottom of the baking dish with a thin layer of sauce. Add a layer of lasagna noodles. Next, a layer of mushrooms, and then a layer of cheese. Repeat 2 or 3 more times, ending with one layer of noodles on top. Top with a thin coat of sauce and cheese.
6. Cover with foil and bake for 40 to 45 minutes.
7. Let stand for 10 minutes and serve.
