Crock Pot Lasagna

Last night, my husband and I had a lovely dinner with our close friends and neighbors. As an appetizer, I brought millet paella. I know that seems wierd, but I was not able to cook the paella last week and the ingredients needed to be used! My friend Natalie made Jessica Seinfeld's crock pot lasagna. It was AMAZING. I hope my mom and mother-in-law are not reading today because I have to say... this was the best lasagna I've ever had.

3-4 cans (14.5 oz crushed tomatoes)

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 tablespoons dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 containers (15 oz. each) fresh ricotta

2 cups grated mozzarella

1/4 cup grated parmesan

12 lasagna noodles

6 cups baby spinach

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1. In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, garlic, salt, oregano, black pepper, and red pepper. In a separate bowl, mix the ricotta, 1 cup of mozzarella, and parmesan.

2. In the bottom of a 5-to-6 quart slow cooker, spread a thin layer of the tomato sauce. Top with three of the noodles (breaking to fit if necessary). Spread about 1 cup of the sauce over the noodles and layer with two cups of spinach and 1 1/2 cups of the cheese mixture. Repeat twice more with the noodles, sauce, spinach, and cheese mixture. Top the the remaining three noodles, sauce, and 1 cup mozzarella.

3. Cook on low, covered, until the noodles are tender-especially in the center of the lasagna-about 3 to 3 1/2 hours.

shelter and sprout