Crock Pot Lasagna

I don't remember exactly where I got the idea to make lasagna in my Crock Pot, but I'm sure it came from the Internet. Well, I did it first a few weeks ago, posting but a couple of teaser photos on my Facebook, and the feedback was all positive. So this time I took photos of the process. You're welcome.

Disclaimer: I used an additional can of tomatoes that isn't pictured.

This method of cooking lasagna is so easy that you, like me, will never make it in the oven ever again! And p.s., if you aren't already using Crock Pot Liners, you're doing it completely wrong. Plus, way healthier than the pre-fab lasagna you get in the grocery store. I took the opportunity to add carrots, which cook down to tender little salty/sweet morsels, and onions, which are essential for flavor. I just now realized that I didn't put any garlic in the recipe! Oh well. Still delicious. And I'm sure there was some in the sauce and the sausage. I did sneak in a bit of this, though:

It's my favorite spicy go-to: authentic Hatch Red Chili powder

So, for those of you who need it spelled out (no hate, I love you anal types!), here it is:

Crock Pot Lasagna

1 lb ground sausage or beef
1 small onion (I used 3/4 of a medium one)
2 carrots (optional, but highly recommended)
Handful of black olives (optional - they were in the fridge!)
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 jar marinara sauce
1 cup shredded Parmesan
3-4 cups shredded mozzarella (I love cheese....)
Lasagna noodles (approximately 9, broken to fit)
Additional spices to taste

Brown meat in cast iron skillet until fully cooked. Dice onion, carrot, olives and any other veggie you wish to incorporate (experiment!! The first time I made it I used spinach, and it was great. As far as I'm concerned, there are few slow cooker recipes to which you cannot sneak in some additional veggies), add to skillet, mix, let cook for a few minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. Line your slow cooker, or coat with cooking spray if you don't know about liners yet (seriously, go get some). Start with a layer of tomatoes and marinara sauce, then cheese, then noodles, then meat mixture, covered in more tomatoes and sauce, cheese, noodles, etc., ending with noodles, heavy tomatoes/sauce and cheese. Cover and cook on High for 3-4 hours, uncovered for the last 30 mins or so to let some of the excess moisture out.

This was obviously a huge hit at my house. You really can't go wrong with meat and cheese and pasta, nor with the Crock Pot. It's super delicious, and will make your mouth start watering after about the second hour of cooking. If you're still in the house, of course. The beauty of slow cooking is being able to do other things while your food is cooking.

Black Bean Christmas Chili Enchiladas

I've been on a real cooking kick lately, and it has resulted in some really awesome, and pretty healthy meals for my family. Today's adventure was originally planned as another crock pot recipe, but I ended up doing it in the oven instead.

Here's the thing about me and recipes: I'm not so good at following them. I made crepes this morning, for example, and while I referenced the Betty Crocker recipe, I pretty much went by memory and improvised some things (personally, I like a bit more butter and sugar in mine). Perhaps it is just my stubborn nature, but for the most part I only read recipes for inspiration. My father is the same way. These Black Bean Christmas  Chili Enchiladas are the perfect testament to that. I found a recipe for Crock Pot enchiladas that looked intriguing, so I bought the ingredients, then ended up putting them together for the oven instead.

Confession time: They're filled with canned ingredients. You could probably go all out and prepare everything from scratch if you wanted to, but why would you? I even found canned Black Beans with Jalapenos for extra flavor. I served them with homemade Mexican Rice (have I mentioned that I love my rice cooker?) and canned, no-fat refried beans. I'm calling it a win!

Okay, so here they are before the mandatory covering of deliciously melty cheese

That dusting of New Mexico red chili powder gives them an unexpected kick!

Christmas Black Bean and Chili Enchiladas 

1 can black beans (with or without jalapenos), drained and well-rinsed

1 can corn kernels, drained

Handful of sliced black olives (however many you like, really)

1 can green diced green chili, drained

1 can white chicken breast (or, one cooked and diced boneless chicken breast)

1 large can Green Enchilada Sauce (pictured above: mild)

Red chili Powder (not to brag, but mine is authentic from Hatch, NM)

Shredded cheese (I like a Mexican blend)

12 Tortillas (pictured above: flour. Corn works too, though you may need more than 12 to fill a 9 x 13")

Mix canned beans, corn, olives, diced chili, chicken and a handful (I'd say it was between 1/2 and 3/4 cup) of shredded cheese in a large bowl. Pour a small amount of the enchilada sauce in the bottom of a foil-lined 9 x 13" baking dish (mine's Pyrex). Fill each tortilla with a generous amount of the filling and roll; fill pan, then cover in remaining enchilada sauce. Sprinkle red chili powder evenly, according to your desire for spicy goodness. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top, then cover in tin foil. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 hour. Remove tin foil and broil for 5 to 10 minutes to crisp up the cheese at the end of baking.

Result! So. Much. Deliciousness.

Prep time: 20 - 30 minutes

Bake time: 1 hour + 5 minutes

This pan is going to feed us dinner at least twice, and I'll be eating good lunch at work this week! I love enchiladas a lot for all of the above reasons. Plus, Mexican dishes like this only get better with time in the refrigerator. 

Seriously delicious. Aside from making the sauce from scratch, I'm pretty sure these could not be improved upon. And, with a filling made mostly of beans and veggies, the argument can be made that this recipe should permanently replace my very favorite Chicken Sour Cream Enchiladas, which are delicious for all the wrong reasons (hint: it's sour cream). 

So, are you like me? Do you make stuff up as you go? Well, why not write it down and send it to youringredients@ingredientsmagazineslc.com? If it's good, we may just publish it in an upcoming issue of Ingredients Magazine!