White Lasagna with Sausage, Spinach and Portabello Mushrooms

Look at me! Baking and blogging up a storm these past few weeks. Am I just overly ambitious? Hmm... I wish!  I am BORED!  I have been iced or snowed in my house for 3 days in the past week with more days off probably tomorrow and possibly Friday! I don't sit still well.(It is how I was raised.) I can not watch any more Netflix or worse than that, daytime TV.  Dr. Oz and Steve Hardy make me want to jump off the bridge downtown.... if only I could get there!

So, instead of causing bodily harm, I have been spending my time reading blogs and recipes and pulling out a lot of the cookbooks that I have stashed away and making things that are on my wish list. That list is actually so long that I could probably have a whole year of snow days and still not complete everything on it!

This has been my new South Carolina "snow life!" Waking up, showering, putting on fresh Pjs, scouring books and webpages and then getting busy in the kitchen. Usually, at some point in this process, some wine or craft beer might come into the mix. My biggest fear is if this weather doesn't clear up and I continue to churn out these rich, comfort food recipes, the only clothes I will be able to wear is Pjs or elastic pants. Ugh.... Praying for no more snow!!!

Italian Sausage, Portabello Mushroom Lasagna

I love lasagna in any form and with almost any ingredients and this one did not let me down. As a kid, my mom would always let us choose a dish that she would make us for our birthday. I remember on several occasions choosing her lasagna. She made a traditional lasagna, not far from this recipe, that I loved!! I remember eating it with my family that birthday night (with an awesome cake, of course) and then eating leftovers for days. Thinking back, it was probably one of those years when we were snowed in. As most of my family reminds me every year, I was born in what Western Pennsylvanians call the "Blizzard of '77.'' (Oh #*%@, I just told you my age.) They tell me the snow was up to the power lines. And yes, there are pictures and news paper articles to prove this. Somehow, unfortunately, this weather event has stalked every birthday celebration I have ever had!! Most of my parties were either cancelled or shortened in some way because of treacherous roads and accumulating snow. Even as an adult, and even since I have moved away from the frozen tundra of Pennsylvania, many birthdays have been hindered by storms; including this year.  In the past few years, when my family jokes about Rebecca's snow storm, I have begun to tell them that they must "Celebrate the Birth of the Ice Queen!" I may as well embrace it!!

I have decided that next year "The Ice Queen" will forgo her January birthday and celebrate outside in the July heat alongside a large pool, with a BBQ, fresh peach ice cream and lots of icy cold beer!! Who's down for a party??

Even though many years have passed,what better recipe than this to make when I am snowed in? . Unfortunately, due to the weather and my little house which has very little natural light, the pictures of this dish are not up to the usual standard.  I thought I would share it though because I really did like the recipe. I thought of making it again just to photograph, but seriously, a single girl can not eat 2 pans of lasagna and still zip her jeans. So... out of respect for my curvy, girly figure, you get pictures of the original attempt. Maybe this is one of those meals where you sit back, close your eyes and Enjoy!!