Slow Cooker Lasagna

Lasagna is typically baked, but I didn't want to go through all the additional steps of cooking the noodles, cooking the sausage, and then washing all the extra dishes, so I thought I could make a "one pot" lasagna in the slow cooker. Having never made lasagna in the "traditional" manner, I can't really compare the two, but you really can't beat a one dish meal! Although using a slow cooker will require a bit planning since it will take a while to cook, it also simplifies cooking significantly. And when it's time to eat, no prep is needed, simply open up the slow cooker and serve! Some think that chili is about the only thing you can make in a slow cooker, but here's another recipe you can add to that list of slow cooker recipes!

Slow Cooker Lasagna

by CJ Huang

Materials:

Mass	Weight	Volume	Number	Material	Notes
	1 pound			sausage, minced or ground
			2	onions, chopped
	26 ounces			tomato sauce
		2 tablespoons		basil, dried
		1 tablespoon		parsley, dried
	15 ounces			ricotta cheese
		1.5 cups		Pecorino Romano, grated	Parmesan or other cheeses would also work.
				lasagna noodles

Methods:

1. Mix tomato sauce, basil, onion, and sausage.
2. Mix parsley and cheeses.
3. Spread a small amount of the sausage mixture into the bottom of the slow cooker. This layer will prevent sticking and allow for easier serving.
4. Place a monolayer of noodles on top of the sausage mixture. (You might need to break a few pieces, if needed, to fit.)
5. Spread some cheese mixture on top of the noodles and top that with some sausage mixture. Continue layering cheese, noodles, and sausage mixture, ending with either the cheese or sausage layer. I opted for ending with a cheese layer since I ran out of cheese for an additional topping, but you could just sprinkle grated cheese on top after it's cooked.
6. Cover and cook for about 4-6 hours, until noodles are tender.