Easy Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce


My husband jokes with me that I'm not happy unless I use my slow cooker at least twice a week.  While that may be an over-exaggeration, I do love my slow cooker.  I enjoy the feeling of knowing that supper is in the crock pot at home ready to go.  Right now my kitchen smells amazing because I mixed up some of this spaghetti sauce right after lunch and turned it on low.  That sauce is in there, getting all warm and bubbly and yummy.  For supper, I'll just cook up some pasta for the kids and some zucchini noodles for Matt and me.  Pass the parmesan, please!

Easy Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce (adapted from this recipe)

2 pounds ground meat, cooked (use ground beef, pork, sausage, or any combination.  I keep thinking I will try half ground beef and half sausage)
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 1/2 - 2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons each dried basil, oregano, and Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon marjoram
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
ground pepper, to taste

Place all ingredients in slow cooker except meat.  If your family is like mine and does not like a chunky sauce, then use an immersion blender to blend up the tomatoes.  Add meat and stir well.  Taste and adjust spices as needed.  Cook on low 3 -4 hours or high 1 1/2 to 2 hours.  Enjoy over your favorite pasta or some zucchini noodles if you are going low carb.  Enjoy!

Megan's notes:  Feel free to adjust the spices to your family's liking.  That's the nice thing about making your own spaghetti sauce--you can tailor it to your tastes.  My mom always used to add some brown sugar to her spaghetti sauce.  It cuts the acidity of the tomatoes a bit.  Probably about 1 tablespoon would do the trick.




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