Slow cooker tomato sauce

Everything here is really preference. Want a lot? Use more of everything. The beauty of slow cooking is that you set it and then forget it. And the beauty of this sauce is that it can be used for many meals. Freeze some for the week and have it on pasta, on bread with cheese, toasted (mini pizzas! mmm), over baked chicken (Parmesan or not) or beef. Tomatoes are very nutritious. Let's make em' taste great!

short list:

your favorite slow cooker (or crock pot)

1 can pureed tomatoes (diced if you like chunky sauce)
1 can tomato paste
hot or mild sausage (one for taste, more if you like it), browned
crushed garlic (2-4 cloves)
couple dashes of oregano
dash of salt
ground pepper (as much as you like)
bay leaf (optional, adds a nice flavor, be sure to remove it before serving)

Add it all to your crock pot and that's basically it.

Set your slow cooker to low and leave it (stirring occasionally) for 4-8 hours (duration depends on the cooker). You can speed this up by cooking it on high but I'd stir it more often.

Sometimes I add onions. Sometimes white and red pepper (dashes). Sometimes a little red wine. Sometimes a dash of cinnamon (cuts the acidity).

Many variations, and each one equally tastey.

Enjoy!