SLOW COOKER LAYERED SPAGHETTI & MEAT SAUCE CASSEROLE

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons salt

1 Tablespoon olive oil (garlic olive oil if you have it)

1 pound lean hamburger

1  (12 oz.) package spaghetti pasta (I used veggie pasta)

2  (24 oz.) jars of Marinara Sauce (I use Bertolli 5 Cheese Marinara Sauce)

Onion Herb Mrs. Dash- to taste

2 garlic cloves, minced (optional)

Garlic powder  - to taste

2 cups Mozzarella Cheese (divided), grated – I use low fat cheese

1 cup Parmesan Cheese (divided), grated

1 ½ cups Cheddar Cheese, grated – I use low fat cheese

1 cup croutons  - about half a bag (coarsely chopped) – to cover top of cheese

Directions:

Line a slow cooker with a slow cooker liner.

Boil water, salt and olive oil in a large pan

Add the package pasta to the boiling water and cook until it is very firm (approximately 8 minutes)

Brown a pound of hamburger in a sautuesse pan.  Remove any excess grease from browned hamburger. (I use some paper towels  and blot it as seen in the picture below)

Add 2 jars of Marinara Sauce to the browned hamburger.  Season with fresh minced garlic (optional), garlic powder, and Onion Herb Mrs. Dash.

Drain Pasta and add to the meat sauce.  Pour half of the Pasta and Sauce into the slow cooker.  Add ½ cup Parmesan and 1 cup Mozzarella to the top of the Pasta and Sauce.  Pour the remaining half of the pasta and sauce over the cheese.  Now, add 1 cup mozzarella, ½ cup Parmesan and 1 cup cheddar cheese and put over the pasta and sauce. Cook on LOW for 3 ½  hours.

About 30 minutes before serving add the coarsely chopped croutons to the top of the casserole and turn the slow cooker on HIGH.  Sprinkle ½  cup cheddar cheese over the croutons.  Cover and serve after 30 minutes.  Once the cheese has melted, only cover the casserole part way with the lid.   Serve and graciously accept the rave reviews.

Ingredients

Meat Sauce

Pasta

Adding Pizza

All Mixed In

Cheese On Top

Melted Cheese On Top

Chopped Croutons

Sprinkled Cheese on Top of Croutons

Ready to Serve

Half Lidded

CHEESE STUFFED MANICOTTI

Ingredients:

1 Package Manicotti (from Raleys, Nugget or Winnco)

Or 1 package Lasagna Noodles (boil, drain, cut in half, then spread cheese mixture onto noodles and roll up.)

Cheese Stuffing

1 (15 oz.) container Ricotta Cheese

1 Large Container Cottage Cheese ( I use low fat, small curd)

2 (2 Cup) Package Mozzarella Cheese (I use low fat)

½ of an 8 oz.  (4 oz.)container of grated Parmesan Cheese

1 bunch parsley leaves (finely chopped)

Meat Sauce:

2 pounds Hamburger Crumbled and drained

2  Jars Beritolli four cheese Marinara Sauce

Season with Garlic Powder, Italian Seasonings, etc. Fresh chopped basil, fresh minced garlic, etc.

Topping:

1 cup shredded cheddar/jack Cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Snip the leaves off the parsley and finely cut them (or use an electric food chopper)

Boil Manicotti as directed.  Drain and let cool on waxed paper.  Insert a plastic spoon in each Manicotti so that they do not stick to themselves.

In a large bowl, combine the Cheeses for the stuffing.  Add parsley and stir in.

Brown and crumble the hamburger.  Drain grease.  Add the Tomato Sauce and Season.

Put enough of the meat sauce in the bottom of a Lasagna Pan to lightly cover the bottom (so the manicotti does not stick)

Stuff the Manicotti with the cheese mixture by hand or by using a very small spoon (I use a baby spoon)…I have found that using my hands works much better.  Or, sometimes I use some kitchen shears and cut a single seam into the manicotti.  Then I spread the cheese in it and roll it up.  I place it in the 9” X 13” seam side down.

Place each manicotti in the lasagna pan over the light layer of meat sauce

Cover the manicotti with the remaining meat sauce – to be sure that the pasta is covered (otherwise it will dry out during baking)

Sprinkle the meat sauce with the cup of shredded cheddar/Jack (or whatever cheese you have)

Cover with Foil and Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees or until it hot all the way through.

Ingredients

Parsely

Basil

Chopped Herbs

Cheese Mixture

Adding the Basil to the Sauce

Draining Manicotti

Manicotti cooling - with plastic spoons in them.

A seam cut in these

Meat Sauce Lining Bottom of Dish

Adding Cheese Sauce to Manicotti

Rolling up the Manicotti

In the Pan ready to Cover with Sauce

Ready to Bake

Just Out of the Oven

Plated and Ready to Serve