Crockpot Lasagna

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, finely diced
1 tbsp. garlic, minced
1 jar (26 oz.) spaghetti sauce
1 cup water
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (optional)
1 (15 oz.) container small curd cottage cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
1 egg
2 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
1 teaspoon pepper
lasagna noodles, uncooked
salt, to taste

Directions:

Brown and crumble ground beef in a large skillet.
(You need a larger skillet for this because you'll be adding the spaghetti sauce and water to it later). Then add in onion and garlic and cook for additional 1-2 minutes. I like to season my beef mixture with a little salt at this point too.
Drain excess grease from beef. And put back into skillet. Pour in spaghetti sauce, water and cherry tomatoes (if using).

Give it all a good stir (you can turn the heat off at this point). Give it a taste test, add additional salt if necessary.

In a separate bowl, mix together cottage cheese, 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, 2 tbsp. parmesan cheese, egg, pepper and chopped parsley. (Put your remaining cheeses back in the fridge, you'll be using those as a topping later).

Spray Crock Pot with non-stick cooking spray. Scoop approximately 1 cup of meat sauce into bottom of slow cooker. Top with one layer of uncooked lasagna noodles.
Just do your best to break them up to fit into your crock pot. Next top with a layer of the cheese mixture. Keep adding layers, ending with meat sauce.

I was able to get 3 layers in my 5-quart slow cooker.

Put the lid on and cook on low for 4-6 hours.
(It took exactly 4 hours in my slow cooker).
You want most of the liquid to be absorbed and noodles should be soft. When it is finished cooked add the remaining cheeses.
Put the lid back on for about 10-15 more minutes until cheese is melted.

Lasagna

Ingredients:

1 pound sweet Italian sausage (I use turkey sausage)
¾ pound lean ground beef
½ c onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
2 (6.5 ounce) cans canned tomato sauce
½ cup water
2 T sugar
1½ t dried basil leaves
½ t fennel seeds (I usually omit this)
1 t Italian seasoning
1 T salt (I usually reduce to a couple teaspoons)
¼ t ground black pepper
4 T chopped fresh parsley
12 lasagna noodles (regular or no cook. I usually use no cook noodles.)
16 ounces ricotta cheese
1 egg
½ t salt
¾ pound mozzarella cheese, shredded
¾ c grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

In a large Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until cooked through and browned.

Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water, and stir everything together.

Add sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 T salt, pepper, and 2 T parsley, and stir to combine.

Simmer, covered, for at least 1½ hours, stirring occasionally. I usually try to simmer for as long as possible.

If using regular lasagna noodles, cook according to package instructions and drain.

In a bowl, combine ricotta cheese, egg, remaining parsley, and ½ teaspoon salt.
Preheat oven to 375°F.

To assemble, spread 1½ cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish. Arrange a single layer of noodles over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese.

Spoon 1½ cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with ¼ cup Parmesan cheese.

Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
Cover with foil and bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes.

Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes.

Cool for 15 minutes before serving.