- 8
Ingredients
- 1 lb. extra lean ground beef, %10 or less fat
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 4 ounce can sliced mushrooms, optional
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup dry red wine, optional
- 3 cups spaghetti sauce, store bought or homemade
- 1 6 ounce can tomato paste
- 1 8 ounce can tomato sauce
- 9 lasagna noodles, uncooked
- 1 egg, slightly beaten
- 2 cups ricotta cheese or cottage cheese, I use Low Fat (have not tried with fat free)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons parsley flakes
- 1 dash fresh ground black pepper
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded (8oz.) Reduced fat is fine (have not tried with fat free)
Preparation
Step 1
Brown meat and onion in large skillet and drain off excess fat. Add garlic, mushrooms, salt, wine, spaghetti sauce, paste, and tomato sauce to meat mixture, mix well and set aside. In a medium bowl combine egg, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese and parsley flakes, and set aside. Spray crock pot with cooking oil. Layer in a 5 to 6 quart crock pot 3 noodles, broken into pieces to fit. Spread half the ricotta cheese mixture over noodles. Top with 1/4 of meat mixture and 1/4 of shredded cheese. Top with 3 noodles, remaining cheese mixture, 1/4 of meat mixture and 1/4 shredded cheese. Add remaining 3 noodles and remaining meat mixture. Cover and cook on low setting for 4 to 7 hours. About 10 minutes before serving, sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese. Cover and let stand 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Notes on breaking up lasagna noodles to fit my crock pot. I have a large oval crock pot, so I can leave one noodle whole. I break the second one in half. The third noodle I have to break in small pieces to fill in the rest of the layer.