Lasagna!

It might not be the dish you expect to see in the lazy days of summer, but we're not having many lazy days in the studio, and sometimes it's nice to have a bit of comfort food when you're toiling away in the clay! If you follow the Homemade Tastes Better on Handmade blog, you'll see that I talk about my recent affection for lasagna there, along with a description of another version. I say description, because this is dish was composed of some fresh ingredients, some leftovers, some prepared elements. Check the blog for a more thorough explanation of why this isn't a 'real recipe', and feel free to use it as a guideline for your own creation:

Chicken/Vegetable Lasagna

Tinkyada Gluten Free Lasagna, blanched per package directions
Large jar of Tomato/Basil Pasta Sauce
Leftover roasted chicken, cut into small pieces
1 small sweet potato, cut into small dice
1/3 sweet onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, smashed then chopped
1 cup cremini mushrooms, sliced
4-5 leaves kale, chopped
Sheep Cream Cheese
Goat Feta
Pecorino Romano
Fresh Basil
salt/pepper to taste

*If using one of my bakers or another handmade baker, do NOT preheat your oven! Carry on:

The only cooking prep (other than blanching the pasta sheets) was to saute the onion and garlic in some oil, then add the sweet potato, mushrooms, and kale for 3-4 minutes to soften, season to taste. Add about a cup of the pasta sauce and combine. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the cheeses and the basil and blend with your hands. Set aside.

In the lasagna pan, pour pasta sauce to cover the bottom, then dot with some of the cheese mix. Cover with blanched pasta sheets (if you're using a round pan like mine, just trim them to fit with scissors). Dot with cheese, then spoon the vegetable mix on top. Spread the roasted chicken on top of that, then top with a bit of sauce and dot with cheese. Lay another layer of pasta sheets, top with the rest of the sauce and dot with the rest of the cheese. 

Place the pan in the oven, and place a baking sheet with sides on the level below (to catch any burbling over sauce). Turn the oven on 350F and you should smell it in about an hour. Check for burbling sauce and browning cheese, if you find it, remove from the oven and let rest a few minutes before serving.