We have barely stepped our feet into the stage of life where kids have their own thing going on and sometimes dinner time doesn't look like it did before. One thing that Aaron and I desire for our family even as our kids get older and get more involved in their own things is family time. We love meal times and value that time together with a family. Unless Aaron's out of town there are not many nights we don't sit down together at the table and eat together as a family.
On Wed the two little boys have soccer practice until 5:30 and Aaron has band rehearsal until about that time as well, so by the time we all get back home we are ready to eat. This is where the crock pot is a life saver. I am trying to do meals in the crock pot on Wed so that when we get home dinner is ready and we're not scrounging around or eating out.
Last night I made crock pot lasagna. I have made this before and I have to say it is so easy and super yummy!
1 diced onion
couple of gloves of garlic
oregano, basil
2 large cans crushed tomatoes (I used the fire roasted ones)
1 lb of ground something (all you meat eaters can do whatever you want … we did Boca meatless crumbles!)
3-4 cups shredded mozzarella
2 15 oz cottage cheese
1 box of lasagna noodles (we use whole wheat)
Brown 1 lb of something with onions, garlic, oregano, basil and throw in some salt and pepper of course Toss in the crushed tomatoes. You layer everything in the crock pot: broken up dry noodles, meat mixture, cottage cheese, mozzarella. I do about three layers, so just divide up everything you have by three and get to layering. 5 hours on low. (I did about 2.5 on high last night)
So, there was my crock pot meal from last night. What is your favorite crock pot meal? I need some ideas!
We do Crock Pot taco soup, and it’s YUMMY! Check out my notes section on FB.
Jamie, there are lots of crock pot recipes on Allrecipes.com. Lots of good vegie recipes as well. Soups and salads, I use it all the time to refresh my memory of when I used to cook alot for a large family.
thanks Susanna and Gwen! Susanna I just printed out the recipe & will make it next week! Thanks!
I just bought the stuff to make lasagna. I will be making it in the crockpot now. Love crockpot recipes. I’m going to do a spinach no meat lasagna and see how it turns out. 🙂 Thanks for the idea.
I love crock pot recipes and lasagna as well. So you can imagine how thrilled I am with this crock pot lasagna. I’ll definitely have this at the top of my menu this weekend. I can’t wait already. Thanks for sharing!
thanks, I love crockpot recipes too and will definitely be using this one! and kudos to the whole wheat pasta! so much healthier for us, and finally my kids seem to be getting used to it.
Because I love reading your blog and learning from your family experiences, I will share with you my homemade crock pot macaroni recipe! It’s a family recipe and its everybody’s favorite.
2 eggs
1 cup of whole milk
1 12 oz can evaporated milk
salt and pepper
macaroni noodles (amount determined by you)
4+ cups shredded cheese, mild or sharp cheddar
Boil macaroni until right before fully cooked. In a mixing bowl mix eggs, whole milk, can of evaporated milk, salt and pepper, and 3 of the 4 cups of shredded cheese. Drain macaroni and pour into crock pot, pouring mixture over noodles and mixing all ingredients together. Sprinkle remaining cheese (1 cup or desired amount) over the top of the noodles and cook on high for 2 1/2-3 hrs until macaroni and cheese reaches a soft and sponge-like consistency.
it shouldn’t be runny or liquidy but it will certainly be cheesy! Hope you and the kids enjoy!
Claire – sounds completely sinful and utterly delicious!!!!! thanks for sharing.
“Brown 1 lb of something”
i like the way you worded that, made me laugh!
Just wanted you to know im making this tomorrow (wed)!! I’m excited!
Grace glad you are making it. i’m doing a taco soup in the crock pot tomorrow from a friend. I’ll post the recipe and my thoughts soon.
ooohhh.. I love crockpot recipes!! Thanks for the new one!
I plan on making this tomorrow. Just to make sure I am reading it right… you don’t cook the noodles? Just put them in there all broken up and dry?
Yep Carla don’t cook them. It is so easy!!!!
I make a crockpot pizza. It’s very similar to your recipe, except it calls for pizza sauce also, mozzarella and cheddar cheese both, and I use the Kluski noodles. You can add whatever you like to have on a pizza, putting it in layers. I won’t talk about browned beef or pepperoni, but I will mention that we like green pepper, onion, and mushrooms in ours.
Picadillo by Skinnytaste. Serve over rice. I chop up the olives teeny-tiny so my kids have no clue.
Beef Brisket Sandwiches:
2 – 10.5 oz cans beef consomme (not beef broth)
1 1/2 cups soy-sauce
Juice 2 lemons
5 garlic cloves chopped
1 Tablespoon liquid smoke
large brisket that will fit in your crock pot.
Through it all together, let it cook for 8 hours.
Grilled french rolls
grill some onions
add some horseradish
and build yourself a yummy sandwich
*and don’t forget a small dish of the juice from the crock pot to dip your sandwich in…divine.
Crockpot bbq brisket or pork. Whip up a healthy version of coleslaw, grab a brioche roll, and you have yourself an amazing sandwich!
You can make your own bbq sauce… or get the Stubb’s one like I do. It is my favourite.
Keep this coming! We ARE in the stage of tons of activities (including my Noonday business – just started!) and I need to change how I cook. Long gone are the “lazy” (ha!) afternoons cooking. I’m rarley anywhere but in my car before dinner & shortly after. I need great “tried & true” recipes besides just a whole piece of meat with potatoes in the crockpot! Need to avoid pizza & Chipotle weekly! Thx! Trying this next week!