Convenient Slow-Cooker Lasagna
Rachel Yoder
Middlebury, IN
Makes 6-8 servings
Prep Time: 30-45 minutes
Cooking Time: 4 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 6-qt.
1 lb. ground beef
29-oz. can tomato sauce
8-oz. pkg. lasagna noodles, uncooked
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1½ cups cottage cheese
1. Spray the interior of the cooker with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Brown the ground beef in a large non-stick skillet. Drain off drippings.
3. Stir in tomato sauce. Mix well.
4. Spread one-fourth of the meat sauce on the bottom of the slow cooker.
5. Arrange one-third of the uncooked noodles over the sauce. (I usually break them up so they fit better.)
6. Combine the cheeses in a bowl. Spoon one-third of the cheeses over the noodles.
7. Repeat these layers twice.
8. Top with remaining sauce.
9. Cover and cook on Low 4 hours.
Variations:
1. Add 1 chopped onion to the ground beef in Step 2.
2. Add 1 tsp. salt to the tomato sauce and beef in Step 3.
3. Add ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese to the mozzarella and cottage cheeses in Step 6.
4. Add ½ cup additional shredded mozzarella cheese to the top of the lasagna 5 minutes before serving.
A Tip —
Allow cooked pasta dishes, especially those with cheese, as well as egg dishes, to stand for 10-15 minutes before serving, so that they can absorb their juices and firm up.
Mary Jane Musser
Manheim, PA
Janet Oberholtzer
Ephrata, PA
Eleya Raim, Oxford, IA
Orpha Herr, Andover, NY
Makes 6-8 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 4 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
12-oz. pkg. lasagna noodles
half a stick (¼ cup) butter
1½ lbs. ground beef
1 qt. spaghetti sauce
8 ozs. Velveeta cheese, cubed, or your choice of cheeses
1. Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain. Return cooked noodles to saucepan and stir in butter until melted.
2. While the noodles are cooking, brown beef in a non-stick skillet. Drain off drippings.
3. Then layer into the slow cooker one-fourth of the sauce, one-third of the browned beef, one-third of the cooked noodles, and one-third of the cubed cheese.
4. Repeat these layers two more times, ending with one-fourth of the sauce.
5. Cover and cook on Low 3-4 hours, or until heated through and cheese has melted.
Cheesy Cheddar Lasagna
LuAnna J. Hochstedler
East Earl, PA
Makes 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 3-8 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 3-qt.
1 lb. ground beef
14-oz. jar spaghetti sauce, or about 1½ cups if you’re using homemade sauce
1 cup water
12-oz. box macaroni and cheese, uncooked, divided
8 ozs. cottage cheese
½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1. Brown ground beef in a non-stick skillet. Drain off drippings. In non-stick skillet, mix spaghetti sauce and water into beef.
2. Place half the meat mixture into the slow cooker. Top with half the uncooked macaroni and cheese dinner and sauce packet.
3. Spoon cottage cheese over top.
4. Add the remaining meat.
5. Then add the remaining macaroni and cheese sauce packet.
6. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
7. Cover and cook on Low 6-8 hours or on High 3-4 hours, or until macaroni are tender and cheeses are melted.
Lazy Lasagna
Barb Harvey
Quarryville, PA
Makes 10 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 3¼-4¼ hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
1 lb. ground beef
12-oz. pkg. egg noodles
32-oz. jar spaghetti sauce, your choice of flavors
8 ozs. mozzarella cheese, shredded
16 ozs. cottage cheese
1. Brown ground beef in a non-stick skillet. Drain off drippings.
2. While beef is browning, cook noodles according to package directions. Drain. Return cooked noodles to saucepan.
3. Stir spaghetti sauce into browned and drained ground beef.
4. Stir mozzarella and cottage cheeses into cooked noodles.
5. Layer one-third of the sauce into the bottom of the slow cooker. Top with half the noodles, followed by half the cheeses.
6. Layer in half the remaining sauce, followed by all the remaining noodles and cheeses. Top with rest of sauce.
7. Cover and cook on Low 3-4 hours.
Variation: Substitute 1 lb. loose sausage for the ground beef.
— Kendra Dreps
Liberty, PA
Quick-’N-Easy Meat-Free Lasagna
Rhonda Freed
Lowville, NY
Makes 6 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 3-4 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
28-oz. jar spaghetti sauce, your choice of flavors
6-7 uncooked lasagna noodles
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
15 ozs. ricotta cheese
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1. Spread one-fourth of sauce in bottom of slow cooker.
