Crockpot Spaghetti Sauce

Directions:

1. Rinse the tomatoes thoroughly and core them.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and carefully drop the tomatoes in. Boil for 1 minute.
3. Remove the tomatoes with a slotted spoon and place them in a bowl of ice water to cool.
4. Once cooled, peel off the skins easily
5. Slice the tomatoes in half (or quarters if they are large)
6. Use your thumb to gently push out the seeds
7. Add the prepared tomatoes and all other ingredients except baking soda to your slow cooker
8. Cook on low for 10 hours or high for 7 hours, stirring occasionally. The sauce should reduce by half
9. For a smoother sauce, use an immersion blender to pulse a few times
10. If you prefer a thicker sauce, stir in the canned tomato paste at this stage
11. Add the baking soda (it will cause the sauce to foam slightly)
12. Season with salt, pepper, and additional herbs to taste
13. Add parchment paper to your trays
14. Spread the sauce evenly onto your trays
15. Pre Freeze when possible
16. Freeze dry (my cycle time was 30  hours)
17. Store in jars for short-term use or in mylar bags for long-term storage