Crock-Pot Spaghetti Sauce!

As I mentioned in my Crock Pot Pot Roast recipe, I normally cook things in the Crock Pot that Mom cooked on the stove.  She had to watch over it all day to keep it from sticking and burning, and I can put it in the Crock pot and walk away.

I love cooking this it’s fun for me, I don’t know why I enjoy it so much, but, I do.  I know many people use store bought sauce, but, they are sweet and I don’ like them near as much as this recipe.  You can make a huge batch and break it up and freeze it for later meals:  Lasagna, Baked spaghetti, pizza sauce, there are many more uses for it!

Ingredients:

1 can Diced, Roasted, or Whole Stewed Tomatoes 2 can tomato paste PLUS 2 cans warm water
2 cans tomato sauce
2 lbs Ground Hamburger Meat or Ground Turkey
2 Bell Peppers chopped
2 Medium Onions chopped
3 Celery Stalks chopped
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
2 tbsp. Garlic
Oregano
Salt
Pepper
Italian Seasonings
Garlic Salt
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder

I always start with tomato paste, tomato sauce and either diced, roasted or whole stewed tomatoes.  If I use whole stewed tomatoes I will put them in the Crock Pot first and let them cook down a little before adding the other sauces and pastes.

Once the tomatoes have cooked down (or, if I used diced or roasted tomatoes, I just add them all at once), add the tomato sauces, tomato pastes, and the water and stir.  Cook on high while you are preparing the rest of the ingredients.

Then I chop up all of the veggies and sauté them in olive oil on medium heat until the onions begin to look transparent, but not brown.

I add all of the veggies to the sauce in the Crock Pot and then I brown the meat.  Once the meat is nice and brown, I drain it and add it to the sauce, and then I add my spices.

Then I let it cook covered for about 4-5 hours or less depending on the time I have.  I serve it either over regular pasta or over zucchini pasta.

I love my zucchini pasta maker – it makes it quick and easy and much healthier and low carb!  I normally microwave them for about a minute after I cut them just to make them soft.