In a large skillet, brown the ground beef together with the finely diced onion until meat is no longer pink. If using a crock pot with a sauté function, this can be done directly in the insert. Once browned, stir in the minced garlic and continue to cook for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant. Drain any excess fat and return the meat mixture to the skillet.

Add the spaghetti sauce and water to the beef mixture, stirring to combine thoroughly.

In a separate mixing bowl, blend the cottage cheese, shredded mozzarella, grated parmesan, egg, and fresh parsley until evenly mixed.

Generously coat a 5-quart (or larger) oval slow cooker with non-stick spray. Spread about one cup of the meat sauce mixture across the base.

Layer with broken pieces of uncooked lasagna noodles to fit the shape of the cooker. Add a portion of the cheese mixture on top of the noodles, then repeat the process: meat sauce, noodles, cheese mixture. Reserve enough meat sauce for a final top layer. Typically, three layers can be achieved in a 5-quart unit.

Secure the lid and cook on low for 3 to 5 hours, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the noodles are tender. Monitor progress depending on your slow cooker model.

Once cooking is complete, evenly sprinkle the remaining shredded mozzarella and grated parmesan over the top. Re-cover and allow to melt for 10 to 15 minutes. Optionally, garnish with additional parsley before serving.