1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
2 1/2 cups chopped onions
1/2 pound crimini (baby bella) mushrooms, sliced (about 3 cups)

Olive oil
1 9-ounce package no-boil lasagna noodles

Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions; sauté until soft, about 8 minutes. Increase heat to high; add mushrooms and cook until tender, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer mushroom mixture to bowl; set aside.

Add squash, broth, 3 tablespoons thyme, and 3 tablespoons sage to same skillet. Cover and simmer over medium heat until squash is just tender, about 6 minutes. Uncover and cook until squash is very soft but still retains shape, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Mix ricotta, 2 cups mozzarella cheese, 1 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese, and remaining 1 tablespoon thyme and 1 tablespoon sage in large bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper; mix in eggs.

Brush 13x9x2-inch glass or ceramic baking dish with oil. Spread 1 cup ricotta mixture over bottom. Arrange 3 noodles on top. Spread 13/4 cups ricotta mixture over noodles. Arrange 1 1/3 cups squash mixture over. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup mushrooms and 1 cup mozzarella. Top with 3 noodles, then 1 3/4 cups ricotta mixture, half of remaining squash, 1/2 cup mushrooms, and remaining 1 cup mozzarella. Repeat with noodles, 1 3/4 cups ricotta mixture, remaining squash, and remaining mushrooms. Top with 3 noodles. Spread remaining ricotta mixture over; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Cover with oiled foil.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake lasagna, covered, 35 minutes. Uncover; bake until heated through, about 25 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. (The lasagna can be assembled one day ahead and refrigerated.)

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 pound Italian sweet sausages, casings removed
2 ounces sliced prosciutto, chopped

Olive oil

For sauce:
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add sausage; sauté until browned, breaking up with fork, about 6 minutes. Add prosciutto; stir 1 minute. Transfer mixture to bowl.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in same pan over medium-high heat. Add onions and next 4 ingredients. Sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste. Add tomatoes with reserved juice, basil, and sausage mixture. Reduce heat; simmer until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

For lasagna:
Cook noodles in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Arrange in single layer on baking sheet. Stir ricotta and 1 1/2 cups mozzarella in bowl. Season with salt and pepper; mix in egg.

Brush 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish with oil. Spread 1 cup tomato sauce evenly over bottom. Arrange 3 noodles atop sauce. Spread 3/4 cup cheese mixture thinly over noodles. Spoon 1 1/2 cups sauce over. Repeat with noodles, cheese mixture, and sauce 2 more times. Cover with 3 noodles. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella. Cover with foil. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Chill.)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake lasagna, covered, 40 minutes. Uncover and bake until heated through, about 15 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes and serve.

Makes 8 servings.

1 pound mozzarella cheese, grated (about 4 cups packed)
1 15-ounce container ricotta cheese
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
2 1.5-ounce packets spaghetti sauce seasoning with mushroom flavors
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes with added puree
1 cup canned low-salt chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine

9 no-boil lasagna noodles (from one 8-ounce package)
2 cups (packed) fresh basil leaves

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix 1 cup mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese, egg and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese in medium bowl. Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and fennel seeds; sauté 5 minutes. Add beef; sauté 10 minutes, breaking up meat with fork. Mix in seasoning, then tomatoes, broth and wine. Cover and simmer 8 minutes. Season sauce to taste with pepper.

Spoon 1 1/3 cups sauce over bottom of 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Place 3 noodles over sauce. Drop half of ricotta cheese mixture by tablespoonfuls evenly over. Top with half of basil leaves, 1 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Continue layering with 3 noodles, 2 cups sauce, remaining ricotta cheese mixture, remaining basil, 1 cup mozzarella cheese and remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Finish with 3 noodles, 2 cups sauce and remaining mozzarella cheese (reserve remaining sauce for another use). Cover with foil; place on baking sheet.

Bake lasagna until heated through, about 1 hour. Uncover; let stand 15 minutes. Cut lasagna into squares.

Makes 8 servings.

