Crockpot Lasagna

You'll see that I have a lot of crockpot recipes. I LOVE my crockpots - all 3 of them, and I use them frequently. :) Here's a great recipe that is super easy and a crowd pleaser for sure:

12oz pkg lasagna noodles
1/4c butter
1 1/2lbs ground beef
1 qt. Spaghetti sauce
1-2c Mozzarella cheese, shredded

Cook noodles according to directions. Drain.

Return noodles to  pot and stir in butter until it's melted.

While the noodles are cooking, brown the ground beef. Drain off the drippings.

Layer into the crockpot:

• 1/4 of the sauce
• 1/3 of the browned beef
• 1/3 of the cooked noodles
• 1/4 mozzarella cheese

Repeat these layers two more times. Top with the remaining sauce and cheese.

Cover and cook on low for 4 hours, or until heated through and cheese has melted.

GF noodles get mushy when over cooked, so I under-cooked mine by about a minute or two before putting them in the crockpot.

I used ground turkey, but you could also use pork or chicken.

This is a great make-ahead recipe. I made it up the night before and had it in the fridge waiting to cook it. It still turned out great!

Crockpot Italian Dish

This is a recipe I threw together one night when I was in a rush, and it's quickly become a family favorite. It's super easy, and super quick, which makes it perfect on those nights when you never seem to have enough time.

Crockpot Italian Dish

1lb Rotini, Mini Lasagna, or Elbow macaroni
1lb pork sausage, browned and crumbled
1-2 large jars of your favorite pasta sauce
1-2c. Mozzarella cheese

Prepare pasta according to package directions - minus 1-2 minutes (GF pasta gets mushy if over cooked, and putting it in the crockpot will cook it a bit more).

Put pasta in crockpot.

Add sausage and stir.

Add pasta sauce (add as much as you prefer, plus a little extra as the meal will get more "dry" as it sits in the crockpot). 

Stir well. Cook on low in crockpot for 1-2 hrs to let the flavors blend. Sprinkle Mozzarella cheese on top a few minutes before serving to let it melt.

You can also serve the dish immediately and not put it in the crockpot, but I feel the flavors blend so much better and therefore increases the yumminess.

Depending on what's on sale, I will use either corn or rice pasta.

I brown and crumble several pounds of sausage up at one time and freeze them in 1lb bags. Makes a quick dish even quicker when all I have to do is pull out a bag in the morning and put it in the fridge to thaw. (I also do the same with ground beef & turkey)

Shepard's Pie

A GF version of an old classic.

3 1/2c mashed potatoes (you can use real or instant)
1lb ground beef
1c diced onions
3/4t dried basil
1/8t garlic powder
1/2t dry mustard
1 (2.5oz) jar of beef and gravy baby food
2 large eggs
2 kinds of sliced cheese such as Colby, Mozzarella, Farmers or Swiss

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare the potatoes in advance and set them aside.  Brown the ground beef and onions.

When fully cooked, add basil, garlic powder and dry mustard. Mix well.

Then add baby food and mix it in well.

Turn off heat and add eggs, one at a time, stirring briskly so the eggs won't scramble.

Spray a 9" pan (or pie pan) with Pam and pour in the ground beef mixture.

Next add the mashed potatoes and spread them smoothly across the top of the meat.

Arrange slices of cheese in a colorful arrangement over the top of the potatoes.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly.

Let set for 10 minutes before serving.

This was a nice supper, however there are a few changes I will make for the next time...

1. I will use less potatoes. There was so much potatoes that it sort of over powered the taste of the meat mixture.

2. It bordered on being a little bland, so I will add vegetables to it. That will not only add more flavor, but the bright color of green beans or carrots will brighten up the dish.

 Also, I use shredded cheese instead of sliced. It's what I had on hand, and I didn't feel like going to the store for just one item. It worked just fine.