Crock Pot Basil Marinara Sauce

I first started talking about this homemade sauce in 2013 and I still meet people who say they make it every year when their tomatoes are growing like gang busters in the summer.  It freezes well and keeps all year long!

Guess what.

Today is my birthday.  I am 32.  I'll own up to it.  For some reason 32 is hitting me harder than 30 or 31 did. I didn't really care about those.....but for some reason I'm really caring about 32.  I mean, it is technically mid-thirties.  I still feel young {maybe not 21, but pretty young}, am pretty sure I could pass for 28, but this 32 stuff is for the birds.

Happy Birthday to me.

Tonight I'll be headed to dinner with the husband {without kids!!!} and I could not be more excited.  It rarely happens for us.  I'm grateful for the opportunity.

Okay, enough about birthdays, lets talk red sauce.  You know I'm a fan.  I have about 10 recipes on the blog about it {sorry, I'm obsessed}.  This one is very easy, it cooks in the crock pot all day {or night} and will yield 2 quarts and 1 pint of sauce.  Yum!

Oh, and lets talk peeling tomatoes.  Instead of blanching in hot water, then an ice bath, or roasting them in the oven, I went the lazy route and took my vegetable peeler and starting hacking peeling away.  It was so easy!  I will do it this way from now on.

Slow Cooker Basil Marinara Sauce

{Print this Recipe!}

10-12 large tomatoes - peeled and chopped

1 onion, finely chopped

7-8 fresh basil leaves

1 t. garlic powder

1 t. Italian seasoning

1 t. parsley

generous amounts of salt and pepper

Throw all ingredients in the slow cooker and cook on high for at least 6 hours or up to all day {I let mine go about 8 hours}.  The longer it cooks the more developed the taste.  If at the end of 8 hours the sauce seems to thin to you, take off the cover and keep cooking letting it reduce.  Or stir in a slurry of 2 T. cornstarch to enough water to make a paste.  This will help to thicken it a bit.

Ladel into mason jars and allow to cool.  Leave at least 1 inch of space towards the top of the jar to allow for expansion in the freezer.  Once cool, top with the seal and lid and freeze.  Will stay fresh in the freezer for 3-6 months.

Foods to use it in/on?  As a base sauce for lasagna or spaghetti, in minestrone soup, in pizza, calzones or a dipper for bread sticks.

I used one jar of it for dinner the next night - the sauce in an upcoming recipe - Stuffed Red Pepper Bake. It is very versatile!

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Until next time.....