Autumn Lasagna courtesy of Rachel Ray

The other night I made this autumn lasagna and I was pleasantly surprised! It had the best flavor and was very filling!

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 2 1/4 cups peeled, cubed butternut squash (10 oz.)
• Salt and pepper
• 2 cups Creamy White Sauce
• 1 can (15 oz.) pure pumpkin puree
• 1 egg
• 10 egg roll wrappers (5-inch square)
• 1 3/4 cups shredded aged gouda cheese (about 8 oz.)
• 8 large basil leaves

EGG ROLL WRAPPERS: You don’t have to boil them, plus they have a naturally al dente texture that plays nicely with the tender veggies in this meat-free lasagna. (Look for the wrappers in the refrigerated produce section of your supermarket.)

Directions:

1. In a large nonstick skillet, melt the butter. Add the squash and 1 cup water and simmer over medium heat; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until the water is evaporated and the squash is golden and tender, about 13 minutes; set aside.

2. Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 400°. Meanwhile, lightly grease an 8-inch square glass baking dish and spread 1/2 cup white sauce in the bottom. In a bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree and egg.

3. Cut half of the egg roll wrappers into 3 strips each. Fill a large bowl with hot tap water (as you work with the wrappers, dip them in the water to rinse off the starch). Use 1 whole wrapper and 3 strips to cover the bottom of the dish in a single layer (there will be overlap). Spread a generous 1/2 cup of pumpkin mixture on top and sprinkle with 1/3 cup cheese. Repeat the layering.

4. Add another layer of egg roll wrappers. Spread with 1 cup white sauce, then top with the squash, basil and 1/3 cup cheese. Add another layer of egg roll wrappers, the remaining pumpkin mixture and 1/3 cup cheese. Top with the remaining egg roll wrappers, then spread with the remaining white sauce.

5. Cover the dish snugly with foil and bake on a baking sheet in the upper third of the oven for 30 minutes. Uncover the dish, sprinkle the remaining 3/4 cup cheese on top and bake until golden and bubbling, about 10 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes before cutting.

As the delightful amateur that I am, I of course hit a few snags along the way! I did not cut things before hand which has repeatedly gotten me into trouble and way behind the time. I usually double the prep time! My food processor decided to be funky the night that my 1 year old decided to spend the night clinging to my leg whining. My food processor is a wonderful tool that I usually love, but everything has to be put in exactly right with the bowl and blade and I must have put that stupid bowl on 100 times, slammed it on the counter 50 times and called it every dirty name I could think of. Then miraculously my insults worked and it decided to chop my shallots! Now onto the egg roll wrappers which I couldn't find so I used spring roll wrappers (I am not sure if there is even a difference). Now I started layered and realized that I was using the paper that separated the wrappers as well as the wrappers. I did double the layers because it seemed super thin. So I had to take the layers apart and they ripped due to the thinness. Good times! I bought a block of gouda cheese and shredded it myself and some of my thumb! Thankfully that was the only cut but I got this time!!

Other then those few snags the meal went off without a hitch! An hour after it was supposed to be done and buried under the sea of dirty dishes that I needed to create the meal!!