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By now you\u2019ve probably had your fill of all things Thanksgiving. Originally, I\u2019d thought to write about Thanksgiving alternatives like the dinner of a man I knew whose family didn\u2019t like turkey but adored lobster.<\/p>\n Then I heard, as I do each year, from a good friend who lived in the US for many years and now lives in Berlin. \u00a0She used to celebrate Thanksgiving in Europe even though it was challenging to locate cranberries and other typically \u2018American\u2019 foods. This year, she wrote that she\u2019d given up trying to celebrate a holiday that had no roots in anything German and had thrown herself into St. Martin\u2019s Day, celebrated on November 11. German children walk through the streets carrying lanterns and then have a bonfire. Later, they go from house to house asking for candy as American kids do at Halloween.<\/p>\n St Martin of Tours<\/p><\/div>\n St Martin of Tours\u00a0 started out as a Roman soldier but later became a monk and ultimately Bishop of Tours in France. Among the many legends about him is the story of when he cut his cloak in half during a snowstorm to share it with a beggar so that the beggar didn\u2019t die of cold. Another story tells of Martin hiding in the barn to avoid the throngs who wanted to take him to be appointed Bishop (why he was so modest, I have no idea). A flock of geese began cackling and gave away his hiding place which is why goose is the favorite food on Saint Martin’s Day.<\/p>\n I won\u2019t deal with a goose recipe because I\u2019ve never made one and don\u2019t have any desire to. If I could even locate a bird, it sounds like a very greasy, messy undertaking. My digression is back to a Thanksgiving alternative which was two huge lasagnas, brought to Vermont where part of the family had already done the turkey thing on actual Thanksgiving. Since we\u2019d all had bird, stuffing, numerous veggies and potatoes, I thought the group would welcome a change. One lasagna was the typical kind with chopped beef and tomato sauce. The other, to accommodate the vegetarians among us, was meatless. Both were lapped up by all ages.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s the recipe for the vegetable version:<\/p>\n Spinach, mushroom and carrot lasagne<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n \u00a0Vegetable Lasagne \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n 1\/2 cup skim milk<\/p>\n 8 oz.\u00a0 lasagna noodles-(about 1\/2 the box)\u00a0 cooked\u00a0 according to package directions just before you are ready to assemble<\/p>\n 1 pint part-skim milk ricotta cheese<\/p>\n 1 egg<\/p>\n 8 oz shredded carrots<\/p>\n 8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced<\/p>\n \u00bd cup shredded mozzarella cheese<\/td>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By now you\u2019ve probably had your fill of all things Thanksgiving. Originally, I\u2019d thought to write about Thanksgiving alternatives like the dinner of a man I knew whose family didn\u2019t like turkey but adored lobster. Then … Continue reading <\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a>
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\n 1 (10 ounce) package frozen choppedspinach29 ounces Alfredo-style pasta\u00a0 sauce (2 jars)–unless you prefer to make the sauce yourself<\/p>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n \n\n
\n <\/td>\n Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9 x 13 inch lasagna pan with cooking spray OR put 1 T butter on it and let it sit in the warming oven to melt and swirl it around the pan.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n <\/td>\n Microwave the spinach 4 minutes. Put it in a colander and press with a paper towel to remove as much water as possible.Mix in ricotta. Lightly beat the egg and add it to the spinach and ricotta. Stir well to blend.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n <\/td>\n Combine Alfredo sauce with milk in a medium bowl. Mix well.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n <\/td>\n Spread about 1\/2 cup Alfredo \/ milk sauce mixture evenly in the bottom of the dish. Place 3 noodles over the sauce. Spread half the spinach mixture over the noodles. Sprinkle with half of the carrots and half of the mushrooms. Place 3 more noodles over the vegetable mixture. Pour 1 1\/2 cups sauce over the noodles. Spread the remaining spinach mixture over the sauce, followed by layers of the remaining carrots and mushrooms. Place 3 more noodles over the vegetables. Pour remaining sauce evenly on top. Sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and bake.The recipe I used said bake 50-60 minutes but mine was done at 45 so check.This freezes beautifully. If you freeze it, allow plenty of time to reheat\u2014mine took almost two hours in a hot oven.\u00a0 Gobble, gobble or bon appetito!<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n <\/td>\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n