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Recipe Re-Do: Crockpot Lasagna

I mentioned a while back that I had “tragically” lost some of my original blog photos when I first switched over to WordPress This is kind of lame because now I have a few recipes out there without photos. RECIPES WITHOUT PHOTOS, PEOPLE. I know. Take a moment to calm yourselves. I’ll wait.

Did you get yourself a cocktail? Well I did. I’m feeling much better.

Ok, now that we’re all more relaxed, let’s just jump into today’s second edition of “Recipe Re-do”! This lasagna is one of my favorites, especially for those times when you’re having company over, and you want dinner to “magically be ready” without losing an hour of socializing while you’re slaving away in the kitchen. It’s also a great make-ahead meal if you stack everything up in ye olde crockpot ahead of time and then let ‘er rip the next day.

sauce and cheese

If you’re not on board after seeing cheese and sauce, well then, I think you may be in the wrong place.

ingredients
This time I had a chance to put my favorite sauce in the entire world to use here. (Trader Joe’s Three Cheese Pomodoro Pasta Sauce. And I of course mean favorite after my mom’s homemade spaghetti sauce, duh. Hi, mom.) And although I normally use whole wheat noodles when making pasta, for some reason I just don’t get down with ww lasagna noodles. They just aren’t my bag, baby. But these Dreamfields noodles are an awesome lower-carb option if you’re into that sort of thing.

sauce + water
OH- and here’s a little secret I thought I’d share with you guys. You’ll notice the recipe calls for some water, well make sure and use you sauce jar to add this step. Pour it right into the jar, shakeshakeshake, and you’ll be able to use up every last drop of that sweet tomato-ey goodness.

layers of ingredients

So as you can see, this is a super simple recipe. Just layer up all that jazz and throw a lid on your dear sisterwife/crockpot and you’re donesies. 6 hours later, you’ll be in Cheesy Pasta Town. And who doesn’t want to go to there?

crockpot las

Crockpot Lasagna (take 2)
Serves: 6-8
Time: 7 hours
You’ll Need:
1/2 box of lasagna noodles (Whole wheat or lower carb)
28 oz jar tomato sauce of your choice
1/2 cup water
1 lb lean grass-fed ground beef
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 a medium yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 egg
1 1/2 cups shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese
15 oz container reduced-fat ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated reduced-fat parmesan cheese
1/4 cup mascarpone cheese (or other soft cheese)

Directions: In a large sauce pan over med-high heat, sautee ground beef and onion, until beef is browned. Add garlic and sautee another minute. Remove from heat. Drain the liquid from the pan and add tomato sauce and water.
Meanwhile in a large bowl, combine 1 cup mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese, 1/4 cup parmesan and mascarpone cheese. Add egg and mix until smooth.
Spoon about 3/4 cup of the sauce onto the bottom of your crockpot and then start layering noodles. You will have to break them into smaller pieces for this, but I promise it will be ok. Cover noodles with a layer of cheese mixture, then sauce, then noodles again. Repeat and finish with a layer of noodles, then sauce, then the rest of your mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Turn your crockpot to low and let cook for 6-7 hours. (I did 6 and it was cooked to perfection.)

Serve with a side of caesar salad.

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crockpot las 2

You guys, this is seriously one of my favorite meals ever. And the mascarpone cheese was kind of a last-minute add since I just had some I wanted to use up, but it was a great call. Plus pretty much anytime you add more cheese to something it’s a good idea.

So that’s it for this edition of Recipe Re-Do’s! Have you guys ever made crockpot lasagna? Thoughts?

Note 1: You also may notice that I strayed from my usual ground turkey here and went straight for the ground beef. I can’t explain it other than the fact that I had some questionable turkey a few months ago and haven’t been able to go back to it since.

Note 2: I have no affiliation to any of the products I mentioned here, they are just simply a few of my faves that I wanted to share.

Note 3: Here’s the original recipe post.

Note 4: Just kidding. I’m done.


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Kale & Sweet Potato Hash

Can I just tell you how much I used to hate sweet potatoes?  In fact, I don’t know if hate is a strong enough word.  Remember the first boy/girl that made you cry in like, 5th grade?  The one bully that inevitably said something earth-shattering, like your blinky sneakers were totally lame, or your Sally Jesse Raphael glasses were stupid, or your tapered jeans weren’t tuck/rolled properly.  These, of course, are complete hypothetical examples, because I would never have worn blinky sneakers, and my tuck/roll was impeccable, and my mom assured me that my large red plastic glasses were the coolest.  But if I had, I can assure you I was nothing short of a vision.

