Rough Draft for Slow Cooker Marinara Sauce (minus onions and garlic)
some, all, or nothing of the following...2-3 roasted red peppers, peeled and chopped (slice red peppers in 1/2 length wise and broil on a foil lined baking sheet until skin is black. Move to a airtight container while the peppers own steam make it easier to peel off the charcoaled skin once the pepper cool. Remove skin and chop)
pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
2-3 shredded carrots
2-3 shredded zucchini
THIS sauce recipe from Closet Cooking, has everything I want in a sauce... It is from a recipe for Lasagna Stuffed Spaghetti Squash. .. It is now my go to for marinara sauce - - I, of course, still quadruple it and simmer it in the slowcooker - - and freeze the surplus for future easy dinners.
Ingrediants:
1 T oil
1/2 t red pepper flakes
1/2 t fennel seeds crushed
1 (15 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 T tomatoe paste (optional)
1 t Italian Seasoning or oregano
1 bay leaf
1/2 t paprika
1 T balsamic vinegar
1 T basil (or 1 drop of basil food grade essential oil)
Throw it all in the slow cooker and cook for 4+ hrs on high or 8+ hours on low - stirring occasionally
(image from http://www.singforyoursupperblog.com/about/ ... but it mostly looks like that, especially if you add ground meat later)
