Sausage & Sauce Crock Pot style

Once in a while we need something that is spicy and full of flavor and can be enjoyed in many ways. This is one of those recipes, you can use it as a topping for pasta, or as a main course with some fresh garlic bread. Then there is my favorite way, to take these tender simmered sausages and tuck then into a fresh, soft hoagie roll and load them up with Parmesan and provolone and chow down!!

It's a simple recipe that you can vary to your tastes in a hundred ways. If you like it spicy, use spicy sausage, or throw some peppers into the sauce. If you like it mild, use sweet sausage or toss a little sugar into the sauce. You can mix and match the sausage types, use chunky sauce or smooth style, or add meatballs for the variety. Hang on tight, there is no wrong way to make this.

Ingredients:

1 1/2-2 pounds Italian sausage links (whatever your favorite is)
2-3 quarts of your favorite tomato sauce. ( I like to make my own most of the time, but the Newman's Own® Garlic and Basil is AWESOME when I don't feel like it)

Directions:

With a sharp knife stab each sausage a few times and set in large sauce pan, cover with water and cover pan.

Bring to a boil and then reduce heat, simmer for 15 minutes on low heat. ( this removes the excess fat from the sausage.)

Meanwhile, put 1/3 of sauce in crock pot.

Remove sausage from water and cut into thirds. add immediately to crock pot. Use remaining sauce to cover the sausage completely, mix with slotted spoon to remove bubbles.

Cover and set on low, simmer for 6 to 8 hours.

Serve any way you wish!

EAT IT!!!

Afterthoughts:

You can do this in the oven also, set the temp at 200-215 and check occasionally to be sure that it is not cooking to fast.

Serve over Spaghetti with garlic bread makes a great dinner.

Fry up some ground beef with onions and garlic, add to sauce and simmer with the sausage. Meat sauce with sausage is a really hearty meal all by itself.