My Leader Yummy – Lasagna Rolls

Italian food has always been a family favorite, whether it is pizza, spaghetti or lasagna. Lasagna usually is made in layers with a meat sauce, pasta and several types of cheese. This recipe for Lasagna Rolls, however, is different and calls for changes in the types of cheese used.

The rolls take a little work to put together, but they’re delicious and well worth it. Serve this dish with some garlic toast and a green vegetable, like cheese-broccoli, and it’s sure to become a quick favorite.

LASAGNA ROLLS

1 pound mild or sage Italian bulk sausage

1 (8-ounce) package plus 1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, cubed

6 green onions, chopped

1 green pepper, diced

1 (26-ounce) jar spaghetti sauce

10 lasagna noodles, uncooked

1 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

In a medium-size heavy skillet, brown Italian sausage over low heat and then crumble and drain off excess fat.

Add cubes of cream cheese and over low heat stir and cook until cheese melts. Stir in green onions and green pepper and remove from heat.

Spread half of the spaghetti sauce in the bottom of the baking dish; set aside.

Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions; remove from heat and leave in water.

Lay one flat noodle at a time on a cutting board and spread several tablespoons of sausage mixture over lasagna noodle to within about 1 inch of the end of the noodle. Slowly roll the noodle, tucking meat mixture inside the noodle as you roll it. Place the rolled noodle on top of spaghetti sauce in baking dish, seam-side down.

Repeat with remaining noodles and meat mixture. Pour reserved spaghetti sauce over top of lasagna rolls. Top with Mozzarella cheese evenly over all lasagna rolls. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until cheese has melted.

Note: Additional Parmesan cheese may be sprinkled on top of each lasagna roll when served.

Brotherton offers website readers one stellar recipe a week in the “My Leader Yummy” feature. Looking for a recipe you can’t find? Email me at kbrotherton42@gmail.com and I’ll see if I have it.