Chicken Lasagna

This recipe is loosely based on a recipe in the cookbook Simply Classic by the Junior League of Seattle.

Chicken Lasagna

12 lasagna noodles (cooked to just under al dente)
6 tablespoons butter, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium cloves of garlic, minced
1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped
2 cups fresh spinach, wilted or use frozen and drain it well
4 tablespoons of flour
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/ teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup half and half
3 cups chicken breast, cooked and chopped
4-6 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled (the recipe calls for proscuitto but I have bacon--hempler's and jalapeno)
1 15 ounce container or fat free cottage cheese (the real recipe calls for ricotta...i don't really like ricotta)
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 c parmesan cheese, grated

1. cook the chicken. drizzle with a bit of olive oil, the chopped garlic and salt and pepper.

2. cook the noodles and drain, toss with a bit of olive oil so they don't stick together when you are working with them.

3. wilt the spinach in a skillet with a bit of butter and salt and pepper (i used garlic chili oil because that's what i have).

4. make sauce: in a medium sauce pan, over medium heat melt the 4 tablespoons of butter. add the flour and cook for two minutes stirring constantly--do not brown. add the milk an chicken stock a bit at a time. cook until smooth and thickened--about 3 minutes, stir constantly. once the sauce boils it won't thicken any more so remove it from the heat right away. season sauce with salt and pepper.

4. assemble. use a 9x13 pan, divide the ingredients into thirds. use about 1/3 of each for each layer. layer noodles, chicken, spinach, cheese, cottage cheese, sauce. finish the top with most of the parm and bake @ 350 degrees until hot all the way through.

Enjoy.