Crockpot Lasagna

There is a whole post dedicated to crockpot creations that is fabulous. Without over-doing what has already been done, I wanted to add some other goodies we have been experimenting with over here to the crockpot conversation:

Slow Cooker Lasagna

1	pound bulk Italian sausage
1	medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
3	cans (15 ounces each) Italian-style tomato sauce
2	teaspoons dried basil leaves
1/2	teaspoon salt
2	cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 ounces)
1	container (15 ounces) part-skim ricotta cheese
1	cup grated Parmesan cheese
15	uncooked lasagna noodles

1. Cook sausage and onion in 10-inch skillet over medium heat 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sausage is no longer pink; drain. Stir in tomato sauce, basil and salt.
2. Mix 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese and the ricotta and Parmesan cheeses. (Refrigerate remaining mozzarella cheese while lasagna cooks.)
3. Spoon one-fourth of the sausage mixture into 6-quart slow cooker; top with 5 noodles, broken into pieces to fit. Spread with half of the cheese mixture and one-fourth of the sausage mixture. Top with 5 noodles, remaining cheese mixture and one-fourth of the sausage mixture. Top with remaining 5 noodles and remaining sausage mixture.
4. Cover and cook on Low heat setting 4 to 6 hours or until noodles are tender.
5. Sprinkle top of lasagna with remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Cover and let stand about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Cut into pieces.

**End note: I confess that I wish you could just put the raw meat right into the slow cooker but I have never tried it that way and don't know if it would make you sick or not. Maybe Corky could comment??