Earl Cooks Miracle Crock-Pot Lasagna

Miracle Lasagna with Garlic Toast

It is often said that this is the season of miracles, and I am now a believer because I made a lasagna that my wife (A.K.A. "Turkey") LIKED! This may not seem like much of an accomplishment, "Who doesn't like lasagna?" you are probably asking and my answer is my wife. Over the years my daughters would ask me to make it and I would spend hours doing so. Once I even dropped the whole thing and the glass baking dish and all of the ingredients crashed to the ground, glass flying everywhere.But I digress...

My father-in-law loved pasta in all of its forms. His daughter, "Turkey" does not. To her, it is like eating school paste. Consequently, we eat very little around here since we are empty nesters and I cook for her too. But today the stars aligned and I had all of the ingredients on hand and found an inspirational recipe that made the lasagna IN A SLOW COOKER! I have heard of this, but never tried it. It just didn't seem right! Dairy & pasta don't seem like natural fits for a slow cooker, but this inspiration led to a result that was the equivalent of a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review, My wife wanted to take leftovers for her LUNCH! It was not only good enough to eat, it was good enough to eat AGAIN! What's more, the simple garlic toast I made with her homemade bread got the same accolades! Here are the ingredients and the steps to make your own Miracle Lasagna!

Start with these ingredients:
Medium sized onion, Ground Beef (1 lb.), Oven Ready Lasagna Noodles (8), Jar of Alfredo Sauce (1), Jar of Pasta Sauce (1), Shredded Mozzarella Cheese or Italian Blend (1 pkg or 3 cups), Diced No-Salt-Added Tomatoes (1 can 14.5 oz), Basil leaves dried but I used Basil stir in paste (1 tsp paste or/½ tsp dried), Crushed Garlic (1 tsp.), fresh grated Parmesan Cheese.






Step 1—I normally avoid slow cooker recipes that require cooking before slow cooking, but you want your ground beef to be browned. Start with a bit of olive oil and sauté the onion. Add the beef to the pan. I used 85/15 but leaner beef could also be used, Be certain to DRAIN the beef mixture before proceeding.

Step 2—Spray a 4 to 6-quart slow cooker (mine is a 6) with non-stick cooking spray. I used a slow cooker liner for easier clean-up. Spread 3/4 cup of the tomato pasta sauce in bottom of the slow cooker. Stir remaining tomato pasta sauce and 1 can of no-sugar-added diced tomatoes into ground beef/onion mixture. Add garlic & Basil to meat mix.

Step 3—Layer 3 lasagna noodles over sauce in slow cooker, breaking noodles to fit as needed. Top with 1/3 of the Alfredo pasta sauce, spreading evenly. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese (It used Italian Blend Cheese). Top with 1/3 of the ground beef mixture, spreading evenly

Step 4—Repeat layering twice more, using 2 lasagna noodles in last layer.
Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over top.

Step 5—Cover; cook on High for first hour then turn down to the Low setting for 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours.

The amazing thing about this recipe is it doesn't use ricotta or cottage cheese, relying on the cheese in the Alfredo sauce for the smooth richness. (Click below for printable version)

click to print recipe

Miracle Crock-Pot Lasagna

by Earl Cooks December-28-2017

Hearty, tasty, and satisfying Lasagna using many off the shelf ingredients

Ingredients

• 1 Onion-Medium sized
• 1 lb. Ground Beef
• 8 Oven Ready Lasagna Noodles
• 1 Jar Alfredo Sauce
• 1 Jar (24-28 oz) Pasta Sauce (tomato based)
• 1 8 oz pkg or 3 cups Mozzarella Cheese or Italian Blend -Shredded
• 1 can (14 oz.) No-Salt-Added Tomatoes-Diced
• 1/2 tsp. dried, 1 tsp. paste Basil leaves-dried or Basil stir in paste
• 1 tsp. Crushed Garlic
• 3/4 cup Parmesan Cheese

Instructions

1-Start with a bit of olive oil and sauté the onion. Add the beef to the pan. I used 85/15 but leaner beef could also be used, Be certain to DRAIN the beef mixture before proceeding.2-Spray a 4 to 6-quart slow cooker (mine is a 6) with non-stick cooking spray. I used a slow cooker liner for easier clean-up. Spread 3/4 cup of the tomato pasta sauce in bottom of the slow cooker. Stir remaining tomato pasta sauce and 1 can of no-sugar-added diced tomatoes into ground beef/onion mixture. Add garlic & Basil to meat mix.3-Layer 3 lasagna noodles over sauce in slow cooker, breaking noodles to fit as needed. Top with 1/3 of the Alfredo pasta sauce, spreading evenly. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese (It used Italian Blend Cheese). Top with 1/3 of the ground beef mixture, spreading evenly4-Repeat layering twice more, using 2 lasagna noodles in last layer.
Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over top.5-Cover; cook on High for first hour then turn down to the Low setting for 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours.

Details

Prep time: 30 mins Cook time: 3 hour 30 mins Total time: 4 hour Yield: 8 servings