My Crockie Challenge!

I have an innate appreciation for the
crock pot.

I love my crock pot.

Not like I love my kids...

Not like I love my hubby.

But if there is some way to be in love with an inanimate object, my crock pot does it for me :) I love that I can put deliciously easy and yummy meals in there and it cooks it for me all day. No slaving over the stove. No heating up the house all summer long like using the oven does. I love it so much I have two :) For those really big meals when you can't get it all to fit in just one. I could handle 3, 4 or more maybe...but my hubby has put his foot down! So I get only two.

I have decided that since I am currently unemployed, I am going to commit to using my crock pot at least 3 days a week for our dinners (the other days will be most likely be spent grilling, I love that just as much as my crockie and the occasional take out!) and I'll blog about it to all of you. This way it will give me a chance to experiment. I'll share all the gory, disgusting, rancid, tasty, sinfully yummy, truly delicious meals with all of you. The flops and the masterpieces. I'll post them all on here for the world, well... my little circle of friends :) to see. 

Today I decided I would make a spaghetti sauce in my crockie.

I made this with what I had on hand....

1 Small Can of Tomato Paste

1 Large Can of Whole Peeled Tomatoes in Tomato Juice

2-14 ounce Cans of Stewed Italian Style Tomatoes

1-14 ounce Can of Petite Diced Tomatoes

1 lb of Lean Ground Beef

1 Cup of Diced Onions

1 Tbs. Minced Garlic

1 Tbs. Italian Seasoning

1 Package of Polish Sausage (Diced)

If you have a large family this will feed 10 with some left overs using 2 boxes of spaghetti... if there is less of you, only use one box of spaghetti and freeze the remaining sauce for another day :)

Place all of the tomatoes into the crock pot (I use a 6 quart) and mix in the Italian seasoning.

Brown the ground beef with the diced onions and minced garlic, drain off fat and rinse. Add to tomatoes.

Brown the diced polish sausage for about 8 minutes. I like to rinse it off too and then toss it in the crock.

Cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 5-6. Serve over Spaghetti.

But wait.... there's more... ok, so this isn't a crock pot recipe, BUT you can't have spaghetti with out garlic bread! 

Get your oven preheated to 400 degrees!!!

1 Loaf of Store Bought French Bread

1 cup of butter

1 Tbs. Italian Seasoning

3 Cloves Garlic Minced

1/2 Cup of Parmesan Cheese

1/2 tsp. Salt

1/2 tsp. Pepper

Melt the butter...

Add the seasonings...

Slice the french bread in half lengthwise... and slather on the garlicky goodness.... 

Pop into the oven for 10 minutes or so, you may have to turn on the broiler for a minute or so to achieve your desired golden brown... slice then serve :)

So to review....

I promise to blog to you at least 6 days a week my Crockie/Grilling adventures for this summer... feel free to judge, ridicule and praise (if earned) the recipes! :) This is going to be fun!