Mile High Crock Pot Lasagna With Zucchini Or Spinach Food

SLOW COOKER LASAGNA

Steps:

• For the meat mixture: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and onion and saute for 5 minutes. Add the ground beef, sausage and garlic and cook until brown, 7 to 9 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice, tomato paste, basil, parsley, oregano, salt and some pepper and stir. Set aside.
• For the cheese mixture: In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, Romano, basil, parsley, salt, pepper and eggs and stir together well.
• For the lasagna: Spray a 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray.
• Spoon in one-quarter of the meat mixture on the bottom and top with 5 lasagna noodles, broken to fit. Add a third of the cheese mixture, then sprinkle with 1/2 cup mozzarella. Repeat this layering twice, starting with the meat mixture and ending with the mozzarella, for 3 layers total.
• For the fourth layer, top with the remaining meat mixture and remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours. Turn off the heat and allow the lasagna to sit 30 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.

SKINNY SLOW-COOKER SPINACH LASAGNA

Steps:

• Spray 5- to 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In medium bowl, mix pasta sauce, tomatoes, crushed red pepper, bell pepper and zucchini. Spread 1 cup tomato mixture in bottom of slow cooker.
• Layer 3 lasagna noodles, broken into pieces to fit, over sauce in slow cooker. Spread half of the ricotta cheese over noodles; sprinkle with 1/4 cup of the mozzarella cheese and half of the spinach. Top with one-third of the tomato sauce mixture (about 1 1/2 cups). Repeat layering of noodles, cheeses and spinach. Top with remaining 3 noodles and sauce. Save remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese in refrigerator.
• Cover; cook on Low heat setting 4 to 5 hours or until noodles are tender and cooked through. Sprinkle with reserved mozzarella; cover and let stand 10 minutes to melt cheese.

CROCK POT LASAGNA

Steps:

• Brown ground beef, onion and garlic in frypan.
• Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, salt and oregano.
• Cook long enough to get it warm.
• Spoon a layer of meat sauce onto the bottom of the slow cooker.
• Add a double layer of uncooked lasagna noodles (break to fit) and top with cheeses.
• Repeat with sauce, noodles and cheeses until all are used up.
• Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours.

MILE-HIGH CROCK POT LASAGNA WITH ZUCCHINI OR SPINACH

Steps:

• Brown the beef, onions, zucchini, and garlic in 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet, stirring to break up meat.
• Stir in the oregano, basil, pepper, crushed anise seeds, sliced mushrooms, parsley, spaghetti sauce, and wine.
• In a separate bowl, stir together the beaten egg and the ricotta cheese, beating well until mixture is smooth. Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese, combine well.
• Grease the bottom and sides of the crock pot (I use cooking spray or butter).
• Layer about 1/4 of the meat sauce mixture in the bottom of the crock pot. Put a layer of noodles on top of that (break noodles to fit, overlapping is fine). Put about 1/3 of the cheese mixture and sprinkle with 1/4 of the mozzarella. Repeat with sauce, noodles and cheese for another two layers. Top with meat sauce and a little Parmesan and shredded mozzarella on top.
• Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours (4 hours on HIGH plus 30 minutes on LOW, in my 1990s 'older' model 4-Quart crock pot), or until noodles are tender.