:: taste of tuesday: crock pot pesto lasagna ::

So excited to co-host Taste of Tuesday with Let's Get Bananas and Blissfully Miller! I don't use my slow cooker enough. Even if I used it every day, in the winter, it wouldn't be enough. I know lasagna isn't a meal you think of using a crockpot for, but I've decided you can make anything in those babies. And this recipe is proof.

Pesto Lasagna with Spinach and Mushrooms

Source: myrecipes.com

Ingredients

-4 cups torn spinach

-2 cups sliced cremini mushrooms

-1/2 cup pesto

-3/4 cup (3 oz) shredded, part skim mozzarella cheese

-3/4 cup (3 oz) shredded provolone cheese

-1 (15 oz) carton fat free ricotta cheese

-1 large egg, lightly beaten

-3/4 cup (3 oz) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided

-1 (25.5 oz) bottle fat-free tomato-basil pasta sauce

-1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce

-cooking spray

-1 (8 oz) package precooked lasagna noodles (12 noodles)

Directions

1. Arrange spinach in a vegetable steamer and steam covered for three minutes or until spinach wilts. (Or if you're lazy, like me, just buy frozen). Drain, squeeze dry, and coursely chop. Combine spinach, mushrooms, and pesto in a medium bowl, stirring to combine; set aside. 

2. Combine mozzarella, provolone, ricotta, and beaten egg in a medium bowl, stir well to combine. Stir in 1/4 cup Parmesan, and set aside. Combine the past a sauce and the tomato sauce in a medium bowl. 

3. Spread 1 cup pasta sauce mixture in the bottom of a 6 quart oval electric slow cooker coated with cooking spray. Arrange three noodles over pasta sauce mixture; top with one cup cheese mixture and one cup spinach mixture. Repeat with layers, ending with spinach mixture. Arrange 3 noodles over spinach mixture, top with remaining one cup cheese mixture and one cup pasta sauce mixture. Place remaining three noodles over sauce mixture; spread remaining sauce mixture over noodles. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan.

4. Cover with lid, and cook on LOW for five hours.

Want to Join Us?! YAY! Just follow these simple steps:

{Email us for co-hosting opportunities!}

1. Follow Jessica and Ashley on Bloglovin'.  And our fabulous co-host, Victoria!
2. Post a recipe, meal, favorite restaurant or anything food related! {Please link directly to your post, not your blog’s homepage.}
3. Grab our button below and link back to our blogs.
4. Go meet some new friends and find some new recipes or restaurants to try!

<a border="0" href="http://www.letsgetbananas.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1153.photobucket.com/albums/p516/aubreykinch/200x200ButtonGlit_zps84c0db97.png"/></a>

Help us promote our link up!  Use the hash tag #tasteoftuesday on Instagram and Twitter and tag us! (IG: @ashleymbarnhill and @jessicaselie) (Twitter @ashleymbarnhill and @jessicaselie).  Tag us and we’ll re-tweet!