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Baked Spasagna Inspired by Cheddar’s

This is what I whipped up for dinner tonight…Spasagna!

Spasagna - Yummm

We’re really big fans of Cheddar’s in Smyrna – great food, good service, and super cheap! What more could you ask for? This is definitely one of their signature dishes, but they have tons of choices for everyone’s taste buds!

I didn’t look for a recipe before I started, but this looks like a good one.

I made it up as I went along, and here’s my recipe:

1 package of spaghetti, prepared as directed

1 jar + a little extra marinara sauce

Filling:

1 cup mozzarella

1 cup ricotta

1/4 cup Parmesan

1/4 – 1/2 cup cream cheese (I didn’t use this, but I think it would meld the creamy/cheesy elements together. I definitely will next time)

1 T Italian seasoning

1 t salt

1/2 t black pepper

6-7 garlic cloves, minced

Mix well.

To assemble:

1.) Spray an 8 x 8″ casserole dish with cooking spray and put a little sauce on the bottom (1/4 – 1/2 cup; this is where I used the “little extra” from a jar that was already open in the fridge)

2.) Toss the cooked noodles with the entire jar of the marinara sauce, coating well.

3.) Put a little less than half of the noodles in the dish and mash flat with the back of a large spoon.

4.) Spoon an even layer of the cheese filling (use all of it).

5.) Top with remaining noodles and flatten as before. Cover with foil, and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until everything melts. Top with a little more mozzarella and let melt in the final minutes.

6.) Enjoy!

Notes: It was kind of messy when we cut into it (as you can see from my loverly photo). I heard a tip from Anne Burrell one time about refrigerating lasagna overnight so that you get a perfect slice for serving. Her show is Secrets from a Restaurant Chef, and in a restaurant it’s all about presentation. I think it would be a good idea to try this trick with this dish, not that I’m that patient!

Happy Easter!

Mr. J and I are at home this weekend for Easter visiting with family,

and I hope that you are able to do the same!