Best 3 Mile High Crock Pot Lasagna With Zucchini Or Spinach Recipes

SLOW COOKER LASAGNA

Steps:

• For the meat mixture: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and onion and saute for 5 minutes. Add the ground beef, sausage and garlic and cook until brown, 7 to 9 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice, tomato paste, basil, parsley, oregano, salt and some pepper and stir. Set aside.
• For the cheese mixture: In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, Romano, basil, parsley, salt, pepper and eggs and stir together well.
• For the lasagna: Spray a 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray.
• Spoon in one-quarter of the meat mixture on the bottom and top with 5 lasagna noodles, broken to fit. Add a third of the cheese mixture, then sprinkle with 1/2 cup mozzarella. Repeat this layering twice, starting with the meat mixture and ending with the mozzarella, for 3 layers total.
• For the fourth layer, top with the remaining meat mixture and remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours. Turn off the heat and allow the lasagna to sit 30 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.

LASAGNA WITH SPINACH AND ROASTED ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Toss the zucchini with the olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and top with the slices of zucchini. Place in the oven and roast 8 minutes. Remove from the oven, close the oven door and, using tongs, flip the zucchini slices over. Return to the oven for 5 minutes, or until the zucchini is tender when pierced with a knife and browned in spots. Remove from the oven and reduce the heat to 350 degrees.
• Steam the spinach for 2 to 3 minutes above an inch of boiling water, just until it wilts. Rinse briefly with cold water, squeeze out excess water and chop coarsely.
• Blend the ricotta cheese with the egg, water, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Lightly oil a rectangular baking pan. Spread a small spoonful of tomato sauce to cover the bottom of the pan. Top with a layer of lasagna noodles. Top the noodles with a thin layer of ricotta, then a layer of zucchini and spinach, a layer of tomato sauce and a layer of Parmesan. Repeat the layers, ending with a layer of lasagna noodles topped with tomato sauce and Parmesan.
• Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and place in the oven. Bake 40 minutes, until the noodles are tender and the mixture is bubbling. Uncover and, if you wish, bake another 10 minutes, until the top begins to brown. Remove from the heat and allow to sit for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

SLOW-COOKER LASAGNA

Steps:

• In a large bowl, stir together the ricotta, spinach, Parmesan, basil, garlic, oregano, onion powder, ¼ teaspoon salt and a generous amount of black pepper.
• Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 6- to 7-quart slow cooker with olive oil. Ladle about 1 cup of the marinara sauce in the bottom of the slow cooker, and spread it evenly.
• Make two layers: Lay 3 lasagna noodles on top of the sauce, breaking the noodles to make a roughly even layer. (This doesn't need to be perfect; it's fine if the noodles overlap slightly, and if there are small spots the noodles don't cover.) Ladle about ¾ cup of sauce on top of the noodles and spread evenly. Evenly dollop about half of the ricotta mixture over the sauce, and use the back of a fork to press it into a roughly even layer. Sprinkle about a third of the shredded mozzarella over the ricotta. Repeat to make one more layer, using three noodles, the ¾ cup sauce, the remaining half of the ricotta mixture, then about half of the remaining mozzarella.
• To finish, lay down the remaining 3 lasagna noodles and spread with the remaining sauce. (Reserve the remaining mozzarella.) Cover and cook on low until the internal temperature in the center is at least 140 degrees and the noodles are tender, 3 hours 30 minutes to 4 hours.
• Turn off the slow cooker and sprinkle the top of the lasagna with the remaining mozzarella. Remove the crock from the base that contains the heating element and let the lasagna rest with the lid on for 20 to 30 minutes, otherwise it will fall apart when you try to slice it. Sprinkle the top with more torn basil, to your taste. Cut the lasagna with a knife and scoop out servings with a spatula to serve.