I will take notes on the cheese-only version! I never saw the point in putting vegetables in a meat-free lasagna, so using eggplant or spinach or something in place of the meat wasn't a direction I wanted to go. (Why use a substitute when you can simply add more cheese, after all???)

Yes, I meant the oven-ready kind! I like a pretty al dente noodle, so perhaps I will risk it...but if that doesn't turn out, then I will try your method! Thanks for the tip on the timing--definitely something I would have messed up otherwise, so I appreciate it!