Hearty Slow Cooker Lasagna Recipe

Cut three 25x3-in. strips of heavy-duty foil; crisscross so they resemble spokes of a wheel. Place strips on bottom and up sides of a 5-qt. slow cooker. Coat strips with cooking spray. In a 6-qt. stockpot, cook beef over medium heat 6-8 minutes or until beef is no longer pink; drain. Set beef aside. In same pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, zucchini and carrot; cook and stir 2-3 minutes or until just tender. Transfer beef mixture back to pot. Stir in marinara sauce, Italian seasoning and if desired, crushed red pepper. In a large bowl, combine ricotta, Parmesan, eggs and basil. Spread 1/2 cup meat sauce into the bottom of the slow cooker. Layer with four noodles, breaking as needed to fit. Top with 1-1/2 cups meat mixture, 1-2/3 cups cheese mixture and 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers twice. Cook, covered, on low 4 hours or until noodles are tender. Let stand 30 minutes. If desired, sprinkle with grape tomatoes and additional basil.