1 16-ounce package lasagna noodles
2 teaspoons olive oil
2/3 cup diced red bell pepper
2/3 cup diced orange bell pepper
2/3 cup diced yellow bell pepper
2/3 cup diced green bell pepper
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1 1/2 cups water
Dash crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 15-ounce container ricotta cheese
1 8-ounce package shredded mozzarella cheese
4 eggs
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta in boiling water for 8-10 minutes or until al dente. Drain, rinse with cold water, and place on wax paper to cool. Cook bell peppers and onion in olive oil in a large saucepan until onions are translucent. Stir in diced tomatoes, tomato paste, water and red pepper flakes. More red pepper flakes can be added if spicier sauce is preferred. Simmer for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine Parmesan cheese, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, eggs, black pepper and oregano. Place a small amount of sauce in the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Reserve 1/2 cup of the sauce. Place three lasagna noodles lengthwise in pan. Layer some of the cheese mixture and the vegetable sauce on top of noodles. Repeat layering with remaining ingredients, ending with noodles. Spread reserved sauce over top of noodles. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese, if desired. Cover dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes or until bubbly. Remove foil during last 10 minutes of baking. Serves 8-10.

1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, minced
Salt
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes (For spicier flavor increase amount)
1 pound fake ground beef substitute
8 ounces curly-edged lasagna noodles, broken into 2-inch lengths (10 noodles)
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (1/2 cup)
Pepper
8 ounces ricotta cheese (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup minced fresh basil

Pour tomatoes with their juice into a quart measuring cup. Add enough water to them to measure 4 cups. Heat oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add meat substitute and cook, breaking up into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until warm, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle noodle pieces evenly over meat substitute. Pour diced tomatoes and tomato sauce over pasta. Cover and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender, about 20 minutes. (The sauce should look watery after 15 minutes of cooking. If dry, add up to 1/4 cup additional water to loosen.).

Remove skillet from heat and stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Dot heaping tablespoons of ricotta cheese over noodles. Cover skillet and let stand off heat for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with basil and serve, passing extra Parmesan separately. Serves 4-6.

8 ounces lasagna noodles (9 noodles)
2 6-ounce packages sliced portobello mushrooms
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon fennel seed or anise seed
1/4 teaspoon dried basil leaves, crushed
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crushed
1 28-ounce jar marinara or spaghetti sauce
1 15-ounce container ricotta cheese
1 egg
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
3 cups (12 ounces) shredded mozzarella

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Follow package directions and cook lasagna noodles al dente. Place mushrooms in a Dutch oven; add salt and water. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat; remove lid, add fennel, basil and oregano, stir, and cover again. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes. Mushrooms will have released much of their liquid and there should be about 1/2 cup in the pot. With slotted spoon, remove mushrooms out of liquid and set aside. Over high heat, reduce remaining liquid to 2 to 3 tablespoons. Add marinara sauce; mixing well. Remove from heat.

In small bowl, combine ricotta, egg and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese; season with salt and pepper; mix well. To assemble lasagna, layer 3 noodles in bottom of a lightly greased 13 x 9 x 2- inch baking dish. In order given, spread 1/3 of the ricotta mixture, 1/2 cup of mozzarella, 1/3 of the mushrooms and 1/3 of the sauce. Repeat two more times. For top layer, sprinkle remaining Parmesan and mozzarella cheese on top. Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes or until heated thorough. Remove cover last 5 minutes of baking. Allow lasagna to sit for 15 minutes before serving. Serves 6-8.

3 cups (24 ounces) nonfat ricotta cheese
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese; reserve 2 tablespoons for top
Whites from 2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 jar (26 ounces) fat-free spaghetti sauce
9 curly-edge lasagna noodles (about 10 ounces), cooked and drained according to package directions
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
8 ounces reduced-fat mozzarella cheese, shredded (2 cups); reserve 1/2 cup for top

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Have a 13 x 9-inch baking dish ready. In a medium- size bowl, mix ricotta cheese, Parmesan, egg whites, salt and pepper until blended. Spread 1/4 cup spaghetti sauce in bottom of baking dish. Cover with a layer of cooked lasagna noodles. Spread 1/2 the ricotta mixture over noodles, then half of the spinach and shredded mozzarella and half the remaining sauce. Continue layering with more noodles and remaining ricotta mixture, spinach and mozzarella. Top with remaining noodles and sauce. Sprinkle with reserved Parmesan and mozzarella cheese. Cover and bake 30 minutes, then uncover and bake 20 minutes or until bubbly around edges. Serves 6. Per serving: 462 cal, 40 g pro, 53 g car, 8 g fat, 21 mg chol, 1,299 mg sod. Exchanges: 2 starch/bread, 2 vegetable, 3 lean meat, 1 dairy/skim milk.

