Crockpot Spaghetti Meat Sauce

I have professed my love of Crockpot meals several times on the blog.  I love, like LOVE Crockpot meals.  Is there anything better than stepping in your front (or garage for me) door and being hit in the face with the smell of dinner that is almost done!?  No, I'm telling you no.  

When I stumbled across this recipe from Iowa Girl Eats I was intrigued.  Yes, the sauce looked amaze but, the whole cooking the meat and onions + garlic thing…um, no thanks.  I thought "how special can this sauce be, mean I could just use Regu…"  Just call me Mrs. Skeptical.  I figured I would give it a shot, just to see how it was.  Let me tell you this sauce was something else.  The depth of flavor was out of control and we gobbled down every last bite.  Trust me, the prep work ahead of time is worth it!  

Start with chopping up an onion and adding it to a pan with the ground beef.  Brown it up.

Chop up a bunch of garlic. 

Add that to the pan as well.  Let this cook for 2 minutes longer or so.

Into the crock it goes.

Add a large can of fire roasted tomatoes.

Add a bunch of tomato sauce. 

A can of tomato paste.

Basil

Oregano.  I'm pretty sure I used the Spanish variety…does that matter?

Bay leaves

Salt

Brown sugar

And a few shakes of red pepper flakes.  Give this a good stir.  Let cook for 8 hours.

Cooked.  Ps, how funny are those bay leaves?  

Look at that richness.

Ugh, I can't take it.

Spicy, hearty

And deeeelicious!

Crockpot Spaghetti Meat Sauce

1 medium onion
1 pound of lean ground beef
2-3 garlic cloves
28 oz can of Fire Roasted Tomatoes
8 oz can tomato sauce
6 oz can tomato paste
2 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons basil
1 large to 2 small bay leaves
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes


Chop the onion and add it to a pan on medium high heat.  Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink.  Mince the garlic and add to the pan.  Cook an additional 2 minutes or so.

Spray the crock of your slow cooker and add the ground beef mixture.  Add the remaining ingredients and give it a good stir.  Cook anywhere from 6-8 hours on low heat.

Serve over hot cooked noodles.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from: Iowa Girl Eats