Monday, February 11, 2013

4 Cheese Lasagna


I don't know how I survived before I started using my slow cooker!  Honestly, I only used the thing to make Buffalo Chicken Dip prior to having children.  I couldn't believe our luck when Joyce emailed me about the opportunity to review and giveaway Gooseberry Patch's Slow Cooking All Year Round!  She hurriedly sent the book with my husband whose car I had to ransack to find it.

Given our days of freezing weather, I spent most of my time in the section titled "Warming Winter Dishes." This lasagna was my family's favorite out of the recipes I tried. My husband asked me to add it to the rotation. I loved the variety of dishes in the cookbook; I'm looking forward to making the holiday dishes including a St. Patrick's Day Corned Beef Dinner and Slow-Cooker Irish Stew found in the "Simply Springtime" section.

My favorite part of browsing the cookbook is reading all the tips found at the bottom of each page. I never would have thought to cut up fresh peppers (read: ready to spoil) and freeze them in an ice cube tray to be thrown into crock pot dishes to add flavor. That tip was perfect for this frugal mom of three! There are many easy craft and centerpiece ideas as well; my kids will be making lucky green popcorn balls for our St. Patrick's Day play date.

Make sure you enter to win a copy of Slow Cooking All Year 'Round at the bottom of this page!

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 lb lean ground beef
  • 2 26 oz jars of Chunky tomato, garlic, and onion pasta sauce (Ragu makes one)
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 T. Italian seasoning
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 T. grated Parmesan cheese
  • 16 oz container of small-curd cottage cheese
  • 8 oz package oven-ready lasagna noodles, uncooked
  • 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 2 cups shredded Colby Jack cheese
DIRECTIONS:
  1. In a skillet over medium heat, brown beef; drain and remove from heat.
  2. Stir in sauce, water, and seasonings.
  3. In a bowl, combine Parmesan cheese and cottage cheese; set aside.
  4. In a large greased slow cooker, spread some beef mixture; top with noodles (breaking them to fit if necessary); top with beef mixture, then cottage cheese mixture, and finally some of the shredded cheeses.
  5. Repeat layers 2 to 3 more times; ending with the shredded cheese.
  6. Cover and cook on low 3 1/2 to 4 hours or until noodles are tender. 



Difficulty: easy
Time: 15 minutes prep, 4 hours cook
Source: Gooseberry Patch's Slow Cooking All Year Round, Copyright 2012

We are sorry, but the giveaway for this post is over.  Congrats to our winner!

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10 comments:

  1. I truly love this dish for meatless Mondays, but then I can make it any other day of the week with the ground beef!!! So totally yummy sounding!!
    This is truly the one cookbook I so wish I could win because cooking in my slow cooker is my favorite past-time. Thank you for this opportunity, and I am now following your blog.
    Donna H
    dmh5858@msn.com

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  2. I would love to get this cookbook and try out all the great recipes!!

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  3. Being a working mom, my husband (retired) and teen aged homeschooler are becoming quite fond of the crockpot recipes. We would love to have some more recipes to try.

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  4. I'm very interested in trying the other recipes in this book. I've tried the lasagna above & really like the leftovers better then the first day. It held better after cooking & sitting in fridge & reheating to eat. I've always enjoyed trying the recipes from gooseberry patch. Ope to win a new cookbook from this contest

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  5. So I'm assuming "oven-ready lasagna noodles" are different than regular lasagna noodles? I've always heard about making lasagna without actually cooking the noodles first, but have never had the guts to try it. Would love to see the rest of the recipes in this cookbook!

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  6. Love using my crockpot for meals. Could use more recipes .... especially from Gooseberry Patch.

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  7. would love to win!!

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  8. I have this recipe in the crock pot right now! I have a little shopping to do so off I go knowing dinner is in the making... lasagna!!! I would enjoy adding Slow Cooking All Year Round to my collection.

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  9. This sounds great! Love Gooseberry Cookbooks and hope to win this one. Thanks for the chance.

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