Pasta Sauce with Meat

[akansan]

This makes a large batch of pasta sauce -- 2 - 2 1/2 qts. I cook this up, then freeze (or jar) the rest of it for a later date. This exact recipe is mostly sauce. Add additional vegetables for a chunkier sauce (squash works really well).

1 1/2 lbs. lean meat, cut in 1 in. pieces (I use pork or chicken, but steak would work)
1 can diced tomatoes (or 3 Roma tomatoes, diced)
1 14 oz. can tomato sauce
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
2 green peppers, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 md. onion, diced
1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 T. parsley
1 1/2 T. basil
1 T. marjoram
1 T. oregano
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper

Place ingredients in crockpot and stir together. Cook on high for 4 hours (or cook on low for 8 hours). Meat will be extremely tender when done.

[Durania]

I guess this would work with ground beef also...brown it first or just throw it in?

[akansan]

Definitely brown it first.

I'm not sure you really need the crockpot if you're using ground beef, though. I only use the crockpot for pasta sauce when I want really tender meat chunks rather than just ground beef in my sauce.