Pesto Lasagna with Spinach and Kale

I am going to call this a lasagna - even though you can clearly see that I made it with spaghetti noodles.  I don't buy lasagna noodles, but I inevitably get them all ripped up while cooking them and then they just look like spaghetti anyway - I am saving myself a step. 

I made this because my sister was having surgery and I was going to take her dinner. As everyone knows, when you take someone dinner, you take them lasagna. 

I made two of them, one for her and one for us. I thought it was a super plan. The lasagna turned out so delicious that my boys actually ate her whole lasagna thinking it was leftovers and so I ended up having to pick her up a pre-made dinner at the grocery store. Life doesn't always go like you planned. 

Ingredients:

1 (16 ounce) package lasagna noodles (or spaghetti)

2 tablespoons olive oil 

1 small onion, chopped

1 package white mushrooms

1 package fresh spinach, ( I used half spinach and kale)

7 ounces basil pesto 

30 ounces cottage cheese (I don't use ricotta - it is expensive and my family doesn't notice the difference)

1 egg

 1/2 teaspoon salt 

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 

2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded 

1 jar tomato pasta sauce 

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions: 

Boil your noodles, rinse and drain. 

Mix together your cottage (or ricotta) cheese with the egg and half of the mozzarella cheese, as well as your spices. (set aside)

In a large skillet, over medium heat, saute onion in the olive oil until tender. 

Add spinach and stir. Remove from heat and stir in the pesto.

Mix the pasta with the cheese mixture.

In a greased baking dish, pour 1/3 of the jar of pasta sauce, Then add a layer of noodles. 

Then the spinach mixture, followed by the more sauce and then the noodle mixture. 

 Repeat the layers ending with noodles on top. Spread the last of the sauce over the top and sprinkle with the rest of the cheese. 

Cover and bake at 350 for 40 minutes, then take the foil off and cook for another 10 minutes until the cheese on top looks nice and bubbly gooey!

And if you are going to take it to someone - you really need to be sure that you label it!