Italian Recipes - Slow Cooker Lasagna

Ingredients                     

• Nonstick cooking spray

• 1 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage

• 1 26-ounce jar chunky tomato, basil, and cheese pasta sauce

• 3/4 cup water

• 12 no-boil lasagna noodles

• 1 15-ounce carton ricotta cheese

• 1 8-ounce package shredded Italian blend cheese (2 cups)

---

Method:

1. Lightly coat a 3 1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. In a large skillet cook sausage until brown. Drain off fat. Stir pasta sauce and the water into sausage in skillet.

2. Place 1/2 cup of the meat mixture in the bottom of the prepared cooker. Layer four of the uncooked noodles (break noodles to fit) on top the meat mixture.

3. Top with one-third of the ricotta cheese, one-third of the remaining meat mixture, and one-third of the shredded cheese. Repeat layers twice, starting with noodles and ending with meat mixture. Set aside the remaining shredded cheese.

4. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 4 to 6 hours or on high-heat setting for 2 to 3 hours. Sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese. Cover and let stand for 15 minutes before serving.