Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna - serves 6

This is one of my oldest recipes. I worked at Patrizzio's for a few years as their Sous Chef and made this recipe a thousand times. I've tweaked it even more and it has become a family favorite. I will say that it's great w/out meat and I had planned to make it this way today however, my redneck husband said, "lasagna without meat? That's like dove hunting without ammo." So, I've added it which required me going back to the store and missing my son's baseball game. All in the name of love, right?

1 package of no boil lasagna noodles
2 tbs olive oil
1 pd organic 98% lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbs garlic powder
1 tbs Kosher salt
1 tbs ground pepper
1/2 tbs dried oregano
1/2 tbs dried thyme
1/2 tsp ground red pepper
80z pkg button mushrooms, sliced
2 pkgs spinach
1 15 0z part skim ricotta
1 12 oz sour cream
1 28 oz can tomato sauce (get one small can extra if you like extra sauce)
6 cups mozzerella cheese
1 cup grated parmesan
9 fresh basil sprigs

Preheat oven to 375. In a large skillet, heat 1 tbs olive oil. Add onion and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, 1/2 tbs pepper, 1/2 tbs salt, 1/4 tbs oregano and 1/4 tbs of thyme. Cook for about 30 seconds. Add ground beef adding 1/2 tbs garlic powder. Stir well, breaking up meat until browned. Remove from heat and pour beef mixture in bowl and set aside. Using same skillet, heat remaining olive oil. Add mushrooms and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Add spinach in handfuls, adding more as spinach wilts. Stir well until all spinach is used. Remove from heat.

In a separate bowl, add ricotta and sour cream. Add remaing garlic powder, pepper, salt, oregano and thyme. Add red pepper and stir until mixed well.

Spray a 9.5x13.5x2in casserole dish. Using a spoon, add tomato sauce to cover the bottom of the dish. Add three lasagna noodles. Add more tomato sauce to cover the noodles. Add three large spoonfuls of ricotta mixture, spreading to cover. Next, add spinach/mushroom mixture, spreading over ricotta (doesn't have to cover enitrely) then adding meat mixture. Top with mozzerella cheese. Repeat one more time, topping with last three lasagna noodles, through ricotta mixture. Top with remaining spinach/mushroom mixture (if you have any left) and mozzerella. Spread the parmesan over, topping with basil sprigs.

Cover with foil and bake in oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove and let cool slightly and serve. (Can heat more tomato sauce to pour on plate before serving.) Enjoy!

(This can be made ahead and refrigerated, just add about 15 minutes to cooking time.)