Have you been in a food fight? I have one time and let me tell you, the repercussions were timeless!

It all began one fine Friday night in Gilbert, America. Mama was making spaghetti for dinner and I was playing with my two nieces, Shannon and Mandy, in the living room. We were a rather feisty bunch. We are very close in age, only 4 years separating me from Shannon, my oldest niece. We were playing “Runway Model”, turning the living room coffee table into the catwalk as we frequently did. We made turns and struck poses that would make even Gisele Bundchen’s panties bunch. It’s a wonder we didn’t break an ankle bone walking in those high heels on a polished glass table. We had no clue.

When mama called us for dinner we went to the dining room, still in our playful model personas. We were twisting and turning all around the table until Shannon decided to use a spaghetti noodle as an accessory. I mean like a supermodel would ever be caught DEAD in close proximity to a carb! As she did a three point turn, she completely lost control of her noodle, flinging it across the room and straight into my hair. GIRL DID WHAT? Oh h-e double hockey sticks NO! I grabbed a noodle in lightening speed and flung it right back at her! Mandy decided to get in on the action and mama barely caught us in time to salvage what was left of the pot! Needless to say, we were truly starving supermodels after that little episode. But it sure was FUN. 🙂

Fast forward oh about 25+ years.

I was having dinner with some friends and over casual conversation someone happened to mention the beauty of the painting that had always hung on the dining room wall. It was a painting of a golden pitcher with fruits and vegetables surrounding the pitcher. I glanced back at the painting I had seen a thousand times and nodded. But wait…something was new. And different. Something I hadn’t noticed before. In the top left hand corner of the painting, there it was. …one lone, 25 year-old spaghetti noodle, stuck in wild fashion to the painting.

That y’all. That right there is what memories are made of: Children, imaginations, and one big pot of spaghetti.

5-Cheese Spinach Lasagna with Roasted Garlic and Fresh Basil

Ingredients:

• 1 package spinach lasagna noodles (9 noodles) – store bought or homemade
• 2 cups Ricotta cheese – store bought or homemade – I HIGHLY recommend you make your own. The texture and flavor difference is out of this world and it is SUPER easy. Click here for the Homemade Ricotta Recipe
• 2 cups garlic Alfredo sauce or a nice Bechamel – Store bought or homemade
• 1 bulb roasted garlic, minced
• 16 slices Mozzarella cheese
• 8 slices Smoked Provolone cheese
• 1 cup shredded Asiago cheese
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
• fresh Basil – chopped

Directions:

Grease a 13×9 baking dish. Place 1/4 sauce in the bottom of the dish and spread to coat the bottom. Place 3 lasagna noodles over the sauce. Add a layer of mozzarella slices using all 8 slices. Next spread a layer of Ricotta cheese over the  sliced mozzarella. Sprinkle the Ricotta with fresh Basil. Repeat layers again twice, beginning with the sauce and ending with the Ricotta and fresh Basil, and using all of the ingredients. Use the Smoked Provolone slices on the second layer, and the remaining mozzarella slices on the last layer. Top with shredded Asiago, roasted garlic and sprinkle with Parmesan.

Bake at 375 uncovered for about 30-35 minutes. Enjoy!

Life is too short to eat ugly food y’all.