Directions: |
Directions:To make meat sauce: Peel and slice carrot. Chop or dice medium onion. Wash and slice 2 sticks of celery. Cut bacon into small pieces (can be omitted). Placed ground beef and bacon in medium sized saucepan and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add carrot, onion and celery; cook for additional 3 minutes. Stir in 2 T. flour. Dissolve beef stock cubes in boiling water. Stir stock and tomato sauce into meat mixture. Add salt, pepper and Italian herbs to saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring, covered and simmer for 30 minutes. Taste and add more salt or pepper if necessary.
To make white sauce: Peel and slice small onion. Wash stick of celery. Place onion, celery, cloves, nutmeg, 1/2 t. salt, shake of pepper and milk in a saucepan. Bring to boil; remove from heat. Cover and leave in warm place to infuse for about 15 minutes. Melt margarine in medium saucepan. Stir in flour and cook gently for 2 minutes, without browning, remove from heat. Strain milk mixture and add to saucepan, a little at a time, stirring well after each addition. Put back on heat and bring to boil. Cook until thickened, stirring all the while.
Preheat a 350º oven and great a 9x13 baking pan. Bring a very large pan of salted water to boil. Add pasta, one piece at a time to prevent it sticking together. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, or as directed on packet. Drain and rinse in cold water.
Arrange one-third of the lasagna in dish, cover one-third of meat sauce, dripSpray a 6-quart oval slow cooker with non-stick spray. Add the tater tots down in a single layer. Set aside.
In a large skillet, set over medium high heat, brown the hamburger, onions and bell pepper. When the meat is browned, drain the fat. Add the amount of water the taco packet says to add to the meat (my packet said to add ¾ cup). Add the taco packet, and continue cooking and stirring until the meat and the seasoning has thickened.
Pour the meat mixture over the tater tots in the slow cooker.
In a medium sized bowl add the sour cream, salt, pepper, onion powder, and half of the cheese (this is about a heaping cup of shredded cheese, save the other half to top the casserole at the end.)
Spread this sour cream cheese mixture over the meat mixture in the slow cooker.
Cover and cook on LOW for 4.5 hours, without opening the lid during the cooking time.
After the cooking time is up add the remaining cheese evenly over the casserole.
Cover and let the cheese melt, this will only take about 5-10 minutes.
To serve, top with diced tomatoes. drop random tablespoons of ricotta on top of meat sauce. Repeat layering twice more, finishing with a layer of white sauce. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Place in center of 350º oven for 30-35 minutes until golden brown. Note: Lasagna may be prepared up to 24 hours in advance and kept foil covered in refrigerator. It may also be covered with a double thickness of foil and frozen. Take out of freezer and let thaw before cooking. |
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