Crockpot Lasanga

It is just my husband and I at home.  However, this doesn't keep me from cooking for a family of eight.  Making meals for two is still quite the task for me; but cooking for eight gives us the added bonus of leftovers for DAYSSS.  Instead of eating leftovers for DAYSSS, I portion out single servings and freeze them so that they can be used for lunches over the next few weeks. I do this with soups, enchiladas, beans, etc. Also, I will now be doing this with lasagna.  

This was actually the first time I have ever made lasagna and it will now become a staple of our diets! So easy, so delicious, and so many ways to mix it up!  


Crockpot Lasagna:
(recipe modified from itsalwaysautumn)
(check the link for nice progression pictures)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 to 1 pound of ground meat (turkey, beef, chicken)
• ~36 ounces of spaghetti sauce
• 16 ounces cottage cheese
• 2-4 tablespoons of cream cheese (can be omitted, just makes it cheesier and creamier)
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (optional)
• 1 egg
• Italian seasoning/Spaghetti seasoning
• Lasagna noodles (uncooked)
• 8 ounces shredded cheese

Directions:

1. Brown the meat and then mix with spaghetti sauce.
2. Mix together (in separate bowl) the cottage cheese, cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, egg, and Italian seasoning.
3. Spray crockpot with nonstick spray and pour ~1/3 of meat sauce in the bottom of crockpot.
4. Break ~3 lasagna noodles to fit and lay on top of the meat sauce.
5. Spread ~1/2 of shredded cheese over noodles.
6. Then sprinkle about half of the cheese mixture on top.
7. Repeat -> more meat sauce, noodles, and the rest of the cheese mixture.
8. Top with breaking and laying more noodles on top.
9. Pour remaining sauce over last layer of noodles.
10. Cover crockpot and cook on low for 5-6 hours until noodles are tender.
11. About 20 minutes before serving, sprinkle remaining shredded cheese on top to melt into the lasagna.

Notes:

• No need to boil the noodles beforehand; just use the regular lasagna noodles and it will come out like a charm!
• Sometimes I add in ricotta cheese, no Parmesan, whatever combo. you like!
• So delicious! Enjoy!

See you in the kitchen!

Katie