Breakfast
We had baked oatmeal this morning. This is different from my oatmeal squares. The kiddos love the oatmeal squares better but this is a healthy, quick breakfast also. I got this recipe from the Graham Family Ministries website. You can find it here: http://www.school4jesus.com/baked-oatmeal. You soak your oatmeal the night before. If you ever read Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon you will learn that soaking your grains improves the quality of nutrition for you in whatever you are cooking. I’ll have to explain that more on a day that I did not teach school and watch two precious grands.
Spinach Lasagna
It’s almost funny that I’m sending folks recipes I use because I am not a good “measurer” in the kitchen. I’ve cooked for so long that I eyeball a lot of what I make. But to the best of my guesstimation this is how I made this yummy dish.
- 1 package frozen spinach (this time I used the bag but I’ve used the small boxes before but drained them well)
- lasagna noodles
- 2 c cottage cheese
- Parmesan cheese
- Colby jack cheese, shredded (I know what your’re thinking. I’ve also used mozzarella but this was really good!)
- pasta sauce (homemade or store bought will work)
- small onion, chopped
Okay, I boiled the lasagna noodles. (The directions are on the package if this is new to you.) I began steaming the spinach soon after. I drained the lasagna noodles next. I then sprayed my 9 x 13 pan with olive oil spray. I placed a layer of lasagna noodles on the bottom. I spread my spinach atop this layer pretty evenly. I then put about 4 T Parmesan into my cottage cheese. I spread about 2 cups of this mixture on the spinach. Placed a layer of sauce over this. I then sprinkled a light layer of the shredded cheese atop of the sauce. Then I started over. I put a layer of noodles. However, this layer has just the cottage cheese, the pasta sauce, the cheese. You could bake here but I have 5 huuuungry boys and 2 growing girls so I did a third layer of noodles, pasta sauce and cheese. The top layer gets the onions sprinkled on top and I sprinkled a bit more Parmesan. Baked at 350 for 20-30 minutes. 
You could do more spinach and more cottage cheese if you want thicker layers. You could shred carrots and zucchini in the sauce and the wee ones wouldn’t even know. Be creative…you just can’t mess up with pasta sauce and cheese. Hope you enjoy.
michelletordoff 
windi
January 5, 2011 at 9:53 pm
Hi Michelle,
I’ve always loved baked oatmeal – especially with fresh fruit to go on top. Anyway – I wanted to try your oatmeal bars recipe and wondered about the soaking? Do you soak the oats the night before for the bar recipe too?
Just so you know – you are offerning me (and assumably others) a wealth of information! Nearly every blog leads me somewhere else to learn something interesting. Thanks so much for sharing!!
Now Michelle's Cooking
January 6, 2011 at 12:13 am
Thanks so much Windi!! If you subscribe, you’ll be sent an e-mail each time I update the blog. I do soak the oats the night before. A lot of times, I’ll put everything together except the fruit or mini chocolate chips 😀 the night before. Add then in the morning I’ll just throw it in the oven. Have a great night.