I chose to make something "easy" because I was planning on an IKEA trip with a friend this day (it was a very successful trip, I might add). So days like this where I'm not sure if I'll be home in time to make a meal before my hubby gets home from work, I'll make a crockpot meal.
This is actually a .... **ahem**.... second attempt for me. The first time, I read the instructions wrong and was quite confused as to why this lasagna (a layered dish) had only one huge mixture of meat and cheese, and noodles. Oops. My bad.
Anyway, the second attempt was much tastier.
Here's what you'll need:
- Sausage (I used Soyrizo... Yummy!)
- Lasagna noodles
- 1 Tblspn Italian Seasoning
- 1 Tblspn Basil
- Salt to taste
- (5) 8oz cans of tomato sauce, or (3) 15oz cans
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- (1) 15oz container of Ricotta cheese
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese (and some additional to serve with)
- Optional: 1 Medium Onion, Chopped
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(Yes, Yes, I know. iPhone camera again. I promise I'm getting my DSLR out RIGHT NOW, to charge for tonight's dinner).
Step 1: Heat up your sausage (or soyrizo, which is so incredibly yummy, you should give it a try anyway), in a greased pan until slightly browned. If you choose to use an onion, add the chopped onion to the meat as well. You can also go ahead and prepare your crockpot (slow cooker, whatever) while you are doing this.
Step 2: Once your meat is browned (6-8 minutes), add your cans of tomato sauce, and your basil, italian seasoning, and salt. Stir mixture, let simmer while you prepare your cheese mixture.
Step 3: In a medium bowl (I reuse old butter bowls for stuff like this, they are the greatest!), mix your mozzarella (I ummmm, forgot to get some and used Cheddar, and it tasted fine. I could barely notice), Ricotta cheese, and 1 cup of parmesan cheese. It will be slightly chunky. It helps if you leave the Ricotta out for a little while to soften.
Step 4: Pour just enough of your sausage mixture in the crockpot to get a good bottom layer (about 3/4 an inch deep). Slightly more than the picture below.
Step 5: Next add a layer of broken up lasagna noodles.
Step 6: Add a layer of cheese. It took about 1/2 my cheese mixture to cover all the noodles for the first layer.
Step 7: Add more of the sausage mixture onto the cheese.
Step 8: Another layer of noodles.
Step 9: More cheese (I used last 1/2 of mixture here).
Step 10: Add the last of your sausage mixture. Cover and keep on low for 5-6 hours. We left ours on for about 7.5 hours because the husband was late from work, and it was a little burnt on the sides.
Step 11: About 10 minutes before you are ready to serve, add a little more mozzarella to the top, to your liking, and just a sprinkle of italian seasoning. Allow 10 minutes for the cheese to melt. (Again we only had cheddar cheese).
Step 12: Serve with parmesan cheese, and enjoy!
I really almost hate crockpot cooking. Especially if I have to stay at home with it. It starts to smell good after about an hour and it makes you hungry all day, tempting you with its savoriness. Well, the wait was worth it in the end. The meal was delicious.
We ended up having only two layers of noodles, which didn't really satisfy me. I told my husband that next time I thought I'd add a layer of noodles between every layer of mixture, instead of only after the meaty mixture. His response? "No, I like it meaty!"
Does he not realize it would have the same amount of meat? Who knows. It was delicious either way.
Link to recipe as found on Pinterest: http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/slow-cooker-lasagna/23546794-7262-47be-9ca4-e12c900399a1?WT.dcsvid=NTI4NDgyNjkwOAS2&rvrin=48A4E5D1-608B-4744-8EE9-BD60B4D4AA2E&WT.mc_id=Newsletter_BC_09_15_2011
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