Meat-Lover's Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce

I found this Meat-Lover's Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce recipes years ago- shortly after I got married. It's seen some modifications over the years and remains a strong recipe. Both kids will eat it without any fight which is rare. 

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 small onions, chopped
• 1/4 pound Italian sausage
• 1 pound ground beef
• I teaspoon dried Italian herb seasoning
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1 (29 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can Italian-style stewed tomatoes
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can Italian-style diced tomatoes
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon white sugar

Prep: 20 minutes

Cook: 8 hours 20 minutes

Directions

• Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir onions and Italian sausage until the sausage is browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer the sausage and onions to a slow cooker. In the same skillet, cook and stir the ground beef, Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, and marjoram, breaking the meat up as it cooks, until the meat is browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer the ground beef into the slow cooker.
• Stir in the tomato sauce, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, stewed tomatoes, thyme, basil, oregano, and 2 teaspoons of garlic powder. Set the cooker on Low, and cook the sauce for 8 hours. About 15 minutes before serving, stir in the sugar. Serve hot.

My Modifications

• Leave out Italian sausage
• 1 pound Italian sausage and 1 pound ground beef
• 2 pounds ground beef
• Leave out sugar (I never do this step)
• Add in a small amount of red pepper

Disclaimer: I do not like the Italian sausage in this so tend to leave it out more often than not. My husband and son love the Italian sausage in it but they both prefer things with more spice.