September 22, 2015

Slow-Cooker Marinara Sauce + Giveaway!

Slow Cooker Marinara Sauce | The Naptime Chef

Jamie Oliver’s Eggplant Parmesan made with our Marinara Sauce

When the temperatures begin to dip the slow-cooker comes out. It is just one of the many seasonal cooking rhythms that go on in my house. It is not that I never use the slow-cooker in the summer. It is just so much better suited for fall and winter when we crave piping hot foods and I don’t have as much time to cook during the day.

Slow Cooker Giveaway | The Naptime Chef

This fall I’ve been slow cooking up a new favorite recipe: marinara sauce. My roma tomato plant from last summer seeded itself and is going gangbusters this year. I have so many ripe roma tomatoes on my hands the only thing to do is churn out batch after batch of sauce. Last year I made a batch with just tomatoes, salt, olive oil, and basil and it was delicious. But this year I am taking it up a notch and making more richly flavored sauces using mirepoix, red wine, and plenty of herbs for seasoning.

Sauces like this can definitely be made on the stovetop. The sauce needs to simmer at a low temperature for almost 8 hours to thicken and develop flavors. If you have the time to stand by your stove for this amount of time than you can certainly do so. I, however, do not have this time on my hands. Which is why I prepare the mirepoix, simmer off the wine, and add it all to the slow cooker to stew. This way I am free to come and go as I need to and don’t ever have to worry about leaving the stove on.

Slow Cooker Giveaway | The Naptime Chef

I hope you like this terrific recipe as much as we do. Do yourself a favor and make a couple of batches and stock the freezer for winter. You’ll be so happy you have it on hand when the snow starts to fall and winter is on the horizon!

Today my friends at Bella are generously giving away a BELLA Linea Collection 5 QT Programmable Chrome Slow Cooker. It is a fully programmable; all you need to do is set the countdown timer between 30 minutes and 20 hours and you’re free to go about your day. Here are some of the great features:

  • Off/Low/High/Warm/30 Minutes to 20 Hours Countdown Timer
  •  30-minute to 20-hour timer auto-shifts to warm on completion
  • Hinged locking lid seals in food for no spills transportation
  • Stoneware pot and tempered glass lid are dishwasher safe
  • Large 5QT capacity fits various sized meals
  • Uses less energy than your oven.

To enter to win:

  1. Share your favorite thing to make in the slow-cooker.
  2. Follow Kelsey Banfield on Facebook.
  3. Contest runs from September 22nd through September 29th. Winner will be announced in the October 1st newsletter so be sure to sign up! If you don’t claim your prize within 48 hours another winner will be chosen

(Note: Bella is generously donating the slow-cooker to give away. Image of the slow-cooker courtesy of Bella.)

Slow-Cooker Marinara Sauce

Rating: 51

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 8 hours, 30 minutes

Total Time: 9 hours, 10 minutes

Yield: 2 quarts

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Ingredients

  • Olive oil
  • 3 small white onions, finely chopped
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and finely chopped
  • 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 large pinch crushed red pepper
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste.
  • ½ cup red white (the drier, the better)
  • 5 pounds plum tomatoes, halved and seeded
  • 1 large handful chopped fresh basil
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. In a large skillet warm the olive oil and add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, and red pepper. Stir several times and allow everything to softened for about 5 minutes, or until the onions are soft and translucent. Add the tomato paste and mix it into the vegetables. Add the red wine and allow it to simmer until is reduced by half.
  2. Add the vegetable mixture, tomatoes, basil, and oregano to the bowl of a slow cooker and set it to low heat for 6 hours. Stir the tomatoes occasionally so they stew evening. At the 6-hour mark use an immersion blender to pureé the mixture so it is completely smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Then set to low heat for about 2 more hours. Then turn off the slow cooker and allow the sauce to cool. Transfer to storage containers, leaving 1-inch headspace at the top. Allow to cool completely before refrigerating or freezing.
https://thenaptimechef.com/2015/09/slow-cooker-marinara-sauce-giveaway/

48 Responses to “Slow-Cooker Marinara Sauce + Giveaway!”

  1. Jeffrey Lammers says:

    I like to make overnight oatmeal in a slow cooker, the smell that you wake up to is totally awesome!

