Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

We had yummy Spaghetti Sauce last night for dinner and I wanted to share the easy recipe!

I made up a fresh tomato mozzarella salad to go with our spaghetti and it was so good.

I did a freezer dinner exchange last night so I had to take my recipe x 3.

My kitchen looked a little funny with THREE big crockpots in it!

It was a great deal, I cooked my spaghetti, divided it into gallon sized ziplocs and headed to my meet up with six of my girlfriends to exchange our food.

So for just a little more time/effort than cooking a normal dinner I came home with seven frozen meals for my family, including my own spaghetti sauce!

*Teryaki beef*

*Lemon-Lime Soy Chicken*

*Honey Lime Enchiladas*

*A chicken/sausage tin foil dinner*

*Meatloaf*

*Lasagna*

*Spaghetti Sauce*

It'll be so nice not to have to plan dinner. I just thaw out in the morning and bake/grill and voila . . . a yummy dinner! Here is the recipe for the sauce:

1 lb. ground beef 1 med. Onion -chopped 1 green pepper – chopped 3 cloves garlic – crushed or chopped 2 cans (14-15 oz.) diced or crushed tomatoes 3 cans (15 oz.) tomato sauce 1 can (15 oz.) black olives 2 cans (4 oz.) mushrooms – sliced 1 tsp. ground pepper 2 tbls. parsley leaves – dried 1 tbls. sweet basil leaves – dried 1 tbls. oregano leaves – dried Brown ground beef, onion, green pepper and garlic. Drain. In a large pot on medium, put the browned ground beef, onions, green pepper and garlic and add remaining ingredients in order. When you add the parsley, sweet basil, and oregano, crush in palms of hands to release more flavor before adding to sauce. Stir thoroughly and bring to low boil, reduce heat to low simmer. Cook at low simmer for at least and hour, but the longer the better. I usually just cook for 4-5 hours in my crockpot, time permitting. Serve over cooked spaghetti noodles. Freezes well and makes easy quick dinner. *recipe courtesy of my Mom's cousin, Peggy!

Slow-Cooker Lasagna

I know this sounds a little crazy but it is super yummy and so easy, so give it a try.

1 jar (25-26 oz) marinara sauce
1 can diced tomatoes (14 1/2 oz)
1 package oven ready (no boil) lasagna noodles
1 container (15 oz) ricotta cheese
2 C. shredded mozzarella cheese
1 package (10 oz) frozen spinach
8 oz Italian sausage or hamburger

In bowl combine marinara sauce and tomatoes with their juice. Spoon 1 cup tomato sauce mixture into bottom of crockpot. Arrange noodles on top of sauce overlapping and breaking to cover as much area as possible. Spoon about 3/4 cup sauce over noodles, then top with 1/3 meat, ricotta, mozzarella, and spinach in layers. Repeat layers 2 more times. Top with noodles and remaining sauce and mozzarella cheese. Cover crock pot with lid and cook on high for 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours or on low for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until noodles are tender.

*I seasoned the ricotta cheese to add some more flavor.

Refried Beans

from Dinner's Ready
3 cups of dry pinto beans (rinsed)
1 onion, peeled & halved
9 cups of water
5 t salt
1 3/4 t pepper
2 T minced garlic (I use granulated when I'm in a hurry)
1/8 t ground cumin

Put all the ingredients in a crockpot and cook on high for about 8 hours. After the beans are soft, drain, reserving the liquid. Mash beans with a potato masher or use an immersion blender to reach the desired consistency. Add liquid, a bit at a time, to desired thickness, remembering they will thicken with time. Add salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!