Freezer Lasagne/Crockpot recipes
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List of Ingredients
This is not fancy food, but it is tastier and MUCH cheaper than the frozen lasagna entrees in the freezer case at the store. If you are making it for your family, make one for the crockpot and one for the freezer for another day. To make a freezer entree for entree exchange, you need to make 3 times this recipe for 24 generous servings.
When you prepare dishes with uncooked noodles, the sauce provides ALL the moisture as the dish bakes, so you have to use plenty, and it should not be very thick. The sauce will thicken as the noodles absorb the extra liquid. If you will freeze before baking, add one extra cup of sauce.
The no-boil type lasagna noodles are thinner than the regular ones and make a more tender dish. I think they are worth the small extra cost, and use them even when I have time to boil the noodles.
Freezer or Crockpot Lasagna
Beef, Chicken and Vegetarian Variations: TexMex follows
9 x 13 pan or 3 1/2 quart crockpot- 8 generous servings
Beef
1 1/2 pound lean ground beef OR Italian sausage OR mix
1 onion, chopped OR 1/2 cup celery, chopped
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 quart tomato sauce(I like chunky mushroom or vegetable)
1-6 oz. can tomato paste
salt to taste
2 tsp. dried Italian spice OR mixed basil and oregano
1-12 oz. carton ricotta or small curd cottage cheese
2 eggs mixed with 1 tablespoon fruity olive oil
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
10-12 oz. lasagna noodles, uncooked
3 cups (12 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese
Brown ground beef,onion/ celery and garlic in skillet, drain excess meat fat. Stir in tomato sauce,tomato paste, salt and Italian spice or oregano. Separately, mix the mozzarella and the Parmesan. In a third bowl, mix ricotta, eggs, and parsley.
Chicken
3 cups (1 1/2 pound) cooked shredded chicken
1 onion, chopped OR 1/2 cup celery, chopped
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 quart tomato sauce(I like chunky mushroom or vegetable)
1-6 oz. can tomato paste
You may substitute 5 cups of creamy Alfredo style sauce
salt to taste
2 tsp. dried Italian spice OR mixed basil and oregano
1-12 oz. carton ricotta or small curd cottage cheese
2 eggs mixed with 1 tablespoon fruity olive oil
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
10-12 oz. lasagna noodles, uncooked
3 cups (12 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese
Brown onion/ celery and garlic in skillet. Stir in chicken, alfredo or tomato sauce,tomato paste, salt and Italian spice or oregano. Separately, mix the mozzarella and the Parmesan. In a third bowl, mix ricotta, eggs, and parsley.
Vegetarian
3 cups (20 ounce bag frozen) diced,cooked drained vegetables; broccoli, mushrooms, spinach, zucchini, eggplant, bell pepper
1 onion, chopped OR 1/2 cup celery, chopped
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 quart tomato sauce (I like chunky mushroom, olive and caper, or vegetable)
1-6 oz. can tomato paste
You may substitute 5 cups of creamy Alfredo style sauce, or half and half: veggie lasagna is good with every other layer red and white.
salt to taste
2 tsp. dried Italian spice OR mixed basil and oregano
1-12 oz. carton ricotta or small curd cottage cheese, or crumbled drained tofu
2 eggs mixed with 1 tablespoon fruity olive oil
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
10-12 oz. lasagna noodles, uncooked
3 cups (12 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese
Cook and drain chopped vegetables, measure out 3 cups, set aside. Brown onion/ celery and garlic in skillet. Stir in alfredo sauce or tomato sauce and tomato paste, salt and Italian spice or oregano. Separately, mix the mozzarella and the Parmesan. In a third bowl, mix ricotta or tofu, eggs, and parsley.
Crockpot method (6-8 hours on low, don't use high):
Warm the sauce with the meat or vegetables added. Spoon a layer of warm sauce onto the bottom of an oiled 3 1/2 quart crockpot. Add a double layer of uncooked lasagna noodles (break to fit). Spoon on ricotta in big dabs, sprinkle on 1 cup of mozzarella. Repeat with sauce, noodles and cheeses until all are used up, three layers of noodles, ending with sauce. You may need to add some additional sauce, depending on your crockpot and noodles. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
Freezer-oven method
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking for best results.
