Slow Cooker Spaghetti and Meat Sauce

Shared with recipegoldmine.com by Chris in NM

This is my recipe for spaghetti sauce I have made time and again. My 16 year old granddaughter says it is awesome! She asked for the recipe so she could make it at home instead of the one they usually make! LOL Sometimes I don't use the bay leaf, though. It's up to the cook. This is a combination of several recipes that I tried till I found a combination we really liked. This makes a lot, so I usually freeze 1/2 of it. It actually fills our 6-quart crock pot!

1 1/2 pounds browned ground beef
8 ounces or 1/2 package mild ground Italian sausage,
    browned with ground beef
8 Roma tomatoes, fine diced (you may want to use more) OR
    1 (28 ounce) can whole Italian style tomatoes, cut up
    and undrained
1 package fresh mushrooms, sliced (you may use
    canned, drained)
1 large onion, finely diced
1 large green bell pepper, finely diced
1 large red bell pepper, finely diced
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 (15 ounce) can tomato puree
2 to 3 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 cup dry red wine
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons sugar - this is essential!
2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning, crushed
1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper - or to taste
1 bay leaf
12 ounces dried pasta, cooked and drained
Shredded Italian cheese - I use Asiago

Brown ground beef and sausage till browned in large skillet.

Meanwhile, combine remainder of ingredients, minus the pasta, in crock pot. Cover and cook on HIGH heat till meat is browned. Add browned meat and cover; turn crock pot to LOW and cook on low heat for 8 to10 hours. Or you may cook on HIGH heat for 4 to 5 hours. Remove bay leaf and discard. Pass pasta and sauce and cheese. Enjoy!