No Time 2 Cook Recipe of the Week: Crock Pot Lasagna

Amanda’s Crock Pot Lasagna

When I think about making lasagna from scratch, I think of too much prep time and too many pots to clean up. Here’s a great recipe from our kitchen manager, Amanda Wilson.
We all know Amanda’s a great cook as she’s the one in charge of all the great products that come out of our No Time 2 Cook kitchen. In addition, with an athletic son on the ball field most afternoons, Amanda’s always on the lookout for crock pot recipes that are ready to feed her hungry family at the end of their busy days.
When she shared this recipe, I knew I had to try it, which I did over the weekend. This was the easiest lasagna I have ever made and just as delicious as my scratch recipe that keeps me in the kitchen half the day. The only ahead prep was browning the meat, and I used my method for browning in the oven leaving me with very little cleanup. Also, a programmable crock pot that shifts to “keep warm” works great for meals that will be ready before you make it home.

Ingredients

• 2# Ground Chuck, browned and drained
• 3 jars Spaghetti sauce (we used Ragu: 2 Chunky Sauteed Onion and Garlic and 1 Mushroom & Green Pepper)
• 1# Sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 8 oz. Parmesan cheese, shredded
• 8 oz. Ricotta cheese
• 1 pk. lasagna noodles
• Salt & black pepper to season meat (Optional)
• Dried oregano (Optional)

Instructions

• Brown meat and drain. Season with salt and pepper to taste
• Mix cheeses together
• Mix spaghetti sauces together (We added about 1 T dried oregano and 1/2 t. salt to the sauces. Since this dish is prepared with uncooked noodles, the salt was to compensate for the salt that would typically be added to water when boiling the noodles.)
• Layering: Spoon just enough sauce to cover the bottom of a 6 qt. crock pot – 1/3 box noodles – 1/3 meat – 1/3 sauce – 1/3 cheese.  Repeat for a total of three layers.
• Cook on low for 3-4 hours until lasagna is bubbly and temps at 165 degrees.

Serve with a tossed green salad and toasted garlic bread.

In 2005, Karen Kurr began selling her Cajun and southern dishes at local farmers markets. Today, her frozen meals are still made from scratch in Oxford, Mississippi, and sold in 200 Kroger stores, independent retailers and online. Karen’s passion is simple: to help bring families back to the dinner table. Her products make dinner easier when you are short on time. Karen continues to share family recipes with loyal customers on hottytoddy.com, the NoTime2Cook website and on social media.
For questions or comments, email hottytoddynews@gmail.com.