Crockpot Lasagna

I love love love Italian Food. Maybe it's the small amount of Italian blood in my veins...maybe not. However, it is my fave by a mile. My favorite Italian restaurant is Biaggis at the Gateway. Oh how I love that place. I love lasagna too but my version, though worth it, is time consuming. So when I saw them making this quick, easy and healthy version on Oprah I was SO in.

This was fast and easy to throw together and very tasty. If I get a hankering for lasagna again and don't have the time and or energy as I've felt lately this will likely be my go to recipe. I was also interested to learn that funny man Jerry Seinfeld had a wife who had a recipe book out. Never knew that.

I love how this recipe sneaks in a substantial amount of spinach that is virtually undetectable. My husband is not a fan of spinach and I was a little worried that my son might spot it and be scared off, but they both enjoyed this recipe and nobody complained about the "green stuff" in it! AWESOME!!

My picture isn't too lovely but trust me don't let that put you off!


Crockpot Lasagna
Jessica Seinfeld



Servings: Serves 6-8 (generous portions)

Ingredients
3 cans (14.4 ounces) crushed tomatoes
3 cloves garlic , finely chopped
2 Tbsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 containers (15 ounces each) fresh ricotta
2 cups (8 ounces) grated mozzarella
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
12 lasagna noodles (about three-quarters of a 1-pound box)
5 ounces (about 6 cups) baby spinach

Directions
In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, garlic, oregano, salt, red pepper and black pepper. In a separate bowl, mix the ricotta, 1 cup of the mozzarella and Parmesan.

In the bottom of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, spread a thin layer of the sauce. Top with 3 of the noodles (breaking to fit as necessary). Spread about 1 cup of the sauce over the noodles and layer with 2 cups of the spinach and 1 1/2 cups of the cheese mixture. Repeat twice more with the noodles, sauce, spinach and cheese mixture. Top with the remaining 3 noodles, sauce and 1 cup mozzarella.

Cook on low, covered, until the noodles are tender—especially in the center of the lasagna—about 3 to 3 1/2 hours.