Slow Cooker Sausage Lasagna

Name: Slow Cooker Sausage Lasagna
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 4 h
Total time: 4 h 40 min
Yield: 8 servings.
Ingredients: 1 pound ground beef; 1 pound ground mild Italian sausage; 1 medium onion, finely chopped; 1 garlic clove, minced; 1 jar (24 ounces) spaghetti sauce; 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes in sauce, undrained; 1/2 cup water; 1 teaspoon dried basil; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 1 carton (15 ounces) whole-milk ricotta cheese; 2 large eggs, lightly beaten; 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese; 9 uncooked lasagna noodles; 4 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese; Minced fresh basil, optional

On especially cold winter days, my family loves this with mild Italian sausage. I agree about the cold days, but I prefer a spicy sausage blend, which gives it a bit of a zing. —Cindi DeClue, Anchorage, Alaska

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground mild Italian sausage
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 jar (24 ounces) spaghetti sauce
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes in sauce, undrained
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 carton (15 ounces) whole-milk ricotta cheese
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
9 uncooked lasagna noodles
4 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
Minced fresh basil, optional

Directions

Line sides of an oval 6-qt. slow cooker with heavy-duty foil; coat foil with cooking spray. In a Dutch oven, cook beef, sausage, onion and garlic over medium heat 8-10 minutes or until meat is no longer pink, breaking up beef and sausage into crumbles; drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce, tomatoes, water and herbs; heat through.
In a small bowl, mix ricotta cheese, eggs and Parmesan cheese. Spread 1-1/2 cups meat sauce onto bottom of prepared slow cooker. Layer with three noodles (breaking to fit), 3/4 cup ricotta mixture, 1 cup mozzarella cheese and 2 cups meat sauce. Repeat layers twice. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese.
Cook, covered, on low 3-1/2 to 4 hours or until noodles are tender. Turn off slow cooker; remove insert. Let stand 15 minutes. If desired, sprinkle with fresh basil.