And for my Jewish Readers....

Passover (also known as the Feast of Unleavened Bread, a little bit of wisdom I stumbled across on the interwebs tonight) begins this weekend. Actually, that's a lie. It begins on Monday, but if you're my amazing Maid of Honor you're getting a head start on your festivities and going on a Passover road trip because you are just that cool.

Though I am not Jewish, I am an avid lover of many things matzo, so it seemed like a good time to get a head start on the Passover celebrating as well (also known as "getting my food on") not to mention helping my good friend celebrate from afar.

A few years ago, I was having my last big birthday bash in Maine before moving to Wisconsin to be with Geeky Dude. There were games (funniest game of Apples to Apples I've ever played in my life) and friends and very diverse foods, from Thai Green Curry, Tiramisu, Mac and Cheese to Matzo Lasagna (made by the aforementioned friend and Maid of Honor).

Geeky Dude would like to interject that there was also a VERY serious chili competition between he and I that was being judged by all the guests. He would like the world to know that he won, because yes folks, he is THAT competitive. 

All the food was amazing, but that Matzo Lasagna really stuck in my mind as something I needed the recipe for because it was WAY easier than regular lasagna and therefore Geeky Girl approved! (I wasn't much of a cook at the time)

Now, she did at one point give me the recipe...but I lose pieces of paper something fierce, and since she's on a road trip to visit a mutual friend, I had to to turn to Pinterest. This recipe is slightly different than hers, in that it has the addition of spinach (I don't remember hers having that), but honestly it still came out amazing and I highly recommend it, though I of course made some adjustments. I wouldn't be me, if I didn't!

Pretty Slices- Not One of My Talents

MATZO LASAGNA

9 pieces matzo, softened in warm water or wine
A favorite marinara sauce
1 pound ricotta cheese, part skim if possible
5 cups of spinach - chopped fine
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese


Place ricotta in a bowl and mix with the spinach, spices, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan and 1/4 c. of the mozzarella.

"Mix It, Mix It Real Good"

Cover the bottom of a baking pan with some of the matzo. Cover with some of the sauce. Cover sauce with 1/3 of the cheese mixture.

Put some more matzo on top of the cheese and continue the process until all is used up making sure that top of lasagna is matzo and some sauce.

On the top, spread the remaining mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese.

Ready to be put in the hot oven!

Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes or until cooked through.

I should look like this when I'm done

***Notes/Alterations***  I added a little bit extra spinach because I wanted to use the entire bunch of spinach we bought and not have leftovers. I also added some extra ricotta I had laying around from the pumpkin ravioli's from last night (maybe 1/2 a cup?) along with a little less than 1/4 cup of mozzarella so the measurements wouldn't be off. 

I subbed out garlic powder and opted for fresh garlic, something that really paid off in the taste of the final product.