Caprese Lasagna with Italian Turkey

 I found this recipe on Pinterest, it originally came from Rachel Ray; however, between the changes another blogger made and the changes I made Ms. Ray may not want to claim it.  But I will, it is crazy good and a delicious summertime lasagna.  I don't always think of lasagna in the summer but when the temperature is low enough to turn on the oven this makes a wonderful dinner.  Sometimes it just isn't convenient to grill and this lasagna tastes like summer.

Caprese Lasagna with Italian Turkey Sausage

 2 tablespoons butter

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup milk* I use 2%, 1 1/2 cups

1 cup chicken stock* I use 1 1/2 cup broth.

Low fat cream cheese, about 2-4 oz.

nutmeg, *I use just a shake

Salt, to taste

ground black pepper, to taste

Italian ground turkey  *Rachel Ray didn't use meat in her recipe, I saw another adaptation  of her recipe where turkey sausages were used.  Foster Farms makes an Italian seasoned ground turkey that I add a few shakes of Italian seasoning to, even though it comes seasoned I add a bit of my dry seasoning and I think it's good.

1 box oven-ready lasagna noodles* I use regular and I do not precook lasagna noodles, ever.

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese *I add some fresh mozzarella to the top before I bake it but it's not necessary and it keeps it lighter to just use the shredded cheese.

1/2 bunch basil, chopped * I use 3/4 cup chopped basil* If you live in my area the Green Barn has wonderful fresh organic basil or Trader Joe has plants available this time of year.

5-6 Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced

Cooking Directions

Preheat oven to 375ºF.
Place a large saucepan over medium-heat and melt the butter.  Add garlic to pan and cook until aromatic, about 1 minute.
*I put the butter and sauteed garlic with the cream cheese, chicken broth, milk and flour into the blender, whip it up and then heat it in a sauce pan until thickened.  I use 1 1/2 cup each of the broth and milk because I don't precook my lasagna noodles, ever.  Suit yourself if you enjoy making more dishes dirty.
(Sprinkle the flour over the butter and garlic, and cook for about 1 minute.  Whisk the milk and chicken stock into the butter-flour mixture and bring up to a bubble.)*Really the blender method is better!
Add the nutmeg, season with salt and ground black pepper, and simmer until thickened, 3-4 minutes.
Assemble the lasagna by ladling a small amount (about 1/2 cup, just eyeball it) of the sauce into the bottom of a 9x13" baking dish and laying 3+ lasagna noodles over the sauce.* I always put part of a noodle on the end and then switch ends on the next level.
Top the noodles with about a third of the sliced tomatoes, a third of the basil, 1/2 cup of sauce and about a third of the shredded cheese.
Repeat until all ingredients are used up, topping the lasagna off with a final layer of sauce and shredded cheese.
Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake the lasagna for 30 minutes.
Remove the foil from the baking dish and bake another 15 minutes until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbly.
When ready to serve, top with remaining chopped basil leaves.
Serves 4 *seriously 4?  More like 8.

I haven't ever gotten a picture of the  lasagna ready to serve.  As soon as everyone smells it and then sees it they immediately want to eat it.  So, good luck with that...

*Edited to add:  This is the recipe I use for Alfredo sauce and it is the guideline I use for the sauce for this lasagna.  I don't add the cheese and I use the chicken broth for this lasagna.