2. Lay 2 noodles, broken into 1” pieces, over sauce.
3. In a bowl, mix together 1½ cups mozzarella cheese, the ricotta, and Parmesan cheeses.
4. Spoon half of cheese mixture onto noodles and spread out to edges.
5. Spoon in one-third of remaining sauce, and then 2 more broken noodles.
6. Spread remaining cheese mixture over top, then one-half the remaining sauce and all the remaining noodles.
7. Finish with remaining sauce.
8. Cover and cook on Low 3-4 hours, or until noodles are tender and cheeses are melted.
9. Add ½ cup mozzarella cheese and cook until cheese melts.
A Tip —
Always taste the food you’ve prepared before serving it, so you can correct the seasonings, if necessary.
Spaghetti and Sauce
Beverly Flatt Getz
Warriors Mark, PA
Makes 8 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 4-8 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
1½ lbs. ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
26-oz. jar spaghetti sauce with mushrooms
10½-oz. can tomato soup
14-oz. can stewed, or petite diced, tomatoes
soup-can of water
Optional seasonings:
minced garlic, to taste
Italian seasoning, to taste
onion salt, to taste
1. Sauté ground beef and onion in a large non-stick skillet just until meat is browned.
2. Place meat and onion in slow cooker. Stir in spaghetti sauce, tomato soup, cut-up tomatoes, water, and any additional seasonings you would like.
3. Cover and cook on High 4 hours, or on Low 6-8 hours.
4. It’s ready to serve over your favorite pasta!
Kendra Dreps
Liberty, PA
Makes 10-12 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 2-4 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4- to 5-qt.
1 lb. dry spaghetti
1 lb. ground beef, or loose sausage
1 lb. 10-oz. jar spaghetti sauce, your favorite flavor
1 lb. Velveeta cheese, cubed
10¾-oz. can cream of mushroom soup
1. Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Drain. Then place in a large mixing bowl.
2. In a non-stick skillet, brown ground beef or sausage. Drain off drippings. Then add to cooked spaghetti in the large bowl.
3. Stir remaining ingredients into bowl. Mix together well, and then place in slow cooker.
4. Cook on Low 2-4 hours, or until heated through.
Slow-Cooker Pizza
Liz Rugg, Wayland, IA
Makes 8-10 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 2-3 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
12-oz. bag Kluski, or sturdy, noodles
1½ lbs. ground beef
32-oz. jar spaghetti sauce, your choice of flavors
16 ozs. mozzarella cheese, shredded
8 ozs. pepperoni, thinly sliced
1. Cook noodles per directions on package. Drain.
2. While noodles are cooking brown ground beef in a non-stick skillet. Drain off drippings.
3. Meanwhile, grease interior of slow cooker.
4. Pour in one-fourth of spaghetti sauce. Follow with half the noodles, and then half the browned ground beef. Top with one-third of the shredded cheese. Follow with half the pepperoni.
5. Repeat the layers, beginning with one-third of the sauce, followed by a layer of the rest of the noodles, a layer of the remaining ground beef, half the cheese, and the rest of the pepperoni.
6. Top with the remaining spaghetti sauce. Finish with the rest of the cheese.
7. Cover and cook on Low for 2-3 hours, or until heated through and until the cheese has melted.
Variation: Add sliced mushrooms, chopped or sliced onions, sliced black olives, and diced green peppers to one or more of the layers, if you wish.
Tortellini with Broccoli
Susan Kasting, Jenks, OK
Makes 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 2½-3 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
½ cup water
26-oz. jar pasta sauce, your favorite
1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
9-oz. pkg. frozen spinach and cheese tortellini
16-oz. pkg. frozen broccoli florets
1. In a bowl, mix water, pasta sauce, and seasoning together.
2. Pour one-third of sauce into bottom of slow cooker. Top with all the tortellini.
3. Pour one-third of sauce over tortellini. Top with broccoli.
4. Pour remaining sauce over broccoli.
5. Cook on High 2½-3 hours, or until broccoli and pasta are tender but not mushy.
Elizabeth Colucci
Lancaster, PA
Makes 4-6 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 2½-3 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 3-qt.
