Meatball Marinara (Crock Pot)

I love a good crock pot meal, don’t you?

There is just something comforting in knowing you have dinner already taken care of, simmering away in your good crock pot, while you go right ahead and run your crazy head around tending to the needs of all of the wonderful people in your life. I bet most of you spend a grundle of time folding piles of laundry, scrubbing all of the sticky spots from your kitchen floor, running so and so to this and that, helping with a little homework, lending a listening ear, handing out a smile or two, passing out words of encouragement and maybe even bringing home the bacon.

Fry it up in a pan, won’t you? (Couldn’t help throwing that in there, you know how I love bacon frying in a pan.)

The point I am working for here is this.

Life is crazy busy. You know it, I know it and the gray hairs on your chin know it.

The whole lot of us deserve a scrumptious dinner, without a lot of fuss and bustle, I’d say. This Meatball Marinara is just the ticket. It takes just minutes to prepare, is hearty and flavorful and down right delicious.  When you are ready to serve, cook up some spaghetti noodles to pour the meatballs and sauce over, or better yet…slice open some crusty rolls, stuff them full of these saucy meatballs and then melt some mozzarella cheese over the top.

However you decide you make it,

I hope you love it. You and those pretty gray hairs…

Meatball Marinara (Crock Pot)
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Note: Though this is listed as a crock pot meal it actually makes a great freezer meal as well. Assemble all of the ingredients as instructed, but instead of placing it in the crock pot carefully pour it into a deep 9×9 aluminum pan, cover with foil and pop it into the freezer. When you are ready to use, thaw and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Time: 10 minutes prep + 4 or 8 hours crock pot cooking
Yield: 6-8 servings
Recipe from Jamie Cooks It Up!

3 (14.5 ounce) cans italian stewed tomatoes
1 (8 ounce) tomato sauce
4 T tomato paste
1/2 t granulated garlic
1/2 t italian seasoning
1/2 t thyme
1/2 t oregano
1/4 t sugar
1/2 t lemon juice (bottled is fine)
2 pounds precooked meatballs (I use Kirkland brand Italian Meatballs)

1. Find your self 3 cans of Italian style stewed tomatoes. Pour the tomatoes along with the juice from the can into a blender.

Add 1 can of tomato sauce

and 4 tablespoons of tomato paste (which is about half of a 6 ounce can).

2. Add 1/2 a teaspoon granulated garlic, italian seasoning, thyme and oregano. Find yourself 1/4 teaspoon of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice and add it to the blender. Blend all of the ingredients until the sauce is nice and smooth. Should just take about 1 minute.

3. Grab some precooked Italian Style Beef meatballs. I love these from Costco.

Pour about 2 pounds, or 50 meatballs into the bottom of your crock pot.

Pour the sauce over the top of the meatballs

and give everything a nice stir. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours, or on low for 7-8.

6. Serve over a nice hot bed of spaghetti noodles. It would also be great served inside of a crusty bun and covered in mozzarella cheese.

Enjoy!

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