Crockpot Spaghetti Sauce

Adapted: Taste of Home

I have to admit that I do not like jarred pasta sauce. I find the majority of it mediocre and overpriced, so I enjoy trying to find a cook sauce recipe that freezes well.

I will admit that although I have made this recipe five times, I have not duplicated it as a marinara to freeze it. I will be though. I just haven't had the time. I have also decided that as my tomatoes ripen in my garden, I want to try it with fresh diced tomatoes versus canned diced tomatoes.

This sauce was perfect to me. The original recipe called for either ground beef or Italian sausage. I had frozen meatballs that I wanted to get used up so I chose to use those. They worked perfectly! They stood up well to the 8 hours in the crock pot.

I partnered these with my bread maker bread sticks (which will be featured on a later P&G) and a Naomi Blackburn "everything but the kitchen sink" salad and it really made a delectable meal that required little work from me after a hard day. Just the way I like it! 

 So, here we go!:

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef, mild ground Italian sausage or prepared meatballs  

1 medium onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped (optional)

8 oz sliced mushrooms (optional)
2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon brown sugar
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 to 2 teaspoons dried basil
1 to 2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried thyme
Hot cooked pasta (penne or spaghetti)

Directions:

1) In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat
is no longer pink. Drain.
2) Transfer to a 4-qt. slow cooker. 

3) Add the next 13 ingredients (or 10 if omitting optional ingredients).
4) Cook on low for 7-8 hours or until heated through. 

5) Discard bay leaf. 

6) Serve with pasta.