10-oz. pkg. beef ravioli
16-oz. jar spaghetti sauce, with peppers, mush-rooms, and onions, divided
½ cup Italian bread crumbs
1 cup mozzarella cheese
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, optional
½ cup cheddar cheese
1. Cook ravioli according to package directions. Drain.
2. Spoon enough spaghetti sauce into the slow cooker to cover the bottom. Place ravioli on top.
3. Cover with remaining sauce. Top with bread crumbs. Sprinkle with cheeses.
4. Stir to mix together well.
5. Cover and cook on Low 2½-3 hours, or until heated through, but without overcooking the pasta.
Chicken Broccoli Alfredo
Mrs. Mahlon Miller
Hutchinson, KS
Makes 4 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 1-2 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 3-qt.
8-oz. pkg. noodles, or spaghetti (half a 16-oz. pkg.)
1½ cups fresh or frozen broccoli
1 lb. uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
10¾-oz. can cream of mushroom soup
½ cup grated mild cheddar cheese
1. Cook noodles according to package directions, adding broccoli during the last 4 minutes of the cooking time. Drain.
2. Saute the chicken in a non-stick skillet, or in the microwave, until no longer pink in the center.
3. Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.
4. Cover and cook on Low 1-2 hours, or until heated through and until cheese is melted.
Cheesy Chicken and Macaroni
LuAnna J. Hochstedler
East Earl, PA
Makes 4-6 servings
Prep Time: 5-10 minutes
Cooking Time: 3-7 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 3- to 4-qt.
4 small boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
7¼-oz. pkg. macaroni and cheese dinner, uncooked
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups water
2 cups frozen vegetable blend, thawed
½ cup water, optional
1. Place chicken in slow cooker.
2. Sprinkle contents of cheese sauce packet over chicken.
3. Pour dry macaroni on top.
4. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese.
5. Pour water over all, being careful not to wash off the cheddar cheese.
6. Cover and cook on High 2 hours, or on Low 4 hours.
7. Stir in thawed vegetables, mixing them in thoroughly. Add ½ cup water if needed to keep the dish from cooking dry.
8. Cover and cook on High another hour, or on Low another 2-3 hours, or until vegetables are tender but pasta is not mushy or dry.
Anna Musser
Manheim, PA
Makes 6 servings
Prep Time: 7 minutes
Cooking Time: 2½-3 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.
2 cups shredded cheese, your choice
2 cups macaroni, uncooked
3 cups milk
2 10¾-oz. cans cream of mushroom soup
2 cups cooked ham, or sliced hot dogs, or cooked, cubed chicken, or cooked ground beef
1. Place all ingredients in slow cooker. Mix together gently, but until well blended.
2. Cover and cook on High 2½-3 hours, or until macaroni is cooked but not overdone.
Macaroni and Cheese
Cynthia Morris, Grottoes, VA
Jennifer A. Crouse
Mt. Crawford, VA
Esther S. Martin, Ephrata, PA
Audrey L. Kneer
Williamsfield, IL
Virginia Eberly, Loysville, PA
Makes 4-5 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 3 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 3-qt.
1-3 Tbsp. butter, melted, depending upon how rich you’d like the dish to be
1½ cups uncooked macaroni
1 qt. milk
8-12 ozs. grated sharp cheddar cheese, or cubed Velveeta cheese (not the low-fat variety)
½-1 tsp. salt, depending upon your taste and dietary preferences
¼ tsp. pepper
1. Stir all ingredients together in slow cooker.
2. Cover and cook on Low 3 hours.
Variations:
1. Add 2-3 Tbsp. onion, chopped fine, and 1 tsp. salt to Step 1.
— Dale Peterson
Rapid City, SD
2. Instead of macaroni, use ½ lb. uncooked medium noodles.
— Vera Martin
East Earl, PA
— Lucille Martin
Barnett, MO
Lotsa Cheese Macaroni and Cheese
Renee Baum
Chambersburg, PA
Makes 10 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 3 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 3-qt.
1 lb. dry macaroni
1 lb. Velveeta cheese, cubed
8 ozs. extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 qt. milk
1 stick (½ cup) butter, cut into small chunks
1. Follow package instructions for preparing the macaroni, but cook the macaroni only half the amount of time as called for. Drain. Pour macaroni into slow cooker.
2. Add remaining ingredients and stir together well.
3. Cover and cook on High 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
Renee Suydam, Lancaster, PA
Patricia Fleischer, Carlisle, PA
Ruth Zendt, Mifflintown, PA
Makes 10-12 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 3 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 6-qt.
