Slow-Cooker Marinara Sauce + Giveaway!
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.
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.
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:
- Share your favorite thing to make in the slow-cooker.
- Follow Kelsey Banfield on Facebook.
- 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.)
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
- 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.
- 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.
I like to make overnight oatmeal in a slow cooker, the smell that you wake up to is totally awesome!
I like your Facebook page.
I like to make pulled chicken for tacos.
I like your facebook page
My favorite thing to make in the slow cooker is beef stew with red wine.
Definitely chili
Split pea soup!
Any kind of soup I love to make in the crockpot!
I like your Facebook page!
vegetarian chili!
I like making pot roast in the slow cooker.
I use my slow cooker to cook a bone in turkey breast. So easy, turkey is now not just for holidays.
I follow your Facebook page
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!!! 🙂
Chili is my favorite meal to make in slow cooker.
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!
I like your Facebook page!
My favorite recipe for the crockpot is pulled pork. It always turns out delicious.
I love to make barbecue chicken in the slow cooker
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Like Kelsey on Facebook as d schmidt
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Green chile pork shoulder
Crock pot fudge!
Beef Short Ribs with Potatoes, Carrots & Onions!
I love to make turkey chili in the slow cooker!
I follow Kelsey Banfield on Facebook (Sheila Korman)!
Seitan can be done pretty well in a slow cooker; the constant even heating keeps it from getting overcooked.
Favorite is lasagna, but most frequent is beans
Karen Goodwin Delaney follows you on facebook
I like making turkey chili
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spicy chili!
Carolina style pulled pork!
Beef stew
I like Kelsey Banfield on FB. Donna Haley
Bone less pork ribs in marinara sauce!
red beans and rice
I follow you on FB
I have a Chicken Parm recipe that’s great in the slow cooker
I like making carnitas in the crock pot
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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.
beef stew
I Follow Kelsey Banfield on Facebook.
My all-time favorite thing to make in my slow cooker is beef stew, with pot roast a close second.
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I’m a Facebook follower of Kelsey Banfield!
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Love making pulled pork!!
I like making Lasagna in the crock pot. And I am friends with Kelsey – Carolsue Anderson
Slow cooker ratatouille is a favorite here.