Slow Cooker Teacher Savior: Italian Marinara Sauce

As I am full-swing into the school year now, I rely more and more on kitchen gadgets to make life easier at home.  I mean, who has the time to work 12+ hour days and come home to cook and clean it all up?  Not this chick.

So, in my latest installment of the teacher saviors posts, I'm focusing on the perfect pasta topper: Italian Marinara Sauce.  My family loves it and it's far more organic than the jarred stuff on isle 6 (although I love that, too!).

Servings:
About 2 1/2 jars (36 ounces) of spaghetti sauce.

Ingredients:
8 cups diced tomatoes (1 average tomato yields about a cup)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1-2 tablespoons minced garlic
3 tablespoons McCormik Garlic and Herb Perfect Pinch Seasoning
4 tablespoons Italian seasoning
3 tablespoons lemon juice (I use the bottled stuff because I never have fresh lemons lying around)
1 tablespoon sweetener of choice (I have used Splenda, but I prefer Truvia baking blend for it's more organic nature)
2 tablespoons garlic powder


First:
Combine all ingredients in the slow cooker and give them a really good stir.  You want the tomatoes to be completely coated with the herbs.

Second:
Cook on low for 6-8 hours.  I do not recommend cooking on high for this recipe.

Third:
Take the lid off and turn the cooker off to let the tomatoes cool while you get the pasta water going.

After they have sufficiently cooled so that you won't get burned if they splash onto you, use a blender to puree them to the desired consistency.  If you have a stick blender, you can just blend the tomatoes in the slow cooker.  I used my Magic Bullet to make batches of sauce.  Warning:  If you use a Magic Bullet or other blender that has a lid, you need to make sure the contents aren't too hot or they seem to create excess bubbles that want to explode out.

Fourth:
I save my old mason jars so I can store the sauce in them, but you could just leave it in the Magic Bullet cup.  I only like to leave about 12 ounces out at time so it doesn't go bad.  There's no way I'm using 2 jars of sauce in a few days!

I like to freeze the rest in baggies.  I measure about 12 ounces into each baggie and lay them flat in the freezer.

Finally:
Enjoy over the pasta of your choice!

So, with about 20 minutes of prep, you can have a boat load of delicious sauce!  Do you have any slow cooker recipes that make a bunch of freezable meals?  I'd love to hear about them!

Slow Cooker Teacher Savior: Pork Roast

I love my slow cooker!  It lets me avoid the stove and spend 30 minutes or less to come home to a hot meal.  This saves my life on long days, not just those school days.

This time, I'm making pork roast, noodles, and gravy. Even my 16-month-old and picky-eater-husband love it!  Even better:  There are few ingredients and dishes to clean up after the prep.  

Ingredients:

2 cans Cream of Mushroom Condensed soup

*1 packet brown gravy + 1 beef bouillon + 1 soup can of water cube OR 1 can condensed French Onion Soup
**1-3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup water

3 pound pork roast

Whole wheat egg noodles or mashed potatoes

*I have used both.  Here's the difference:

• The gravy + bouillon + water will give you a creamier texture and slightly saltier taste.  **You will also need to add more cornstarch to the final gravy to make it thicker than you would if you use the French Onion 
• The French Onion Soup adds a lot of onion chunks to the gravy.  If you don't like onions in your gravy, you need to strain them out before making the gravy.

First:

In the slow cooker, mix together the soups OR gravy + bouillon + can of water (see above for how to choose between the two).  Add the roast and flip a few times to make sure it's coated.  

Do NOT add the 1/4 cup of water yet.

Second:
Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-6.

Third:
Remove pork and let it rest on a cutting board or plate.  Mine is almost so tender that I don't need a knife to cut it!

Fourth:
Turn the slow cooker on high, put the lid back on, and let it get good and hot while you start the water for the noodles or potatoes.  After the cooker is hot, add the cornstarch and 1/4 cup water and stir until it's thickened to your desired consistency.  

Finally:
Pour over noodles or potatoes and enjoy!

Do you find your slow cooker to be a teacher savior?  I'd love to hear how you use yours!