Making lasagna can be a chore, and it certainly is never an option during the week because of all the labor that goes into it.

So when my mom told me there is such a thing as skillet lasagna, I got a little giddy. Lasagna in less than 45 minutes? Hoo-rah!

Skillet Lasagna (Adapted from Kraft Foods)
Serves 4-5
>> Click here for printable recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 small eggplant, chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 12 no boil lasagna noodles, broken into quarters
• 1 (24 oz jar) spaghetti sauce
• 1 and 2/3 cups water
• 1 cup shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. Brown the ground turkey in a large skillet; drain.
2. Meanwhile, in a separate skillet, cook the onions, eggplant, and pepper until the onion and eggplant is soft and the pepper is crisp-tender. Add the vegetables to the skillet with the ground turkey; stir well.
3. Add the garlic, sauce, water, and Italian seasoning to the skillet; stir well. Bring the mixture to a boil, then stir in the noodles.
4. Cover and cook on medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes, or until the noodles are tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, sprinkle the cheese on top of the mixture — serve and enjoy!

My two cents: Simple, scrumptious, full of flavor, and the essence of lasagna!

Thanks to my mom for the beautiful kitchen and natural light. Also, these meals are now essential to me as the big day draws closer. Instead of coming home and worrying about what kind of big, complicated meal I’m going to cook, I can make something simple and hearty, then sit down with my laptop and plan away

(Though, I will admit that I really love to take breaks on weekends and relax by baking or kneading my own homemade pizza dough…)

It all evens out in the end.

Enjoy!