Lasagna Rapide with Artichoke Hearts

When we were young, our mother would make us any dish we wanted on our birthday.  My brothers and sisters mostly went for lobster; I went for lasagna.

But too complicated for a weeknight?  Not if you make it this way with no-boil sheets; you could be done in an hour.
1 onion, diced
1/4 cup dried apricots, diced
2 tsp fennel seeds
1 jalapeño pepper, optional
1 Tbsp rosemary
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb ground beef

6 no-boil lasagna sheets
1 jar favorite spaghetti sauce
1 lb mozzarella and/or Pepper Jack cheese, sliced, 1/4 reserved
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 12-oz jar marinated artichoke hearts, well drained
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375F. Sauté the the onions, apricots, fennel, jalapeño and rosemary for about 8-10 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook another 2 minutes.

Add the beef and brown well.

Spread half the spaghetti sauce on the bottom of a 9x13-inch casserole. Alternate layers of the lasagna sheets, beef and three quarters of the cheese, angling the lasagna sheets and overlapping like roofing shingles.

Pour on the wine. Top with the remaining sauce, the remaining mozzarella, the artichoke hearts and the Parmesan cheese.

Cover the casserole with aluminum foil.

Bake in oven for 30 minutes. Remove aluminum foil and bake another 20-30 minutes, until the casserole is completely heated through and is browned and bubbly.

Serves 4-6.