Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Slow Cooker Lasagna

So I like to think of myself as efficient...but I'm just lazy. 

I got an All Clad Deluxe Slow Cooker for a gift and I honestly use it ALL THE TIME.  I went to Williams-Sonoma to check out what recipes are suggested for this magical piece of machinery since I pretty much ran out of my own ideas.

And voila - the best lasagna I have ever had.  Ever.  Ever ever.  And I don't even really like lasagna.

Wait till you see the close up pics at the end...hummina hummina.

Here are our cast o' characters:

18 Lasagna Noodles (don't get no boil kind)
1 1/2 Cups Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese
1 Cup of Freshly Grated Parmesan 
1-2 Tbs of Fresh Oregano, chopped
1-2 Tbs of Fresh Basil, chopped 
2 Lbs of Spicy Sausage
2 24 Ounce Jars of Tomato Sauce 
2 Cups of Water (not pictured - you know what water looks like)
2 Lbs of Grated Mozzarella 
Salt & Pepper 

Mix together the ricotta, salt and pepper, and herbs.  So, I like a lot of fresh herbs, but I would recommend starting with 1 tablespoon of each.  Since we don't have any raw ingredients in this step, you can taste as you go along.  If you want more herbs, just add some more.  It's super important to taste as you go along - ricotta is a super bland, blank canvas so you need to pep it up a little.

I didn't really measure this, as you can see - but I grated about 1/4 cup of parm into the ricotta mixture.  Nom.

In the slow cooker insert, I browned the sausage to get our sauce going.  If you don't like spice, you can use mild sausage, or even turkey if you want to be a little healthier (sniffle sniffle).

Throw your sauce directly into the pan along with the two cups of water.  Since we are cooking this low and slow in the cooker, we need to add water or else the sauce would reduce too much and would taste like a paste.  Bleh.

PS - Some people will turn their nose up at Classico sauce.  Like my mother, for example.  I can feel her judgmental stares all the way from the east coast.  Here's the deal - it's quick, it tastes good, it's cheap, and it's for lasagna.  We're adding a bunch of different ingredients so it takes on its own flavor anyway.  I'm sorry Mom. I won't do it again.  I'll call you later.

Cook it until it begins to simmer...

...and set aside.

Now, we assemble.  Start with a ladle or two of sauce.  Since slow cookers don't have sharp edges and lasagna noodles do, you need to sort of wing the edges.  Just break up a couple of pieces and throw it in.  I promise it doesn't matter.  It all tastes incredible.

Spread some of the ricotta mixture next.  I used a spatula and it stuck a bit - it's not a perfect science so don't stress too much.  It's lasagna.  In a slow cooker.  Who cares?

After that, add more sauce.  Ask me how many times I spooned the sauce into my mouth while I was assembling.  Actually...don't.

Now, some cheese.  I did some mozz and some parm for a bit of sharpness.

Keep repeating those steps, until you're out of ingredients:  1) Noodles 2) Ricotta 3) Sauce 4) Cheese 5) Drool.

TAAAAAAADAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA.  3 hours later, on the slow setting and BAM.

Finish with so extra parm and some greenery - either extra basil or some parsley.

Oh boy.

Layers and layers...


...of cheesy meaty heavenly oh my this is the best lasagna ever goodness. 


Ok...I'm done...


....no I'm not.  


This made a LOT.  I actually gave some away because we would have never eaten it all.  Now I'm mad.  Lauren/Will - give it back.  Make this - it's so easy and so amazing and so worth gaining a million pounds over.  Stay hungry! 

7 comments:

  1. This looks so yummy I am going to have to try it. Thanks for sharing.

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  2. This looks amazing! I've done this before but its been a long ago- thanks for the reminder!

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  3. I love things ALL Clad. I don't own a slow cooker, and though I may not be able to make slow cooker lasagna. (my family would not accept a non traditional method). I continue to be amazed by all the things everyone is able to do in them.

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  4. Wow that looks good, i am now pushing to put a lasagna shelf in our new organized bathroom cabinet

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  5. This. Was. AMAZING!!! You have some big fans in MN!!

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  6. I wanted to let you know that I made the Crockpot lasagna yesterday and it turned out really good. I switched some things up to make it a little healthier. I would love it if you stopped by and checked it out

    http://motivatedmommyoftwo.blogspot.com/2012/04/crockpot-turkey-meat-lasagna.html

    Have a great day.

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Thank you so much for taking the time to comment!