5-CHEESE CRAB LASAGNA WITH ROASTED GARLIC AND VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Roast Garlic: Place oven rack on second notch (about 6 inches from heating element).
• Turn oven to 375 degrees F.
• Cut tops off of the heads of garlic and discard excess skin.
• Place garlic on a sheet of aluminum foil and drizzle 1 tsp olive oil over the tops.
• Fold up edges of foil and add 2 tsp white wine to the bottom.
• Seal packet tightly and place in oven.
• Bake 40-45 minutes or until garlic is tender when pierced.
• Open packet carefully to let cool and set aside (and enjoy the glorious aroma!).
• Roast Asparagus: Turn up heat to 400 degrees F.
• Holding at the end, gently bend each asparagus spear and snap off where it gives naturally.
• Discard ends (or save for soup).
• Pare leaves from stalks, leaving the tips intact.
• Soak asparagus in cold water for 10 minutes.
• Spray two cookie sheets (preferably with rims) with cooking spray.
• Rinse asparagus twice and drain.
• Blot dry with paper towels.
• Place in a large bowl.
• Drizzle 2 Tbsp olive oil over asparagus, then sprinkle with garlic salt and pepper.
• Toss to coat.
• Remove asparagus, letting excess oil drip back into the bowl, and arrange on cookie sheets.
• Set bowl aside.
• Roast asparagus 8 minutes or until bright green and crisp-tender.
• Let cool slightly, then remove asparagus to a plate, cover lightly with foil, and set aside.
• Roast Peppers: Turn on broiler.
• Cut peppers in half vertically through the stems.
• Rinse and remove seeds, stems and soft white inner parts.
• Blot dry with a paper towel.
• Place peppers on one of the previously used cookie sheets, cut-side down.
• Broil 5 minutes.
• Turn the cookie sheet around 180 degrees and broil another 5-7 minutes or until the pepper skins are about ¾ blackened.
• Turn off broiler.
• Remove peppers to a second bowl and cover tightly with foil or plastic wrap.
• Let rest 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil for the lasagna noodles (follow package directions).
• After 10 minutes, or when peppers are cool enough to touch, peel off skins with your fingers.
• Cut peppers into strips and place in the bowl with the leftover olive oil.
• Add 2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh basil to the bowl.
• Toss pepper strips to coat, then remove to a plate, allowing excess oil to drip back into the bowl.
• Cover lightly with foil and set aside.
• There should be a little olive oil and basil left in the bowl; set bowl aside.
• Cook Noodles: When water is boiling, add noodles and cook according to package directions.
• Lay out two sheets of aluminum foil (about the size of cookie sheets) on counter or table top.
• Spray foil with cooking spray.
• When noodles are done, drain, then remove with tongs and lay out on foil sheets side by side but not touching.
• Spray tops of noodles with cooking spray.
• Set aside.
• Roast Tomatoes: Turn broiler back on.
• Spray the cookie sheet used for the peppers with more cooking spray.
• Wash tomatoes and cut in half length-wise, removing any unpleasant white/yellow inner parts.
• Place tomatoes in bowl with the leftover olive oil.
• Add 1 tsp olive oil, 1 ½ tsp oregano, and 1 Tbsp chopped basil to the bowl.
• Toss tomatoes to coat.
• Arrange on cookie sheets, cut-side up.
• Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle remaining oil/seasoning on top of tomatoes.
• Sprinkle with 2 Tbsp grated parmesan-romano cheese.
• Broil 4 minutes.
• Carefully rotate cookie sheets 180 degrees.
• Broil another 4 minutes, or until tomatoes are quite soft and cheese is golden brown.
• Peel off loose skins, if desired.
• Set sheets of tomatoes aside to cool.
• Make Sauce: Melt 3 Tbsp butter with 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium low.
• Add onion and sprinkle lightly with salt.
• Saute 5-8 minutes or until softened.
• Turn down heat to low.
• Squeeze roasted garlic from individual cloves into skillet.
• Stir well, mashing any whole cloves with back of spoon.
• Sprinkle with salt and cook 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add 5 Tbsp flour and return heat to medium low.
• Stirring constantly, cook for 4-5 minutes, spreading out mixture with back of spoon (it should look like a slightly wet, uniformly golden paste - turn down heat if it begins to get dark spots, and turn up a bit if nothing seems to be happening).
• Add ¼ cup white wine and continue stirring for 1 minute or until wine has mostly disappeared.
• Remove skillet from heat and whisk in 2 cups fat-free half-and-half.
• Return to heat and bring to a simmer, whisking constantly (turn up heat to medium if necessary).
• Turn down heat to low and simmer 5 minutes, stirring frequently the first minute or two, and occasionally thereafter (the sauce should have noticeably thickened by the end).
• Turn off heat.
• Add ricotta, crab, and lemon juice.
• Stir very well.
• Taste for salt and adjust if necessary.
• Set aside.
• Assemble Lasagna: Spray a 9X13 baking dish with cooking spray.
• Arrange ¼ of noodles (3 noodles) on bottom of pan.
• Top noodles with ¼ of sauce.
• Arrange tomatoes on top of sauce.
• Top tomatoes with provel to cover.
• Add a second layer of 3 noodles.
• Press down gently but firmly.
• Add another ¼ of sauce.
• Arrange half of asparagus spears on top of sauce in two rows, each row taking up about half the pan length-wise.
• Choose the less beautiful spears (the rest will go on top).
• Top asparagus with sliced havarti with dill.
• Add a third layer of 3 noodles.
• Press down gently but firmly.
• Top with ¼ of sauce (half of remaining sauce).
• Arrange peppers on top of sauce.
• Cover peppers with sliced fontina.
• Add the last layer of 3 noodles.
• Press down gently and firmly.
• Top with remaining sauce.
• Top sauce with the rest of the asparagus, nicely arranged in two rows.
• Sprinkle asparagus with 1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh basil.
• Top with ½ cup grated parmesan-romano cheese.
• Sprinkle with Old Bay seasoning and spray with cooking spray.
• Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.
• Bake Lasagna: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Bake lasagna, still covered with foil, for 30 minutes.
• Remove foil and bake an additional 20-25 minutes, or until the edges are bubbly and slightly brown and the parmesan-romano is golden brown.
• If the lasagna is cooked immediately rather than refrigerated, bake covered 20 minutes and uncovered 10-15 minutes, or until done.
• Let rest a few minutes, then cut pieces with a sharp knife (to pierce asparagus spears) and serve.