Easy Meal: Crock Pot Lasagna

I posted earlier about the convenience of having a crock pot in the kitchen. Today I am going to show you just how convenient it really is.

You may or may not have tried your hand at making lasagna before. If not, don't worry. Lasagna is one of the easiest dishes you can make, however, you may not have the time or energy to put into a lasagna when you are coming home after work or school.

With a crock pot, that problem is solved. All you have to do is set an extra 20 minutes aside before you leave the house in the morning.


Things you'll need:


1 crock pot
1 strainer
1 large frying pan
1 knife
1 cutting board

Ingredients:


1 lb. ground beef
3 tbs. minced garlic (I use a lot of garlic in my cooking, you can always reduce, based on your taste)
1 medium sized onion, diced
1 diced green bell pepper
8 oz. chopped mushrooms
32 oz. tomato or spaghetti sauce
12 oz. ricotta cheese
1 lb. lasagna noodles - uncooked
1 lb. shredded mozzarella cheese

Step 1:
Brown the ground beef in the frying pan along with the onion.

Step 2:
Just before the beef is completely browned, add the garlic. Once the meat is browned, drain the meat using a strainer.

Step 3:
Put the ingredients back in the pan and add the sauce, pepper and mushrooms. Heat this mixture for about 8-10 minutes.

Step 4:
Spoon a layer of the sauce mixture onto the bottom of the crock pot.

Step 5:
Place a layer of the lasagna noodles on top of the sauce layer. Unless you have a perfectly rectangular crock pot, you are going to have to break the noodles so that they fit. I usually use a knife on a cutting board so that they don't shatter and get all over the place.

Step 6:
Spoon some of the ricotta cheese and layer a bit of the mozzarella cheese on top of the lasagna noodles.

Step 7:
Repeat the layers of sauce, cheese and noodles until you have reached the top of the crock pot. The last layer that you should place is the cheese. I usually reserve most of the mozzarella for the top layer.

Step 8:
Cover the crock pot and set it on low for about 5 hours. Depending on your specific type of crock pot, you may be able to set it on a very low setting for longer. Also, some crock pots have a timer so that it will start cooking at a certain time. Just time it based on how long you will be away.

That's it! Now just go to school or work and you will be coming home to the smell of some lovely lasagna! I have only attempted this recipe when I was sure I would not be away from the house for much more than five hours. I do not know if it would burn if left for much longer. If someone would comment and let me know if they have any experience, it would help! Thanks!