FeeDiNG SouLS and SToMaCHS: White Cheese Chicken and Spinach Lasagna

Another Monday. Another gathering. Another discussion. Another meal. Another full night--both stomachs and souls.  The topic: The Belt of Truth and The Breastplate of Righteousness.  The menu: White Cheese Chicken and Spinach Lasagna and Chopped Tomato and Cucumber Salad (to be posted).

For the White Cheese Chicken and Spinach Lasagna you'll need:

10 oz bag of baby spinach, lightly chopped
2-3 T olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped (use 1/4 c with spinach, the rest with the white sauce)
pinch of salt

2 cloves garlic
1/2 c butter
1/2 c flour
1 tsp salt
2 c chicken broth
1 1/2 c milk
2 c shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 c grated or shredded Parmesan cheese
1 tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp black pepper

9 lasagna noodles (I used the oven-ready kind to save time, but I prefer the kind you boil)
1 c ricotta cheese
2 c cooked, cubed chicken (Again to save time, I used the store oven-fresh whole already cooked chicken! I just cut-up the breasts and kept the rest of the chicken in the fridge to eat for sandwiches.)
2 c shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 c grated or shredded Parmesan cheese
Optional: fresh grated Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley for topping

Step 1
In a large sauce pan or in a dutch oven, braise the fresh spinach. To do this, pour about 2 T of oil on the bottom and lightly sauté 1/4 c onion.


Place all 10 oz (lightly chopped) spinach into the pan/dutch oven, and pour 1 T of oil on top of the spinach.  Sprinkle a pinch of salt, and cover. 



 Let braise (or wilt) over medium to medium-high heat.  Stir occasionally.  Once spinach is all wilted down and has a nice dark green color, remove from heat and set aside in a bowl.

Step 2

In the same sauce pan/dutch oven, sauté the onion in the 1/2 c of butter.  When the onion is soft (about 5 min.), press 2 cloves of garlic and add to the sautéed onion.



Stir in the flour and salt; simmer until bubbly.  Stir in the broth and milk and boil, stirring constantly for 1 minute.  

Stir in 2 c mozzarella and 1/2 c Parmesan cheeses.  Add the oregano and black pepper.  Set aside.

Step 3

Preheat oven to 350˙F. 

Using a ladle or spoon, spread 1/3 of the white cheese sauce mixture on the bottom of a 9x13" baking dish.

Add one layer of lasagna noodles. Spread all of the ricotta over the noodles.

Sprinkle half of the chicken, then add another layer of noodles, sauce mixture, 1/2 of spinach, and 2 c of mozzarella cheese. 

Add another layer of noodles, sauce, the rest of the chicken and spinach; and the Parmesan cheese.

Top off with a final layer of noodles and sauce. (Optional: top with fresh grated Parmesan cheese  and fresh chopped parsley.)

2nd layering of noodles, sauce, chicken, spinach

{The beauty of lasagna is that you can layer it any which way you want just as long as you have moisture a.k.a. sauce next to the noodles.}

Step 4

Bake for 35-40 minutes and enjoy! {Sorry, I don't have a finished product picture...I believe my small group and I inhaled it before I thought to take a picture of the final result!  When I make it again, I'll post a pic! :)}

And feeding our souls...

From the Armor of God study, Week 3 video:

"The Holy Spirit's job is to chip away at everything that doesn't look like Jesus." ~Priscilla Shirer

That means, if we expect to walk with Jesus, we must be willing to look like Jesus; and anything that doesn't (habits, friends, situations, traits, et al) will be chipped away by the Holy Spirit.  Are you willing?

"Righteousness is not manufactured; it is released." ~Priscilla Shirer

Whew! Good stuff. Good food. Can't wait for more!!