Crockpot Beef-Mushroom Ragu - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 1/2 ounces dried porcini mushrooms
2 cups hot water
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
2 medium celery ribs, chopped
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb ground chuck
3 sweet Italian sausage links
hot freshly cooked spaghetti

Preparation

In a bowl, combine the dried porcini mushrooms and hot water. Allow to stand 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, add butter and olive oil to a large skillet. When hot and melted, add the chopped onion, carrots, celery, and fresh mushrooms. Saute until softened. Add garlic. Add the ground beef and the sausages. Stir frequently, breaking up the meats.
Dump all into a crockpot. Add the reconstituted porcini mushroom and also the mushroom soaking liquid, being careful not to add any sand that may be at the bottom of the soaking liquid. Salt and pepper to taste.
Cover crockpot and cook on LO heat for 4-6 hours.
Serve over hot cooked pasta. You may want to top this with shaved Parmesan cheese.