Mushroom and Artichoke Lasagna

2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1 pound mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 1/2 cups quartered artichoke hearts, packed in
    water, drained, or thawed if frozen
3/4 cup dry white wine or vegetable stock
12 oven-ready lasagna noodles
2 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
2 cups baby spinach
2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In a skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion; cook until softened. Add mushrooms and garlic and cook, stirring, until mushrooms begin to release their liquid. Stir in artichokes and wine; bring to a boil. Cook, stirring, 1 or 2 minutes, until liquid reduces slightly. Set aside.

Cover bottom of crock pot with 4 noodles, breaking to fit where necessary. Spread with half the ricotta, half the mushroom mixture, half of spinach, one-third each of the mozzarella and Parmesan. Repeat. Arrange final layer of noodles over cheese. Pour any liquid remaining from mushroom mixture over noodles (see tip below) and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan and mozzarella. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or on HIGH for 4 hours, until hot and bubbling.

Tip: Unlike many recipes for lasagna, this one is not very saucy. As a result, the noodles on the top layer tend to dry out. Leave a small amount of cooking liquid from the mushroom mixture behind in the pan, after adding to the crock pot. Pour that over the top layer of noodles, particularly around the edges, where they are most likely to dry out.

Makes 8 servings.