Portobello Mushroom Lasagna

While it's not the prettiest meal to photograph, I promise that Portobello Mushroom Lasagna is rich, creamy, and delicious.

My all-time favorite meal is Four Cheese Lasagna. Since my birthday falls within Lent this year and we gave up meat for Lent, Mike and I had to make a vegetarian lasagna for my birthday dinner. We enjoyed it just as much as my Four Cheese Lasagna. The mushrooms add some meatiness and the creamy white sauce is rich and flavorful.

Portobello Mushroom Lasagna
Adapted from Ina Garten

Ingredients:
·5-6 gluten free, no-boil lasagna noodles (I use De Boles)
·2 cups skim milk
·5 TBS butter, divided
·¼ cup brown rice flour
·½ tsp each – salt, pepper, nutmeg, garlic powder
·1 lb portobello mushrooms
·1 TBS extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
·¾ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350˚. Bring the milk to a simmer in a small saucepan. In a large saucepan, melt 4 TBS of butter. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon. Pour the hot milk into the butter-flour mixture. Add salt, pepper, nutmeg, and garlic powder. Whisk for 3-5 minutes over medium-low heat, until thick. Remove from heat.

Separate the mushroom stems from the caps and discard the stems. If necessary, remove gills from the mushrooms. Dice the mushrooms into ¼–inch cubes. Heat EVOO and remaining 1 TBS of butter in a large skillet. When the butter melts, add the mushrooms, sprinkle with salt, and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender. Stir occasionally to assure the mushrooms cook evenly.

Assemble lasagna by spreading some of the white sauce in the bottom of an 8x8 baking dish. Arrange a layer of lasagna noodles on top and cover with more sauce. Assure every inch of the lasagna noodles are covered in sauce so the no-boil noodles will cook in the oven. Spread half of the mushrooms on top of the sauce and top with ¼ cup of cheese. Add another layer of noodles, sauce, mushrooms, and cheese. Top with a final layer of noodles and sauce, and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 10 more minutes, until the top is slightly browned and the sauce is bubbly and hot. Allow to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.

Yield: 4