COOKING WITH CLORIS--GUILT-FREE LASAGNA

Who doesn’t love lasagna? But don’t you feel guilty afterwards? All those calories! All that fat! Well, food editor Cloris McWerther has come to the rescue of lasagna lovers everywhere with her Guilt-Free Lasagna recipe. She uses chicken sausage, zucchini, fat-free ricotta, and part-skim mozzarella. All the taste, none of the guilt! Manga! -- AP

GUILT-FREE LASAGNA

Ingredients

12 oz. package spinach/cheese chicken sausage, chopped

3/4 cup of chopped onions

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

2 cups diced zucchini

2 tablespoons olive oil

25 oz. jar 3 cheese pasta sauce

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

3 cups of fat-free ricotta cheese.

1/2 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg

1 egg

2-1/2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

1-1/4 cups grated Parmesan cheese

12 whole wheat lasagna noodles

Soak lasagna noodles in hot tap water for 15 minutes. While noodles are soaking, brown sausage, onions, garlic, zucchini, and Italian seasoning in olive oil.

Whisk egg in mixing bowl. Blend in ricotta cheese and nutmeg.

Spread 1/2 cup of pasta sauce on the bottom of a 9” x 13” lasagna pan. Add remaining sauce to the sausage mixture.

Remove the lasagna noodles from water. Shake off excess water from noodles. Lay 6 noodles in pan over sauce layer. Spread half the ricotta cheese mixture over the noodles. Spread 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese over the ricotta layer. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese over the mozzarella layer. Spread half the meat sauce over the cheese layer. Add remaining layer of noodles. Spread the remaining ricotta mixture over the noodles. Spread 1 cup of the mozzarella, then 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese over the ricotta. Spread the last layer of meat sauce on the cheeses. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses on top.

Cover the pan with foil. Bake in preheated oven at 350 for 25 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking uncovered for another 25 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for approximately 15 minutes before serving.

Who’s running right out to the supermarket to pick up the ingredients to make this tonight? -- AP