Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce

Ya gotta love it!

Cook the sauce all day long and have a lovely meal at the end of the day! How wonderful to know dinner will be just about ready with little fuss, especially for busy moms.

I was so tickled to find this recipe at Cooking with Libby. Her blog was one of the first I began following and she keeps me interested with amazing and wonderful recipes like this one!

And her photos!  WOW!  Just mouth-watering!

I have so enjoyed getting to know her better as we are co-bloggers at Ccuntry Cooks Across America. We are definitely sisters of the heart...especially in the kitchen!

Spaghetti is definitely the most repeated dish in my kitchen. 

For my hubby, it is a beloved dish!

I make it for Sunday dinner, and he's happy to eat leftovers every day for the week ahead. 

Yep - He's a keeper for sure. *-* (I've kept him for nearly 44 years!)

 (I made breadsticks from hot dog buns to enjoy with this)

Libby even gives options for freezing the sauce.  I did freeze some because this recipe makes plenty to enjoy later on.

I tweaked it a tad, using what I had, so I'll share my substitutes..

SLOW COOKER SPAGHETTI SAUCE

5 links of mild, Italian sausage and/or 1# ground beef

(I used a little more beef)

1 med. onion, chopped

1 sm. green pepper, chopped (optional)

2 garlic cloves, crushed or minced

29 ozs. can crushed tomatoes OR whole tomatoes, chopped, drained (I used Italian seasoned tomatoes!)

1 -15 oz. can tomato sauce 

(I used a can of tomato soup)

1 -12 ozs. can tomato paste

1/3 c. sugar (I used splenda)

1 tsp. dried basil

1/2 tsp. black pepper (I used more)

1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, optional

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning

1/2 jar of spaghetti sauce or marinara (any kind, any flavor)

(I used garlic & herb and used the whole jar)

Brown sausage links and/or ground beef in frying pan over medium heat until brown. Using the same pan, add onions, peppers and garlic. Cook until onions are transparent and peppers are soft.

Place the meat/onion mixture into the slow cooker.  Combine the rest of the ingredients in the slow cooker until well mixed.

Cook on low, 8 - 10 hours or on high 4 - 6 hours.

Serve over vermicelli or spaghetti noodles and top with parmesan cheese.

Linked to Whatcha Crockin' Wednesday