PUMPKIN LASAGNA WITH SAUSAGE

Steps:

• 1. In a skillet, cook the bulk italian sausage, diced onions and sage together on medium-high heat. The onions should be very tender and the sausage should develop some browning. Set aside to be added to the sauce later.
• 2. In a large 5-quart pot on medium high heat, add pumpkin, sweet potato and chicken stock and stir well to blend ingredients thoroughly. Continue to add cream cheese, syrup/sugar, balsamic vinegar and spices and stir well. Taste sauce for seasoning and add salt/pepper if desired. Stir frequently until mixture starts to simmer and remove from heat. Add meat mixture to the sauce and stir together.
• 3. Prepare lasagna noodles according to package directions. (I do this stove-top step last and I place the noodles in cold water so they don't stick together during the assembly of the lasagna.)
• 4. Preheat oven to 350F. Oil a lasagna pan (a 13 x 9 x 2 inch pan is not quite large enough - but if you don't mind leftover noodles and sauce, it'll do just fine.)
• 5. Drop a layer of the pumpkin-sausage sauce in the bottom of the lasagna pan. Cover with a single layer of noodles. Ladle another layer of sauce over the noodles. Sprinkle on a quarter-cup of parmigian, a quarter-cup of romano and about a half cup of cheddar-jack cheeses over the sauce.
• 6. Continue layering noodles, sauce and cheese until the pan is full or you run out of ingredients. Place the lasagna pan on a baking sheet (to catch any spills or bubble-overs) and cook on the center rack of the oven for 30-40 minutes. Cheeses should be fully melted, edges should be bubbling. Remove lasagna from oven and let set for 5-10 minutes before serving.