Kids can be so mean.

kale
Anyways, that’s how much I hated sweet potatoes.  Until like… 3 years ago.  I want to say it was because I saw the light and realized how insanely delicious/nutritious they are, but I’m pretty sure it’s because I tried a sweet potato fry once and my life hasn’t been the same ever since.

sweet potato hash

Now I can’t get enough of them.   I actually feared my skin would turn orange after eating them every day straight for a week one time, and I’d look like a snookified/oompa-loompa version of myself, but good news: I didn’t.

sp_hash2

But that could just be because my skin refuses to turn any other shade but pale and I’m no less than 4 feet taller than both of them.  Regardless, this recipe was one I immediately bookmarked because I knew I’d love it, and if you share a love (new-found or not) for sweet potatoes, I’m sure you will too.

Vegetarian Sweet Potato and Kale Hash
Serves: About 4
Cook time: About 30 min
You’ll Need:
2 T coconut oil
3 large sweet potatoes, peeled & diced
1 bunch of leeks, cleaned & thinly chopped
1 large bunch kale, stems removed and cleaned
1 cup vegetable broth
Salt
Pepper
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/3 cup chopped walnuts (or more if desired)

Directions: In a large pot, heat coconut oil and cook potatoes and leeks, until leeks are tender (about 5 minutes).  Add 1/2 cup vegetable broth, chili powder, and a dash of salt and pepper, cover the pot and cook for another 7-10 minutes until the potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally.  Uncover, add another 1/2 cup broth and stir in kale, sprinkle with nutmeg, and cook another 5 or so minutes until kale is tender.  Serve with a handful of chopped walnuts and additional salt/pepper if needed.

(Slightly adapted from Pure Provender)

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sp_hash4

This is a great, warm and filling fall/winter dish, and I am positive I’ll be making it many more times.  Although I will not be wearing blinky shoes or tapered jeans while I do so.  …Or will I?


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Easy Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Burritos

Happy Halloween! Want to hear a joke? K, awesome.

Why can’t boy ghosts get girl ghosts pregnant?

Because they have hallow-weenies! ;

Yes I’ve been telling that joke every single year since I was too young to even get it.

Alright then. Remember how I said I’d have lots of awesome crockpot recipes for you?? Yeah, well this is just one, but I’ve totally got big plans for more, my friends. Mark my words.

Actually maybe don’t… because I tend to exaggerate and I don’t want to lie to you guys. Like when I say I drank a bottle of wine?

Ok, that’s a bad example. (Is there such a thing as under-exaggerating?) Anyways, this saucy little number came about during the frenzy that was Hurricane Sandy, and knowing that any kind of natural disaster always justifies day drinking, I went ahead and threw it together knowing that little miss crockpot here would do all the heavy lifting while we battened down the hatches.

I was also operating under the assumption that our power was going to flicker off at any given moment, and since I’m never one to waste, I figured I’d use up some of that frozen chicken that’s been sitting around. I should also mention that in this house we eat something buffalo-sauce-smothered at least once a week so this recipe should come as no surprise.

Dear George Foreman Grill, thank you for providing 95% of my college meals.

I was also really excited when I remembered that we could crisp these little suckers up in the ol’ George Foreman Grill, making them perfectly toasty and melty. I thought this was a pretty genius plan in case the power did go out, but then I realized that you still have to plug it in. I go through this every. single. time. we have a storm. I think of 173 things to do and then am cruelly bitch-slapped by reality that all of the things I want to do involve power. “OH I’ll just go online with my iPad!” Nope. No internet. “I can just watch DVDs!” Yeah, not without a DVD player… It’s a sick cycle. PLEASE tell me I’m not the only person that does this?

Luckily for us, we didn’t lose power and were able to enjoy these wrapped up little delights in front of the warm glow of the television, holding our breath in between 50 mph gusts of wind.

Easy Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Burritos
Serves 4-6
Time: about 4 hours
You’ll Need:
4-5 frozen boneless, skinless frozen chicken breasts
1 cup frozen, chopped peppers and onions
A few splashes of Worcestershire sauce
1 T garlic powder
1/2 cup Franks Original RedHot Sauce (more if you like it saucier)
Pack of flour tortillas (I use Mission CarbSmart)
1/2 cup shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese

Directions: Add chicken, peppers & onions, Worcestershire, garlic powder and hot sauce into your crockpot on high for 4 hours. Once cooked, shred with two forks and stir to absorb the sauce. Spoon shredded chicken onto tortillas, sprinkle with cheese, and folding the long edges in first, roll into a nice little burrito. Spray grill with a shot of cooking spray. Heat your grill (or frying pan if you don’t have a GF grill) and cook for about 1-2 minutes until brown and crispy on both sides.

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Best enjoyed by a crackling fire.

Hopefully you all stayed nice and safe during the storm too. Unfortunately our vacation house/neighborhood at the Jersey Shore got hit pretty hard, as well as a lot of other places. Definitely makes you thankful to be safe and sound. Please keep those less fortunate in your thoughts and prayers.

And if your kids go trick or treating and receive too many Reese’s Peanut Butter cups, I know a girl who would be happy to take them off your hands.

xo J

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