Mile High Crock Pot Lasagna With Zucchini Or Spinach Recipes

Steps:

• Place the lasagna noodles in a 13 by 9-inch metal pan and pour over enough hot water to cover the noodles. Set aside until pliable, about 30 minutes. Drain the water from the noodles, separate, and set aside.
• Place the eggplant and zucchini in the bowl of a salad spinner. Sprinkle with the salt and purge for 20 minutes, tossing after the first 10 minutes. Remove the sausage from its casing and chop or pinch into 1/2-inch pieces. Set aside.
• Rinse the eggplant and zucchini under running water and spin until mostly dry.
• Use 4 pliable lasagna noodles to line the sides of a 3-quart slow cooker. Overlap the noodles slightly and press against the sides so they stick. Crush 1 tomato with your hand onto the bottom of the slow cooker. Cover with half of the sausage. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of the Italian seasoning, one-fourth of the flour, and one-fourth of the goat's milk powder. Add one-fourth of the purged vegetables in a layer, slightly overlapping the pieces. Add one-fourth of the sliced mushrooms in a layer. Add one-fourth of the remaining noodles in a layer, cut to fit any gaps, slightly overlapping the pieces. Gently press down on the noodles before building next layer. Crush another tomato and place atop the noodles. Add half of the ground pork, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of the Italian seasoning, one-fourth of the flour, one-fourth of the goat's milk powder, one-fourth of the vegetables, and one-fourth of the mushrooms. Repeat 2 more times with the remaining ingredients. You will have 4 layers.
• Spread 2 tablespoons of the tomato juice from the can on the top of the last layer of the noodles. Set the slow cooker to low, cover, and cook for 5 hours. Remove any excess fat that has accumulated by pressing down directly on the top of the lasagna with a dish or small lid. Turn off the slow cooker. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover and leave for 30 minutes. Brown the cheese, if desired, using a propane torch or heat gun.

Steps:

• Mix ricotta cheese, 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, egg, and parsley in a medium bowl; set aside.
• Brown meat in large skillet; drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce and water.
• Spoon 1 cup meat sauce into a slow cooker; top with layers of half each of the noodles (broken to fit) and cheese mixture. Cover with 2 cups meat sauce. Top with remaining noodles (broken to fit), cheese mixture, and meat sauce. Cover with lid.
• Cook on LOW until liquid is absorbed, 4 to 6 hours. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan; let stand, covered, until melted, about 10 minutes.

Steps:

• Spray 5- to 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In medium bowl, mix pasta sauce, tomatoes, crushed red pepper, bell pepper and zucchini. Spread 1 cup tomato mixture in bottom of slow cooker.
• Layer 3 lasagna noodles, broken into pieces to fit, over sauce in slow cooker. Spread half of the ricotta cheese over noodles; sprinkle with 1/4 cup of the mozzarella cheese and half of the spinach. Top with one-third of the tomato sauce mixture (about 1 1/2 cups). Repeat layering of noodles, cheeses and spinach. Top with remaining 3 noodles and sauce. Save remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese in refrigerator.
• Cover; cook on Low heat setting 4 to 5 hours or until noodles are tender and cooked through. Sprinkle with reserved mozzarella; cover and let stand 10 minutes to melt cheese.

Steps:

• In a large skillet over medium heat cook the ground beef, onion, and garlic until brown. Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, salt, and oregano and stir until well incorporated. Cook until heated through.
• In a large bowl mix together the cottage cheese, grated Parmesan cheese, and shredded mozzarella cheese.
• Spoon a layer of the meat mixture onto the bottom of the slow cooker. Add a double layer of the uncooked lasagna noodles. Break to fit noodles into slow cooker. Top noodles with a portion of the cheese mixture. Repeat the layering of sauce, noodles, and cheese until all the ingredients are used.
• Cover, and cook on LOW setting for 4 to 6 hours.

Steps:

• Brown the beef, onions, zucchini, and garlic in 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet, stirring to break up meat.
• Stir in the oregano, basil, pepper, crushed anise seeds, sliced mushrooms, parsley, spaghetti sauce, and wine.
• In a separate bowl, stir together the beaten egg and the ricotta cheese, beating well until mixture is smooth. Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese, combine well.
• Grease the bottom and sides of the crock pot (I use cooking spray or butter).
• Layer about 1/4 of the meat sauce mixture in the bottom of the crock pot. Put a layer of noodles on top of that (break noodles to fit, overlapping is fine). Put about 1/3 of the cheese mixture and sprinkle with 1/4 of the mozzarella. Repeat with sauce, noodles and cheese for another two layers. Top with meat sauce and a little Parmesan and shredded mozzarella on top.
• Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours (4 hours on HIGH plus 30 minutes on LOW, in my 1990s 'older' model 4-Quart crock pot), or until noodles are tender.