This is a clip from Spinach Sausage Lasagna & Faith in the Pick Up Line, for the full episode, listen here (lnk.to/dishitgirl).
From resisting the pull of Hobby Lobby’s Christmas aisles to planning easy weeknight meals, Dina shares how she’s learning to slow down and “park” with God—literally and spiritually. Using those in-between moments—like waiting in the car pickup line—to reconnect with God instead of just scrolling your phone. Reflecting on Psalm 32:5–7, Dina reminds us that God doesn’t seek to condemn but to heal, if we’re willing to bring everything before Him.
This Week in the Kitchen:
-Spinach & Sausage Lasagna (this week’s featured recipe)
-A customizable Taco Tuesday
-Cheesy Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Mushrooms
Recipe of the week: https://www.dishitgirl.com/recipes/creamy-spinach-sausage-lasagna
Spinach Sausage Lasagna
Serves 6-8
Prep Time: 35-40 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Ingredients
1 Tbsp olive oil
5 cloves garlic
2 lbs sweet Italian sausage crumbled, out of its casing
2 28oz cans of crushed tomatoes
1/2 c red wine
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp dried basil
1 tsp pepper
5 oz fresh spinach, cleaned and chopped
1 1/2 lbs lasagna noodles, cooked according to package directions
3/4 c fresh ricotta cheese whole milk, divided
1 1/2 c grated mozzarella cheese
Bechamel sauce
2 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 c parmesan, grated
4 c whole milk
1/2 tsp kosher salt
Recipe note: If you buy the sausage in the casing make sure to squeeze it out of the casing and use a wooden spoon to crumble it into the pan.
Instructions:
In a large pot or dutch oven, saute the garlic in the olive oil over a medium heat. Saute until the garlic starts to brown, about 1 minute.
Then add the sausage (out of the casing, crumbled) to the pot. Brown the sausage, stirring every so often, about 8-10minutes.
Then add the 2 cans of tomatoes, along with one cup of water, red wine, basil, salt, and pepper. Stir together. Bring to a simmer, cover and let it simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
While the tomato sauce is simmering fill another large pot with water and bring to a boil for the lasagna noodles. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Cook the lasagna noodles according to the package directions. Try to cook them until they are al dente, not completely soft as they will cook more in the oven.
Once the lasagna noodles are done drain them and set aside. I drizzle some olive oil over them to prevent them from sticking together when it is time to use them!
Cheesy bechamel sauce:
In a small pot melt the butter. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the paste cooks and bubbles a bit, but don’t let it brown — about 2 minutes.
Add 2 cups of milk and whisk, add in the 2 more cups of milk and whisk until smooth. Stir the mixture constantly for about 5 minutes as it thickens. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for another 7 minutes.
Turn off the heat and add the salt, and grated parmesan.
Finishing the lasagna:
In the bottom of 9×13 inch baking dish ladle about 1/2 cup of the sauce spreading it out. Then arrange a layer of lasagna noodles along the bottom covering the sauce. Spread about 1/3 of the ricotta over the noodles, then layer on the chopped spinach about a cup. Repeat these layers until you run out of ingredients, I usually get about 2 layers or so out of this. (pictures below)
The top layer should be a layer of noodles, sauce and topped with mozzarella cheese. You may add some more spinach if you have some left over. Then pour over 1 cup of the bechamel sauce.
Cover the lasagna with foil and place into the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Then uncover and cook for another 15-20 minutes until the top is bubbly! Let it rest for about 10 minutes before cutting into it.
Resources:
Dina’s Cookbook- https://www.amazon.com/At-Kitchen-Sin…
Catch the podcast anywhere: https://lnk.to/dishitgirl
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A lot of us are spending time in the car, whether it’s commuting to work, waiting for kids to be done with practices, or maybe you’re like me and you have to get to school 15 to 20 minutes early to get a decent spot in the parking lot. The past couple of times, I’ve actually brought my physical Bible with me. There’s this odd chunk of time right before pickup where I don’t quite have enough time to finish a block of work. I’ve been in my car so I can’t do housework or I’ve been playing beat the clock all day and by the time like 2:30 3 p.m. hits, I feel like my brain’s a little fried. It needs a jump start. It needs a break. Recently, I felt the Lord prompting me, hey, instead of filling your mind with mindlessly scrolling while you’re waiting, why not check in with me? I’ve had to ask myself some questions. Am I really spending enough time checking in with the Lord and asking him what he wants from me? Do I actually confess my sins to him, repent, or sit and meditate with a grateful heart, recalling what I’m thankful for, or am I only willing to petition him for my hopes, my dreams, listing my concerns? Do I use prayer like a hit and run or a laundry list? You know, if I’m feeling restless, I’ve started to wonder if maybe it’s more not unanswered prayer that’s making me restless, but more the fact that I’m willing to constantly drive around with my anxieties or uncertainties from place to place or is there unfinished business or unforgiveness that’s sitting in my heart? That’s what’s making me restless cuz I’m not really praying and asking the Lord what I need to resolve or what I need to work on. I’m not stopping to lay it down on the altar. Instead of taking these things to the Lord and working with him to heal me, change me, show me whatever it is I may need. I’m just parking with the same issues daily and sitting in them. In Psalm 32:5-7, it says, “Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, I will confess my transgressions to the Lord, and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Therefore, let all the faithful pray to you while you may be found. Surely the rising of the mighty waters will not reach them. You are my hiding place. You will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. God isn’t looking to condemn us, just be someone who’s telling us what we do wrong or right, but rather work with us to heal us, have us grow in his strength and his power, and to show us mercy. But he can’t do that without us laying it all out on the dashboard, so to speak. You know how on social media car confessionals are such a big trend? That’s what we need to do with him. Are we taking time for car poolool confessionals, so to speak? I mean, he can’t change our hearts unless we take the time to give him our hearts. you know, instead of coming to him asking him to do this, that, or the other thing, I’m trying to make sure that I take a moment to sit with him, to truly sit and say, “Lord, show me what I need to do to move forward. What changes do I need to make in my perception about this person or situation? Where do I need forgiveness? Where do I need to tap into your strength to release control to you? Where should I be slower to anger? Dear Lord, just mold my heart instead of giving a list. Maybe I should be asking for his. And to be quite honest, sometimes I feel like I’m getting tired of telling him what I need over and over again. That’s not to say you shouldn’t bring your needs to him, but have you ever hit a time in your prayer life where you’re like, “Man, I’m saying the same thing over and over again.” And I’ve realized for me that means that I need to stop repeating the same thing over and over again and start trying to listen more. So maybe the next week, the next time you’re parked in a field or in the pickup line, consider opening up your Bible or being still with him. Or maybe you’re going to find yourself stuck in rush hour traffic or the baby fell asleep on you again. Kind of miss those days. Use that time to come to a standstill with him. He always, always, always meets us where we are at, even if it’s in the unlikely
Dining and Cooking