Ground Beef and Sausage with Pasta in Tomato Cream Sauce (Recipe)

This dish has rustic, hearty flavor with both beef and Italian sausage.  For a hotter sauce, use more hot Italian sausage than mild.  Serve a salad and garlic bread on the side.

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef

3/4 pound mild and/or hot Italian sausages, casings removed

2 medium onions, chopped

2 large garlic cloves, minced

1 (26 ounce) jar tomato and basil pasta sauce or spaghetti sauce with mushrooms

1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced peeled tomatoes

1 1/2 tablespoons dried basil

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1/2 cup heavy cream

3/4 pound tagliatelle or fettuccine noodles, cooked according to package directions and drained

Steps

1.  Crumble the beef and sausages into a large heavy skillet on top of the stove.  Add the onions and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the meat is well browned, about 8 minutes.  Drain off excess fat.

2.  Transfer the meat mixture to a 3 1/2 quart electric slow cooker.  Stir in the garlic, pasta sauce, tomatoes with their liquid, and dried basil.

3.  Cover and cook on the low heat setting 4 to 4 1/2 hours.  Stir in the fresh basil and cream.  Spoon the sauce over the noodles and toss.  Serve at once.