4 to 5 pounds fresh asparagus
1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
5 cups milk
8 ounces Gruyere cheese
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
15 lasagna noodles
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bend asparagus until stalks snap at natural breaking point. Cut asparagus into 1- inch pieces. In large pot of boiling water, cook for 3 minutes. Drain and refresh under cold running water; drain again. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of asparagus tips; set aside. In saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Gradually whisk in flour and cook, whisking, for 1 minute. Whisk in milk; bring to a boil whisking. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, stirring, for 10 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in the Gruyere cheese, lemon rind and juice, salt, pepper and nutmeg until cheese is melted.

Meanwhile, in large pot of boiling salted water, cook noodles for about 10 minutes or just until tender. Arrange 3 noodles in 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Spread 1 cup of sauce, 1/4 of the asparagus, then 1/4 of the mozzarella. Repeat layers 3 more times, then top with final layer of noodles and sauce. Sprinkle Parmesan over top. Place pan on baking sheet; bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until bubbly and top is light golden. Sprinkle reserved asparagus over top. Bake 5 minutes or until asparagus is heated through. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Serves 8 to 10.

Bechamel sauce:
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
Salt and pepper

Lasagna:
2 pounds lasagna sheets
2 12-ounce cans artichoke hearts
2 12-ounce containers ricotta cheese
2 cups grated Romano cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups bechamel sauce (above)
3 eggs
1/2 cup chopped parsley
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, preferably fresh

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. For sauce: Melt butter in a saute pan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and bay leaf. Slowly add flour to form a thick paste, then add milk to thin it. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat. Set aside.

Place lasagna sheets in a pot of boiling water for several seconds, then cool in ice water. Set aside. Drain artichoke hearts in a colander and season with salt and pepper. Blend ricotta and Romano cheeses, bechamel sauce, eggs and parsley in a mixing bowl. Layer bottom of a 4-quart, oven- proof lasagna pan with pasta sheets. Lightly coat pasta with ricotta mixture, top with artichokes and sprinkle with mozzarella. Repeat layers until ricotta mixture is gone (about four times). Bake, uncovered for 45 minutes. Serves 4.

1 14 3/4-ounce can Alaska salmon, drained and flaked
1 pound lasagna noodles, cooked
2 26-ounce jars marinara sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced
2 teaspoons fennel seed, slightly crushed
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
1 eggplant, sliced lengthwise
1 zucchini, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1/2 red onion, sliced
1 pound Mozzarella, Provolone, Cheddar cheese or combination, grated Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine marinara sauce, garlic and fennel seed in a sauce pot; bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, add basil and cook for 10 minutes; keep warm. Heat a grill pan. Lightly brush both sides of chopped vegetables with olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Place on grill pan and cook until tender (time will vary depending on the type of vegetable, size of slices and temperature of grill). Remove from grill and chop into medium dice. Place in a bowl and mix together. Taste, adding salt and pepper as needed.

Spread a light layer of marinara sauce mixture in bottom of an oven-proof casserole dish. Lay out a base of the cooked noodles, overlapping them slightly. Cover noodles with a layer of 1/2 grilled vegetable mix, spreading evenly over noodles. Top with 1/2 of the salmon and 1/3 of the cheese. Add 1/3 of the remaining sauce. Add next layer of noodles; repeat layering instructions above. Add a final layer of noodles, topped with remaining 1/3 of sauce, followed by remaining 1/3 of cheese. Carefully press everything down. Cover with plastic wrap, then foil. At this point, lasagna can be placed in either the refrigerator or freezer for later use. Place lasagna in oven and cook 45- 60 minutes, until cheese is melted and lasagna is completely heated through. Remove from oven, let stand 10 to 15 minutes. Frozen lasagna should be cooked at 325 degrees for 60-90 minutes. Serves 6-8.