2 large bottles (48 oz.) V8 juice (original flavor)

1 large can (28 oz.) pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling - you want pure pumpkin)

Italian seasoning

minced garlic

1 large onion, diced

1 or 2 large bell peppers, diced

8 oz. mushrooms, sliced (or 1-2 oz. dried mushrooms - they'll rehydrate as the sauce cooks)

1 can chopped black olives

1 tsp. rosemary

1 lb. Italian meatballs or sausage (or 1 lb. ground turkey or hamburger, browned and drained)

1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

First, dump the pumpkin puree into the bottom of a 7-quart Crock Pot.

Add Italian seasoning (about 3 Tbsp, I think - I always just measure out a large handful).

Add 1-2 Tbsp. minced garlic. Or, if you have fresh garlic, add several whole cloves.

Toss in any of the "extra" ingredients you like. You can choose to make this as a delicious vegan sauce, or add your favorite meat, if you're more of the carnivorous type. My absolute favorite is a combination of bell pepper, onions, mushrooms and olives. The flavor is so full that you won't miss the meat, even if you don't often cook vegan dishes!

Cook on low heat for at least 4-5 hours. Flavor intensifies the longer you keep it cooking, so I'll often throw everything together first thing in the morning and let it cook all day long.

For a thicker sauce, add more pumpkin, or use only one bottle V8 (I'd probably use a smaller Crock Pot, in that case). When pumpkins aren't in season, sometimes it's difficult to find the cans of pumpkin puree in the store. In that case, I'll use pureed carrots or sweet potatoes instead. A little bit more work (peeling, cutting, cooking and mashing), but it's every bit as delicious!