Crock Pot Lasagna

Love lasagna? Hate the time it takes to cook the pasta and prepare it?

I promised one more fabulous recipe for Super Bowl Sunday this week.

Crock Pot Lasagna! You don't even have to cook the pasta first...so simple.

Like Almost Better Than Sex Cake and The Most Incredible Super Bowl Mac-N-Cheese, this is a recipe that never fails to please the crowd. I love that it is super easy to create and inexpensive as well. Because it’s in a crock pot it is also very portable. So go where the party is! I have to credit my friend Garrett Miller for this recipe. I may tweak it a little (I've been known to use ground turkey. Also, see tips below) but the idea and recipe originally came from him.

I don't have a picture to share because, well, last time I made it I didn't even think to take  a picture (and I'm not making it until Super Bowl Sunday). So...this is a generic picture of lasagna from google images. ('Cause my lasagna is never this low in the crock pot...I layer it right to the top!)

Crock Pot Lasagna

1 lb Lean Ground Beef, cooked and drained

32 oz jar of your favorite Red Pasta Sauce

16 oz Cottage Cheese or Ricotta Cheese
2 Cups (8 oz) Mozzarella Cheese, shredded

1/2 box (4.5 oz) No Boil Lasagna Noodles (yes I said NO BOIL; they're so cool)

2 Cloves Garlic, minced

1/4 tsp Dried Oregano + 1/8 tsp

1/4 tsp Dried Basil + 1/8 tsp

1/2 Cup Onion, minced

Parmesan Cheese, freshly grated (not out of a can), to taste

Olive Oil or Cooking Spray

Instructions:

Grease the inside of your slow cooker with olive oil or cooking spray.

Combine cooked beef, onion, garlic, 1/4 tsp basil & oregano and sauce in a medium sized bowl and mix well.

Combine cheese, except for Parmesan, with 1/8 tsp oregano & basil in a separate medium sized bowl.

In the slow cooker, start with the beef mixture (about 1/5 depending on the size of your cooker).

Top with a layer of no boil noodles, breaking as needed to fit.

Crumble on a thin layer of the cheese mixture (about 1/5).

Repeat layers, ending with the beef layer on top.

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours.

Serve with salad and garlic bread.

Tip: I often add mushrooms or saute some green peppers with the onions.

Tip 2: For a vegetarian version, substitute one package of soy crumbles for the lean ground beef.
Tip 3: If you have a large crock pot you can easily double this recipe to serve a crowd.

Question: Do you have a traditional dish that you prepare in a non-traditional way?