Although we don't keep a strict rotation of meals (ie pasta Monday, taco Tuesday, flatbread Wednesday, rice/stir-fry Thursday, etc), if we did, this would be in it. I've posted this recipe before, but this time, it was a new scenario in which I only had ~2hrs of cook time available and I wanted to see if my Crockpot could cook it fast enough. It's just a normal Crockpot, but I swear it cooks everything on turbo-speed, so why not use that to my advantage tonight?!
Tonight's version was the following:
-Brown ground venison in a large skillet.
-Add 1-2 Tbsp olive oil. Add chopped onion and red pepper. Sauté to your liking. (I ended up adding some mushrooms as well.)
-Add 1 Tsp italian seasoning.
-Grease the Crockpot with butter, oil or cooking spray.
-Place one layer of regular lasagna noodles across the bottom.
-Add 1/3 of the meat/veggies mixture.
-Add 1/3 of a jar of spaghetti sauce.
-Add 1/3 of a container of cottage cheese.
-Add 2/3c shredded mozzarella cheese.
-Repeat layers 2 more times (total of three layers of stuff). Top it off with a final layer of noodles and a sprinkle of cheese. (Note: It doesn't matter the number of layers. Layer until you run out of ingredients, your Crockpot is full, or until you feel like stopping.)
-Cook covered on high for 2-3 hours or on low for 4-5 hours. One of the great things about this recipe is that it's flexible for timing. As long as the noodles cook (~2hrs), you can eat it. You can also keep it in the Crockpot longer until it's crispy on top and crispy on the edges.
Note: If you serve immediately, it can still be quite soupy. If that's the case, I serve it in bowls. If you let it sit for 10-15 min uncovered after turning off the Crockpot, it will thicken up. Either way, I usually serve it with a spoon. It ends up being more like lasagna casserole, but tastes great.
Enjoy! We always serve with a side of canned corn. And garlic bread if you have the energy.
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