Crock Pot Lasagna

Ryan got this crockpot lasagna recipe from his work, so we decided to try it! It's actually really, really good! I love it!

Ingredients
1 lb. ground beef
2 garlic cloves
6 oz. tomato paste
5 oz. grated parmesan cheese
16 oz. lasagna noodles
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 yellow onion (chopped)
29 oz. tomato sauce
16 oz. cottage cheese
8 oz. shredded Mozzarella
1 tsp. dried oregano

Directions
Brown ground beef, onion and garlic in fry pan. (Ryan and I used minced garlic and minced onion.) Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, salt and oregano. (We used three 8 oz. cans of tomato sauce since that's all we had. It made it only 24 oz., so we added a tiny bit of water.) Cook until meat sauce is warm. Mix the cheeses in a separate bowl. Spoon a layer of meat sauce onto the bottom of the crock pot. Add a double layer of uncooked lasagna noodles (break to fit) and top with a layer of the cheeses. Repeat with sauce, noodles and cheeses until all are used up. Add 1/2 cup of water around the outside edge of the lasagna. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours. Serves 6.

This was delicious and easy to make! The sauce can also be used as a spaghetti sauce. It was SO good! It was a little runny when it was done, so we ate it in bowls. After it cooled off, it set up more and wasn't so runny. So maybe just using the three 8 oz. cans of tomato sauce would be fine without adding the extra water. We were just experimenting. :) See below for more suggestions!

(I've decided that it's hard to get a good picture of lasagna because it looks disgusting... but believe me... it was really tasty!)


Suggested Variations to Basic Crock Pot Lasagna Recipe
1. Be aware that the size and shape of your crock pot affects the timing. Also, some crock pots cook faster than others. This recipe is more time sensitive than most. Similar recipes have been dry - do not overcook. Add a bit more water especially if you will not be able to keep an eye on it.
2. Use pre cooked oven ready lasagna noodles - it cuts the cooking time in half. Or partially cooked regular noodles have been used. If using dry noodles, make sure they are covered in liquid to prevent burnt or dry edges. (Ryan and I used dry noodles, and we made sure to keep them away from the edge of the crock pot so they wouldn't burn.)
3. Suggested additional seasonings: fresh or dried basil, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, in the sauce, parsley flakes in the cottage cheese. Eggs have also been added to the cottage cheese & dried parmesan cheese as per oven lasagna recipes.
4. Ricotta cheese has been used instead of cottage cheese. This would be drier, so make allowances for that.
5. Simplify by using pre made spaghetti sauce instead of the other sauces.
6. Add canned or freshly cooked mushrooms.
7. Save some of the mozzerella cheese and put on top about one half hour before serving.
8. This recipe may be assembled in the pot the night before, refrigerated and cooked the next day. Shortens cooking time.

ENJOY!!! :)