Slow Cooker Sausage Ragu

“Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty… I have never in my life envied a human being who led an easy life. I have envied a great many people who led difficult lives and led them well.”
Theodore Roosevelt

I couldn't agree more.  I have to remind myself of this every morning when I get up and put on my sneakers. 👟 I don't belong to a gym where I can go to workout and get motivation from trainers and friends.  Somedays I have to dig deep (like really deep) to find my own inspiration to work myself into a puddle of sweat.  😅 You'd hardly know it from looking at me, but I push myself to work my muscles past the point of comfortable on a daily basis because I know that the pain and effort that I put into my workouts is ultimately good for my body. 💪🏻

The key for me is to figure out if the time and effort that goes into something is worth it in the end.  The extra time and effort that goes into working out - worth it.  The time and effort required to make homemade pasta and ragu - definitely worth it.  🍝The time and money that is required to make homemade marshmallows - definitely NOT worth it.  (Some things you have to figure out the hard way.) 😂

Sometimes I feel like a significant investment of either time or money into a recipe, makes it even more appealing.  I also feel like I've eaten more than my share of really bad meals just because I felt like I had too much time invested to scrap it completely and start over.  😖

​There's no question that homemade ragu is an investment in time.  It's head and shoulders above anything you can buy in the grocery store.  The slow cooker takes all the hard work out of the process.  Most of the prep time is hands off so get it started and then just sit back and wait for the amazing smells to start filling your kitchen.  

Sausage Ragu
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 fennel bulb, sliced thin
1 onion, sliced thin
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tablespoons tomato paste
2 pounds sweet Italian sausage
28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
15 ounce can tomato sauce
1/2 cup white wine
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt

Heat oil in skillet.  Add fennel, onion and garlic.  Cook 5 minutes until soft.

Add tomato paste and cook 1 minute longer. 

Transfer mixture to slow cooker. 

Add sausage, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, wine, pepper and salt to cooker.

Cover and cook 10 hours on low.  

Skim fat from the top and discard. Break up sausage with fork or wooden spoon.

Serve sauce with the pasta of your choice.   I chose an egg pappardelle to go with my homemade ragu.  What is your favorite pasta?  I like to buy the most unusual, obscure and hard to pronounce dried pasta that I can find in the grocery store.  🤷🏻‍♀️ I guess we all collect different things.  🤣

​Ciao!

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