Slow Simmered Meat Sauce

From Krisann:

This is a great meat sauce recipe.  The sauce is hearty and comforting.  Best of all the sauce freezes really well.  I usually make a big batch and then enjoy it several times.

Ingredients:

• 1 TBLS olive oil
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped carrot
• 6 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 (4 ounce) links hot italian sausage, casing removed
• 1/4 lb ground sirloin
• 1/4 lb ground veal
• 1/4 lb ground pork
• 1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
•  1/4 cup no salt added tomato paste
• 1 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper
• 1 (28 ounce) can no salt added crushed tomatoes, undrained
• 1 cup no salt added tomato sauce
• 1 TBLS chopped fresh oregano
• 1/2 cup torn fresh basil
• 3 ounces shaved Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add oil to pan; swirl to coat.  Add onion and carrot to pan; sauté 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add garlic, sauté 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Place vegetable mixture in a 6 quart slow cooker.  Add sausage, beef, veal and pork to the skillet; sauté 6 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble.  Place meat mixture on a double layer of paper towels; drain.  Add meat mixture to slow cooker.  Stir olives and next 6 ingredients (through tomato sauce) into slow cooker.  Cover and cool on LOW 8 hours.  Stir in oregano.

Serve with pasta, top with basil and cheese.