Slow Cooker Lasagna

Yesterday, it was too darn hot to cook.  There is no way I was going to spend any time near that hot stove, regardless of whether it was the range or the oven that was heating up the kitchen, it was just.  Too.  Hot.  The kids had been asking for lasagna for dinner for a while now though, so I gave them what they wanted.  Sure, my oldest said his dad's girlfriend's lasagna is better, but, like I told him, this isn't my best lasagna.  This is the recipe for my "it's too darn hot to cook" or "I don't have the time to make a 'proper' lasagna" lasagna.  Like most slow cooker recipes, this is pretty much a toss-it-in-and-let-it-go kind of thing, although still more layered than some dishes would be.

Another nice thing about this lasagna: it can be made cheaply.  In fact, when calculating out how much it cost me to make the lasagna last night, between sales and coupons and making my own tomato sauce last year, it was a $5 lasagna!  Making it like this makes it harder to notice the cottage cheese (which I got on sale, with a coupon, for $1) taking the place of the ricotta, which makes it easier to skimp on costs.

Slow Cooker Lasagna

1/2-1 lb ground meat, browned (optional)
4 cups plain tomato sauce
1 tbsp dried onion
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 lb cottage cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
about 9 uncooked lasagna noodles

Combine browned ground meat (if using), tomato sauce, onion, basil, oregano, and garlic in a medium mixing bowl.  Combine 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, cottage cheese, and Parmesan cheese in a separate mixing bowl.  Spoon 1/4 of the tomato sauce mixture into the bottom of a slow cooker.  Layer on 3 lasagna noodles, broken to fit.  Spoon on half the cheese mixture, then 1/4 of the tomato sauce mixture, 3 more lasagna noodles; repeat.  Finish with remaining sauce mixture.  Cover and cook on low setting 6 to 8 hours, or until lasagna noodles are tender.  Turn off slow cooker and top lasagna with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella.  Cover and let stand 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted, before serving.