Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
   4      tablespoons   olive oil
   4      cloves        garlic -- minced
   1      large         onion -- finely chopped
   1      15 oz can     tomato sauce
   1 1/2  cups          water*
     1/2  teaspoon      pepper
     1/2  teaspoon      cayenne pepper -- optional
   1      pound         lean ground beef
   1      28 oz can     tomato puree
   1      6 oz can      tomato paste
   1      teaspoon      salt
   1      teaspoon      dried basil -- crushed
     1/2  teaspoon      dried oregano -- crushed
   2      pounds        Italian sausage links -- cut in 1" pieces
   1      pound         fresh mushrooms -- sliced
   1      cup           finely chopped green bell pepper -- optional

Preparation:

*or substitute 3/4 cup water and 3/4 cup dry red wine. Brown and crumble ground beef in 2 tablespoons hot oil in frying pan. When almost browned, add onion and continue browning until onion is tender. Pour meat and onion into crockpot. Add puree, sauce, paste, water, salt, pepper and oregano and set dial on low setting. Cut 2 pounds sausage into pieces and brown in remaining 2 tablespoons oil. When brown, place sausages in sauce in crockpot. Continue cooking for 12 hours. (If you like your sauce sweeter, you could add 1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar to this.)