Line a 9" X 13" pan or 2 square 8" pans with foil long enough to fold over and close after the lasagna is made. Oil or Pam the foil. Use an extra cup of sauce in the preparation of the sauce. Start with the sauce, layer as above, using only a single layer of noodles between layers of sauce and cheese. You should have two or three layers of noodles, no more, and end with sauce. Close the foil, freeze overnight, then remove the foil-wrapped casserole from the pan and seal it in a 2 gallon freezer or ziplock bag. To bake, place the foil-wrapped casserole in an oven dish, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bake covered at 350* about one hour 10 minutes until bubbling and cheese is well melted. If you want a browned top, unfold the foil cover and sprinkle on a little more Pamesan the last ten minutes of baking.
Freezer-crockpot method
Assemble the recipe in a foil-lined one gallon ice cream container and it will fit inside a 5 or 6 quart crockpot. Remove the foil from the frozen pacakage, place it in the crockpot and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before cooking. Cook covered one hour on high, then turn to low for 6-8 hours (automatic setting on most crockpots). If it seems a little juicy, remove the lid and turn to high for the last hour.
TexMex Lasagnas
Can be made with cooked lasagna noodles or the very large burrito-size flour tortillas. Some folks like it with the tortillas even better than noodles. One recipe makes a 9x13 pan, or a 3-4 quart crockpot, 8 generous servings. You can double or triple, it freezes well with a little extra salsa added and can be crockpot cooked like the other freezer lasagnas. Please read the above recipe for hints if you plan to freeze.
1 quart salsa (may mix mild and medium, or use green)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cloves garlic, minced OPTIONAL
1 (10-ounce)package dry lasagna noodles (about 6-8 noodles)
OR 8 giant burrito flour tortillas*
2 cups nonfat cottage cheese
OR firm tofu drained and crumbled
OR 2 cups fresh or frozen guacamole (OPTIONAL, not for freezing)
2 eggs
1 or 2 (4-ounce) cans diced green chiles
4 cups diced cooked chicken or turkey
OR 2 pounds cooked drained ground meat or seitan or chili (3-4 cups)
OR 4 cups drained, cooked tender pinto beans, pink beans, black or Anasazi beans
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese or low fat queso quesadilla (Reserve 1/4 cup for topping).
1 jalapeno pepper, sliced and seeded OPTIONAL FOR GARNISH
I use Pace salsa with cilantro when I don't have time to make my own. If you are baking immediately, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly coat a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with vegetable oil or cooking spray.
Saute pepper, cilantro, chili powder, cumin, and garlic. Add salsa, bring to a boil; reduce the heat and simmer uncovered, stirring often, until the sauce is reduced to 4 cups, about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the lasagna noodles according to package directions and drain well. Combine the cottage cheese, eggs, parsley, and chiles; mix well and set aside.
Arrange part of the cooled lasagna noodles in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Spread part of the cottage cheese mixture over the pasta then an equal part of the the cooked chicken/beans, then half the salsa mixture.
Sprinkle part of the shredded cheeses on top. Repeat the layering steps, ending with the shredded cheeses.
Bake, covered, until bubbly and heated through, about 45-50 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle evenly with remaining half of cheese, and bake 5 more minutes. Let stand uncovered for 10 minutes before cutting. You can add a spoonful of guacamole or sour cream to garnish. Top with jalapeno slices, if desired.
If you omit the guacamole, and add a little extra sauce, you can freeze this fully assembled and reheat by cooking the thawed casserole for 50-60 minutes at 350 (thaw it in the microwave or overnight first). Sprinkle with a little more and bake 5 more minutes.
* Using tortillas in a rectanglar pan: Cut the round tortilla into a wide center strip and two "halfmoon" slices. Use the center stips to make the bottom and top layersand piece the middle layer(s) together from the round edges.
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