1 lb. dry macaroni
12-oz. can evaporated milk
3 cups milk
2 lbs. Velveeta cheese, cubed, or sharp cheese, shredded
1. Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain.
2. Put both milks in slow cooker. Cube cheese and add to milk.
3. Stir in cooked macaroni.
4. Cover and cook on Low 3 hours.
Variations:
1. ¼ cup onion, chopped fine, added to Step 2.
2. ¼ tsp. chili powder, added to Step 2.
3. Chopped fresh parsley, chives, or green and/or red bell pepper, added as a garnish just before serving.
— Bonita Ensenberger
Albuquerque, NM
4. 1½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce, added to Step 2.
— Cindy Krestynick
Glen Lyon, PA
Two-Cheeses Macaroni
Mary Stauffer
Ephrata, PA
Ruth Ann Bender
Cochranville, PA
Esther Burkholder
Millerstown, PA
Makes 6 servings
Prep Time: 8-10 minutes
Cooking Time: 2½ hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4- to 5-qt.
1 stick (½ cup) butter, cut in pieces
2 cups uncooked macaroni
2 cups grated sharp cheese, divided
24 ozs. small-curd cottage cheese
2½ cups boiling water
1. Place butter in bottom of slow cooker. Add uncooked macaroni, 1½ cups shredded cheese, and cottage cheese. Stir together until well mixed.
2. Pour boiling water over everything. Do not stir.
3. Cover and cook on High for 2 hours.
4. Stir. Sprinkle with remaining ½ cup grated cheese.
5. Allow dish to stand for 10-15 minutes before serving to allow sauce to thicken.
Creamy Spirals
Janet Oberholtzer
Ephrata, PA
Renee Baum
Chambersburg, PA
Makes 10-12 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 2-2½ hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4- to 5-qt.
1 lb. uncooked spiral pasta
¾ stick (6 Tbsp.) butter
2 cups half-and-half
10¾-oz. can cheddar cheese soup
2-4 cups shredded cheddar cheese, depending upon how creamy you’d like the dish to be
1. Cook pasta according to package directions, being careful not to overcook it. Drain.
2. Return pasta to saucepan. Stir in butter until it melts.
3. Combine half-and-half and soup in slow cooker, blending well.
4. Stir pasta and shredded cheese into mixture in cooker.
5. Cover and cook on Low 2-2½ hours, or until heated through and until cheese melts. (If you’re home, stir the dish at the end of the first hour of cooking.)
June S. Groff
Denver, PA
Makes 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 3 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 2-qt.
1½ lbs. orange roughy fillets
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1. Cut fillets to fit in slow cooker.
2. In a bowl, mix remaining ingredients together. Pour sauce over fish. (If you have to stack the fish, spoon a portion of the sauce over the first layer of fish before adding the second layer.)
3. Cover and cook on Low 3 hours, or until fish flakes easily but is not dry or over-cooked.
Salmon Souffle
Betty B. Dennison
Grove City, PA
Anne Townsend
Albuquerque, NM
Makes 4 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 2-3 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 2- to 3-qt.
15-oz. can salmon, drained and flaked
2 eggs, beaten well
2 cups seasoned croutons
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 cup boiling water
¼ tsp. dry mustard, optional
1. Grease the interior of your cooker with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Combine salmon, eggs, croutons, and cheese in the slow cooker.
3. Dissolve bouillon cubes in boiling water in a small bowl. Add mustard, if you wish, and stir. Pour over salmon mixture and stir together lightly.
4. Cover and cook on High 2-3 hours, or until mixture appears to be set. Allow to stand 15 minutes before serving.
Tuna Loaf
Tina Goss
Duenweg, MO
Makes 4 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour
Ideal slow cooker size: 2-qt.
10¾-oz. can cream of mushroom soup, divided
¾ cup milk, divided
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups dry stuffing mix
12-oz. can tuna, drained and flaked
1. Place ⅔ of the undiluted soup and ½ cup of the milk in a small saucepan. Blend together; then set aside.
2. Grease the interior of the slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Mix the rest of the ingredients together in the slow cooker.
3. Cover and cook on High for 1 hour. Allow to stand for 15 minutes before serving.
4. Meanwhile, heat the reserved soup and milk in the saucepan. Serve over the cooked tuna as a sauce.
Variation: Add ½ tsp. salt and ¼ tsp. pepper to Step 2.