PPN: Crockpot Lasagne

I think I'm coming in under the wire for this week's Presto Pasta Night over at Ruth's wonderful blog Once Upon a Feast.  This week has been so crazy busy that I haven't had much of a chance for cooking let along blogging.  However, I made this recipe last week and wanted to share it with the PPN crowd.

This is one I've blogged about before, but bears repeating.  How great it is that you can make a pretty tasty lasagne in the crockpot?  The recipe comes from Pillsbury's website and is really easy to put together.  The only disadvantage to it is that you can't cook it all day and needs to be started about 5 hours before you want to serve it. 

I think this would be a very versatile recipe as well ... don't like ground beef?  Add sausage or ground chicken.  Don't want Alfredo sauce?  Use ricotta cheese.  Want some veggies?  Go ahead and throw them in too.  Next time (and yes, there WILL be a next time), I think I'm going to add some mushrooms and some spinach and substitute ricotta for the Alfredo.  Warm and tasty it goes great with a simple salad and some garlic bread.

Slow-Cooked Lasagna
(courtesy of Pillsbury)

• 1lb. lean ground beef
• 1(26 to 28-oz.) jar tomato pasta sauce
• 1(8-oz.) can no-salt-added tomato sauce
• 1/2(9-oz.) pkg. (about 8) no-boil lasagna noodles
• 1(1-lb.) jar Alfredo pasta sauce
• 12oz. (3 cups) shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Brown ground beef in large skillet over medium-high heat until thoroughly cooked, stirring frequently. Drain.
2. Spray 4 to 5-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Spread 3/4 cup of the tomato pasta sauce in bottom of sprayed slow cooker. Stir remaining tomato pasta sauce and tomato sauce into ground beef.
3. Layer 3 lasagna noodles over sauce in slow cooker, breaking noodles as necessary. Top with 1/3 of the Alfredo pasta sauce, spreading evenly. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Top with 1/3 of the ground beef mixture, spreading evenly.
4. Repeat layering twice, using 2 lasagna noodles in last layer. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over top.
5. Cover; cook on Low setting for 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours. If desired, cut into wedges to serve.

Comments

[Ruth]

Lovely recipe. Now...take a deeeeep breath, pour yourself a glass of wine, and take a mini-vacation from the frenzy for 10 minutes.

Thanks so much for sharing with Presto Pasta Nights. This one is a keeper!

[sher]

Wow! That's pretty darn amazing! It looks delicious.

[sher]

Wow! That's pretty darn amazing! It looks delicious.

[A scientist in the kitchen]

This seems easy enough. And perfect for me without an oven! Thanks!!!

[Alisha]

Thanks everyone. It really is a great recipe for being so dang easy.

[Teresa]

Yum! I made this to take over to my mom's the other night. I used sausage because that's what I had on hand. It was delicious! Thanks for the recipe. :-)