Recipe Ready: Lasagna Roll-Ups

I thought I'd take a break from all the mom-oriented posts I've had and let you in on what was for dinner tonight. I have been loving trying some new recipes lately, like these ultimate double chocolate brownies, this chicken pot pie crumble, and these amazing shredded beef enchiladas. On Mondays, we have gotten into a habit of having pasta because the weekend (which should be relaxing) with all its craziness has hampered my brain way too much to be able to really think about making dinner.

Tonight, I thought I would switch it up by trying out these little guys:

Source

Originally entitled "Pepperoni Pizza Lasagna Rolls," I thought I could improve on them a little bit. As written, the recipe is supposed to make the tomatoes and the cheese stand out and be more reminiscent of a pizza. But I love meals that have everything I need right in them--and I love traditional lasagna--so I wanted to get some vegetables in there and really make the sauce shine.

Because I have small children, there was no way I was going to be able to take pictures of the process (because I was running back and forth from room to room) or of the finished product (because when they are hungry, they get hangry). But that's okay because it's straightforward, if not a little time consuming. The ingredients in italics are my additions or substitutions.

Lasagna Roll-ups

INGREDIENTS:

For the Sauce:

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 of a medium yellow onion, finely diced 
• 1/2 of a large red bell pepper, diced
• 2 small zucchini, chopped
• 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 8 ounces tomato sauce, Italian style
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• pinch of red pepper flakes
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 lb. ground beef, browned and crumbled

For the Lasagna Rolls

• 10 traditional lasagna noodles, cooked, drained and rinsed with cold water
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 15 ounces part-skim ricotta cheese
• 8 ounce block of mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 3 ounces sliced pepperoni (50-60 slices)

DIRECTIONS:

For the Sauce:

1. In a large pan over medium-low heat, heat the butter and olive oil until the butter is melted. Add the onion and red bell pepper and saute until tender, about five minutes. Add in the zucchini and garlic and saute until zucchini is browned. Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, basil, oregano, sugar, and red pepper flakes. Bring the sauce to a boil and then reduce heat to low. Place a cover on the pan, tilted slightly to let some steam out.
2. Simmer for 15 minutes. Cool slightly. With an immersion blender, CAREFULLY blend until sauce has desired texture. If you like it really smooth you can also throw it in a blender or food processor. Add the ground beef and set aside (store in fridge unless using immediately). 

For the Lasagna Rolls:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook noodles according to directions on package -- once cooked, drain and rinse with cold water and lay out on sheets of wax paper so they don’t stick together.
2. Spray a baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and spread 1/2 - 1 cup of sauce into the bottom of the pan. Set aside.
3. Meanwhile, prepare filling in a large bowl by mixing beaten egg, ricotta cheese, 1 cup mozzarella,  Parmesan cheese, parsley and pepper until well combined.
4. To prepare lasagna rolls, lay out one lasagna noodle and spread it with about 2 tablespoons of cheese filling. Lay out 5-6 pepperoni on top of cheese filling. Roll up each noodle starting at one of the short ends. Place in prepared baking dish, seam side down. Repeat until all noodles have been filed and rolled. If you have any filling leftover, spoon it out onto each lasagna roll. Pour remaining sauce over the rolls and top with the remaining shredded cheese.
5. Cover baking dish with foil and bake for 45-50 minutes (remove foil for last 10-15 minutes) or until hot and cheese is melted. Let stand about 10 minutes prior to serving.

Note: May be prepared in advance and baked the next day.

We served ours with crusty garlic bread, and it was, as my two-year-old would say, "de-WISH-us!" The zucchini really brightened up the dish and became the star of the show. *Side Note* I don't know what it is about sauces, but my toddler just eats around the chunks, and I really can't blame him--I didn't eat salsa for years because of that very same thing. Pureeing the sauce allowed him to eat all his veggies without even knowing it. ;)

So, if you're looking for something new for pasta night, this might be right up your alley. 

YUM.