Crock Pot Lasagna

I used a 3 cup package of my own sauce plus a 15 ounce can of Hunts tomato sauce to make this recipe.

It's good and easy, and I'd definitely make it again.  The only difference I'd make (besides the sauce) is to add an extra layer of noodles.  Even after sitting with the lid off for 10 minutes, it's still a little soupy.

Crock Pot Lasagna 

1 pound Lean Ground Beef

1 jar Spaghetti Sauce

2 cups Cottage Cheese

2 cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

½ cups Parmesan Cheese, Shredded

6 whole Lasagna Noodles, Regular, Uncooked

¼ cups Water

 

• In frying pan, brown ground beef and drain fat.
• Add water and pasta sauce, reserving a small amount of sauce to line bottom of crock pot. Stir until well blended.
• Line bottom of crock pot with very thin layer of sauce, then top with 2-3 uncooked lasagna noodles that are broken to fit shape (some overlap is fine).
• Cover noodles with half the cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, and Parmesan cheese, then top cheeses with half of the meat mixture.
• Repeat layers with the other half of the ingredients. Cook on low for 4 hours.

Bacon Dill Tea Sandwiches

8 oz. Cream Cheese (softened)
1/3 c mayonnaise
5 slices bacon (finely chopped)
1 tbls green onion (chopped)
1 tsp dill weed
1/8 tsp pepper
1 c. toasted slivered almonds

Mix ingredients until well combined.  Spread half of the bread with a think coat of mayo.  Spread the other bread with the cream cheese mixture.  To make each sandwich, cut off crusts, and cut into three parallel sections, or four triangles.

NOTES:
I made this for the 2012 tea but served openfaced on thin rye bread.

Homemade Cheez-its

Makes about 1 quart

3 T boiling water
1 T annatto seeds (optional), coarsely ground
6 ounces (1½ cups) finely grated sharp cheddar cheese
4 T (2 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
1½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons (3¼ ounces) all-purpose flour
2 T cornstarch

If using annatto, combine water and annatto seeds. Let steep for 5 minutes. Strain and discard seeds. Put annatto seed water in ice bath until cool.

Using stand mixer fitted with a paddle, combine cheese, butter, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper until combined and starting to stick to sides of mixing bowl, about 30 seconds. Add flour and cornstarch and mix until combined, about 1 minute. Add 2 tablespoons of annatto seed water or plain cool water and mix until dough ball forms, about 10 seconds. Add remaining 1 tablespoon water if needed. Transfer dough to floured counter and flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.

Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.

Unwrap dough onto well floured counter and roll to 1/16 inch thickness. Cut into 1-inch squares. Using the blunt end of a skewer, poke a hole in the center of each square. Transfer to baking sheets. Sprinkle with remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Bake until light golden around edges, about 18 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking. Let cool completely on baking sheets. (Crackers can be stored in airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days).

Notes: These baked up crispy and very tasty, if a tad greasy. My crackers were plenty orange without the annatto. Make sure you roll these quite thin (the dough should be translucent) as they rise about 4x in the oven. I did one pan where I spread the crakers out a bit, and one where they were left next to each other on the baking mat. The former baked up crisper.