Slow Cooker Sausage Lasagna

We tried this for the first time. It made a good Sunday dinner. I always like dinners that I can start before church and have it ready when we are ready to eat.


Recipe
Adapted from Everyday Food Magazine, March 2009

1 pound mild Italian sausage, casings removed
1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 cup finely shredded carrot
3 finely shredded garlic cloves
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes in puree
9-12 lasagna noodles (depending on if you like more meaty or noodly lasagna)
2 ½ cups shredded mozzarella (reserve ½ cup in refrigerator)
Salt and pepper

Directions
In a large pot, cook sausage and ground beef over medium heat, breaking up meat into pieces, until no longer pink. Add onion, carrots and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook 3-5 minutes, until onion has softened. Stir in the tomato paste, then crushed tomatoes. Bring to a boil and remove from heat.

Spoon 2 cups of the meat mixture into the bottom of a 5-6 quart crock-pot. Layer 3-4 noodles (breaking them as needed to fit) over the meat. Layer another 2 cups of meat mixture, then ½ - ¾ cup cheese, then 3-4 noodles. Spread the remaining meat on top.

Cover slow cooker and cook on low 4-6 hours. Sprinkle the reserved ½ cup of cheese on top, cover the crock-pot again and cook 10 more minutes to melt the cheese.