Spaghetti Sauce Italiano with Sausage & Beef

[kirra]

Spaghetti Sauce Italiano with Sausage & Beef

Ingredients:

1 pound bulk Italian sausage
1 pound ground beef
1 cup chopped onion (1 large)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 14-1/2-ounce cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
2 4-ounce cans mushroom stems and pieces, drained
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup chopped green sweet pepper (1 large)
12 to 16 ounces dried spaghetti, cooked and drained
Finely shredded or grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Preparation:

In a large skillet cook the sausage, onion, and garlic over medium heat until meat is brown and onion is tender. Drain off fat.

Meanwhile, in a 3-1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker stir together undrained tomatoes, tomato paste, mushrooms, bay leaf, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Stir in meat mixture.

Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 10 hours or on high-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours. Stir in sweet pepper. Discard bay leaf. Serve meat mixture over hot cooked spaghetti. If desired, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Spicy Tomato-Cream Sauce:
Prepare as above, except use hot Italian sausage and stir 1/2 cup whipping cream into sauce just before serving.