The Lunatic Gets Sauced (Red Sauce that is) - Slow Cooker Saturday

Hi folks. So I got sauced. I got sloshed. I got...oh who am I kidding I don't even drink. Yet I still managed to get sauced. Some really gorgeous red sauce. All over spaghetti noodles. Yup, I should get sauced more often. So fun, and oh so yummy.

I make red sauce, it's my fave. I love a good spaghetti sauce. I do it a gazillion different ways but this is the most consistent. For me consistency is tough. I have a habit of never making the same thing twice. I have to say the blog has been good for that aspect of my cooking style. I do not usually follow recipes. I typically just go in the kitchen and start grabbing stuff. So the blog has forced me to write things down and pay attention to measurements. That is great for me. Now when people ask me how to make something I don't get that "doh" look on my face.

This was done in my slow cooker. I love the slow cooker for sauces. It helps develop such a rich flavour. The sauce gets to simmer and the taste just gets better as the day goes by. I have to control my urge to keep adding more and more sugar though. I like a sweet sauce. It's a sickness. Sugaraholic over here. Need an intervention. I have to be careful with my salt so I suppose I tend to overcompensate with sugar. More of my ocd control issues I guess. It's all good though, as long as it tastes good I am happy. And we all know "if the mama ain't happy ain't nobody happy."

So if you'd like to get sauced too here is how you do it.

I promise I took the bay leaves out before eating it. Lol! I love me some bay leaves. I could just add them to everything. SO GOOD!

Lunatic's Getting Sauced Spaghetti Sauce:

Ingredients:

2 can whole peeled tomatoes (28 fluid oz/796 ml)
1 to 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons oregano
2 tablespoons basil
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon dried onion flakes
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 tablespoons garlic powder
3 to 4 cloves of fresh garlic, pressed
2 tubes of beef stock (I use the concentrated pouches by Savory Choice, use 1/2 to 1 cup if using liquid)
2 small cans of tomato paste (5.5 fluid oz/156 ml)
4 bay leaves

Directions:

Brown your ground beef in a pan or skillet. You can rinse it if you like, I do not.

Transfer the cooked ground beef to your slow cooker.

I pop my tomatoes in a blender before adding them. I am not a tomato fan, chunks are not my thing so blending works for me. You do not need to if you like chunky sauce.

Add those tomatoes whether you blended them or not. Just pour them over the meat in the slow cooker.

Now add your sugar and stir it all up nicely.

Now you can add all your spices. Feel free to use less or more of any of these. Cooking is personal so personalize it!!!

Cut the ends off your garlic and peel 3 to 4 cloves (I used 4). Now take a garlic press and, well, press them. Toss that into your sauce.

Now add your beef stock. Stir it in so it all mixes well.

Add one can of paste after about 2 hours.

Then add another can about an hour before the sauce is done.

I cooked mine on low for about 5 hours. You can cook it for less or more. Just pay attention to it to make sure the sides aren't getting burned or over-browned. Every crock pot is a bit different. So I suggest doing an hourly check after the 2 hour mark.

Once it's done you are ready to cook up some noodles of your choice to go with it. I chose spaghetti noodles this time.

Make sure you remove your bay leaves before serving.

Serve with a big old saucy smile!

I like mine with gobs and gobs of parmesan.

Not the prettiest pictures but what can I say. We were all starving and wanted to eat. Well let's be honest, I was starving and almost knocked down the entire family trying to get mine first. What? Like you've never done that. Pfft!

Toodles and smoochies.xx