The game is all set up and ready to play! Engage in games and books with Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin. We wrap up season (level) one sharing one of Rachel’s 5-star reads and tasty meals.

Recipe:You can either use a store bought jar of sauce, or make your own. If you are making your own, you will need 2-3 cloves of garlic, a small onion, a 14 oz can of tomato sauce, a 14 oz can of crushed tomatoes, 4 tablespoons of tomato paste, oregano, a dash of cayenne, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste. Regardless of making your own sauce or using a jar, you will need a pound of ground turkey and whatever other veggies you may like to add. I usually include mushrooms, bell peppers, and spinach. For the cheese mixture you will need 15 oz of ricotta, an egg, ¼ cup of parmesan cheese, and 12 oz of shredded mozzarella. You will also need 2-4 zucchini, cut into wide, flat strips. Begin by cooking the zucchini strips on a flat baking sheet at 375 for 10-15 minutes. This will help dry it out a bit. Zucchini is so watery and, if you skip this step, your lasagna will be very soupy. If that is what you want, skip away and proceed to the next step. To make the sauce, cook the onions, garlic, and turkey on the stove until the turkey is brown. Add the sauce, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, seasonings, and whatever veggies you have decided to include. Bring to a boil and then allow to simmer for 20-25 minutes. If you are using a jar of sauce, brown the turkey and then mix in the jarred sauce and veggies. You’ll still do this on the stove but you do not have to allow it to simmer. Prep the sauce right before making the lasagna or do so earlier in the day. It can sit in the fridge for a while if needed. When the sauce and zucchini strips are ready, you can make the cheese mixture. Simply combine the egg, ricotta, and parmesan and stir in about half a cup of the sauce mixture. To assemble the lasagna, spread some of the meat sauce onto the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking pan. Place zucchini slices evenly over the sauce, cover with a layer of cheese mixture and half of the shredded mozzarella. Repeat these steps until you have used up all your ingredients. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes. Or just cook it for 45 minutes, the foil probably will not make or break the dish. Cut up and enjoy!! Like other lasagnas, this tastes just as good if not better after a day or two, so you’ll definitely be able to enjoy any leftovers. Best served with a side salad and/or steamed broccoli.

On the benefits of play, from Bright Horizons.

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Artwork by @stephanieilana

Music: Clementi Sonatina No. 1 in G Major III

Editor: Alex Schmitz

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