Crockpot Lasagna

Meat Sauce

1 pound ground beef

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tspn Italian seasoning

½ tspn salt

½ tspn black pepper

2 24-ounce jars of your favorite pasta sauce

Ricotta Cheese mixture:

1 15-oz container ricotta cheese

2 T dried basil

12 oz Mozzarella cheese shredded, divided between the layers

1 cup Parmesan cheese grated, divided between the layers

12 whole lasagna noodles uncooked

basil optional, fresh, sliced and used for garnish

Cook the ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat until no longer pink,  about 8-10 minutes. Add the garlic about 2 minutes before the meat has fully cooked. Drain any excess grease.

Then add Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and Marinara sauce, combine, and set aside.

Ricotta Cheese Mixture

Combine Ricotta cheese and basil in a separate small bowl and set aside.

Spray the inside of a Crock Pot with nonstick cooking spray.

Add about 1 cup of the meat sauce and spread it evenly across the bottom. Place 3 uncooked lasagna noodles on top of the sauce.*

Spread a layer of the ricotta cheese mixture on top the noodles, add another layer of the meat sauce. Sprinkle with about a third of the Mozzarella cheese & Parmesan cheese.

Repeat the layers three more times: noodles, meat sauce, ricotta cheese mixture, Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.

Close the Slow Cooker and cook on low for 4 hours.*

If desired serve with extra Parmesan cheese garnish with basil.

My crockpot seems to run on the hot side. I find that 3 or 3½ hrs was long enough.