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Crock Pot Spicy Sausage Ziti

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This dish is my husbands favorite, and would be made every day if allowed it. The flavor is amazing (not that spicy really) and it makes the house smell so good! I also like to add any fresh herbs I have in the house just for an extra kick of flavor. I usually check this dish just before the 2.5 hour mark becuase you do NOT want to over cook the noodles. Usually it’s done perfectly at 2.5 hours. Enjoy!

Serves: 6 |  Serving Size: 1/6 of crock pot

Cook 2.5 – 3 hours on high

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb spicy italian sausage
  • 1 large bell peppers of your choice – cut into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 1 large red bell pepper – cut into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 1 yellow onion – diced
  • 4 garlic cloves – minced
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 8 ounce ziti noodles
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 cup, shredded mozzarella cheese
  • Any additional fresh herbs you want to add

Directions:

  1. Turn crock pot onto simmer setting. Brown sausage well, breaking up large pieces. About 5 minutes.  Add peppers, onions, garlic oregano – cook until vegetables are softened, 8 to 10 minutes.
  2. Stir in any fresh herbs, tomatoes and heavy cream, simmer until thickened slightly, about 5 minutes. Stir in ziti, salt and pepper.
  3. Spread tomato sauce evenly over pasta. Cover crock pot, cook on high about 2.5 to 3 hours.
  4. Gently stir pasta, adding hot water as needed to loosen sauce consistency. Sprinkle with mozzarella and serve.
  • cook sausage
  • prep vegetables
  • Combine meat and veggies
  • combine sauces into crock pot
  • Enjoy!

Nutrition Information:
Per serving: Calories: 384, Fat 16g, Carbohydrates 32g, Fiber 7g, Sugars 11g, protein 25g
Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 24%, Vitamin A 38%, Vitamin C 79%, Calcium 21%, Iron 20%

Adopted from: America’s Test Kitchen. “Baked Ziti with Sausage and Peppers.” Slow Cooker Revolution. Boston: America’s Test Kitchen, 2011. 236. Print.