  2. Jeffrey Lammers says:

    I like your Facebook page.

  3. Phoebe says:

    I like to make pulled chicken for tacos.

  4. Phoebe says:

    I like your facebook page

  5. Helaine says:

    My favorite thing to make in the slow cooker is beef stew with red wine.

  6. Kate says:

    Definitely chili

  7. T Engberg says:

    Split pea soup!

  8. Sarah H.P. says:

    Any kind of soup I love to make in the crockpot!

  9. Sarah H.P. says:

    I like your Facebook page!

  10. Meghan says:

    vegetarian chili!

  11. Amanda Bruner says:

    I like making pot roast in the slow cooker.

  12. sandy says:

    I use my slow cooker to cook a bone in turkey breast. So easy, turkey is now not just for holidays.

  13. sandy says:

    I follow your Facebook page

  14. Chandra says:

    I love to make chili for the family in a crockpot. Mine actually just broke last night while I was making corn chowder in it. 🙁 So this is the perfect time for a give away!!! 🙂

  15. Saundra Bowers says:

    Chili is my favorite meal to make in slow cooker.

  16. Robin Chesser says:

    My fave thing to make in a slow cooker is Crack Chicken, it’s so easy and delicious, that’s my totally absolutely fave thing to make in a slow cooker!

  17. Robin Chesser says:

    I like your Facebook page!

  18. Laura M. says:

    My favorite recipe for the crockpot is pulled pork. It always turns out delicious.

  19. D Schmidt says:

    I love to make barbecue chicken in the slow cooker

    mummytotwoboys@yahoo.com

  20. D Schmidt says:

    Like Kelsey on Facebook as d schmidt

    mummytotwoboys@yahoo.com

  21. Laura Scott says:

    Green chile pork shoulder

  22. Tracy Stigleman says:

    Crock pot fudge!

  23. Michelle Myers says:

    Beef Short Ribs with Potatoes, Carrots & Onions!

  24. Sheila K. says:

    I love to make turkey chili in the slow cooker!

  25. Sheila K. says:

    I follow Kelsey Banfield on Facebook (Sheila Korman)!

  26. Greg Allbee says:

    Seitan can be done pretty well in a slow cooker; the constant even heating keeps it from getting overcooked.

  27. Karen D says:

    Favorite is lasagna, but most frequent is beans

  28. Karen D says:

    Karen Goodwin Delaney follows you on facebook

  29. miranda says:

    I like making turkey chili

  30. miranda says:

    liked on fb

  31. seasonic says:

    spicy chili!

  32. karen says:

    Carolina style pulled pork!

  33. dlhaley says:

    Beef stew

  34. dlhaley says:

    I like Kelsey Banfield on FB. Donna Haley

  35. karen says:

    Bone less pork ribs in marinara sauce!

  36. Christine Mayfield says:

    red beans and rice

  37. Christine Mayfield says:

    I follow you on FB

  38. bill says:

    I have a Chicken Parm recipe that’s great in the slow cooker

  39. gary says:

    I like making carnitas in the crock pot

  40. gary says:

    like on FB

  41. Darlene Parker says:

    My favorite thing to make is the crockpot is pork shoulder. I put in a bed of onions and add in the pork shoulder. I squeeze fresh lemon and limes juices on top. Salt, pepper, onion and garlic powders and some dry oregano. When done, It falls apart. I serve it with jasmine rice and cranberry beans (which I cooked from dry beans). Delicious meal and lots of leftovers to freeze.

  42. latanya t says:

    beef stew

  43. latanya t says:

    I Follow Kelsey Banfield on Facebook.

  44. Anne says:

    My all-time favorite thing to make in my slow cooker is beef stew, with pot roast a close second.
    {notheranneother [at] gmail [dot] com}

  45. Anne says:

    I’m a Facebook follower of Kelsey Banfield!
    {notheranneother [at] gmail [dot] com}

  46. Erin says:

    Love making pulled pork!!

  47. cezovski says:

    I like making Lasagna in the crock pot. And I am friends with Kelsey – Carolsue Anderson

  48. Noreen Davisson says:

    Slow cooker ratatouille is a favorite here.