• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1/3 cup finely chopped carrot
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1/2 pound mild Italian bulk sausage
• 2 cans (16 oz. each) Italian plum tomatoes
• 1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves, crushed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 medium bay leaf
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup dry red wine or beer
• hot cooked spaghetti
• grated Parmesan cheese

In a 10 inch skillet over medium-high heat, saute onion and carrot in oil for 3 minutes or until onion is transparent.  Transfer to a slow cooker.

Place beef and sausage in skillet and stir with a spoon to break up pieces.  Cook over high heat just until beef loses its pink color.  Drain off fat and place meat in slow cooker.

To slow cooker, add tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, basil, salt, bay leaf, garlic powder, pepper and wine or beer (do not stir).  Cover and cook at low heat for 8 to 10 hours or at high heat for 4 hours or until vegetables are tender.  If mixture is boiling hard on high heat and needs stirring, resume timing when mixture returns to a boil.

Serve over spaghetti and sprinkle with cheese.

Makes 12 (1/2 cup) servings