Taco Bake

1 pound lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
3/4 cup water
1 (1 3/4 ounce) envelope taco seasoning
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce or 2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 (8 ounce) package shell macaroni, uncooked
1 (4 ounce) can mild chopped green chiles
2 cups shredded mild Cheddar cheese

In a skillet, brown ground beef and onions, drain fat. Add the water, taco seasoning and tomato sauce; mix. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Transfer to crockpot. Stir in macaroni and green chiles. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours.

In the last 30 minutes of cooking top with shredded Cheddar cheese.

Serves 6 to 8

Vegetarian Spaghetti

1 envelope spaghetti sauce mix
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup water
4 zucchini
1 small eggplant
1 small green pepper, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 medium tomatoes, cut into small wedges
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound uncooked spaghetti
1/4 pound mozzarella cheese, grated

In crockpot, mix dry spaghetti sauce mix with tomato sauce and water. Cut zucchini into 1/2-inch crosswise slices. Peel eggplant; slice thinly, then cut each slice into quarters. Add zucchini, eggplant, green pepper, tomatoes and salt to spaghetti sauce. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours or until vegetables are tender.

Meanwhile, cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain well. When ready to serve, top each serving of spaghetti with vegetable-sauce mixture. Sprinkle with cheese.

Makes 6 servings.

Pasta e Fagiole

Olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
5 garlic cloves, chopped
2 cans chicken broth
1 large can tomatoes
Chopped parsley, to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste 1 can white kidney beans, drained
1 cup elbow macaroni, cooked
Grated cheese, to taste

Saut? the onion and garlic in olive oil for a few minutes. Chop up or lightly process the tomatoes and place into a crockpot along with the broth and saut?ed onion and garlic. Add the parsley and a little salt and pepper, cook for about 3 hours on LOW.

Add the cooked macaroni and beans.

Serve with grated cheese if desired.

Italian Spaghetti Sauce

Yield: 24 (1/2 cup) servings

2 pounds bulk Italian sausage or ground beef
3 medium onions, chopped (2 1/4 cups)
1 large green bell pepper, chopped (1 1/2 cups)
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (29 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (12 ounce) can tomato paste
2 tablespoons dried basil leaves
1 tablespoon dried oregano leaves
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed dried leaf parsley

Cook sausage, onions, bell pepper and garlic in 12-inch skillet over medium heat about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sausage is no longer pink; drain.

Spoon sausage mixture into a 5-quart crockpot. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 9 hours or until vegetables are tender.

Crockpot Pizza

1 pound ground beef
1 package pepperoni, sliced
1 (15 ounce) can pizza sauce
2 cups mozzarella cheese
1/2 package rigatoni noodles
1/4 cup onion, chopped

Brown ground beef and onion, drain. Put into crockpot or casserole. Add slightly cooked rigatoni. Then add cheese and pepperoni slices. Add pizza sauce. Toss lightly. Cook until cheese is melted.

Pasta with Pork Sauce

1 1/2 pounds pork steaks
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon oregano
2 cloves garlic, mashed
1/8 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
1 onion, diced
1 (16 ounce) can tomato sauce
1/2 cup dry red wine

Cut pork steaks into strips about 1/2-inch thick and 2-inches long. In large skillet or crockpot (if it has a browning unit), brown meat on all sides in oil.

Combine all remaining ingredients in a bowl; mix well and pour over meat in crockpot. Cover pot; turn on LOW and cook for 6 to 8 hours or until meat is tender.

Serve over hot cooked spaghetti.

Serves 6.

Veggie Spaghetti

1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 zucchini, cubed
1 small onion, diced
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 large jar spaghetti sauce or 24 ounces homemade
1/4 cup sliced olives
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 (16 ounce) package spinach noodles

Put everything except noodles in a crockpot. Cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours.

Serve sauce over cooked spinach noodles.