Crock Pot Tortellini-Roasted Tomatoes-Winter Vegs

9 oz package three cheese or spinach tortellini
16 oz roasted tomatoes
16 oz tomato pasta sauce
10-16 oz of chopped frozen mixed winter vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, etc.)
3 TBS basil
2 TBS Garlic & Herb seasoning
2 TBS pepper seasoning or Italian seasoning

• In a slow cooker, pour 8 oz of tomato pasta sauce into the bottom
• Sprinkle on one-third of the basil and seasonings
• Add tortellini, spread evenly over pasta sauce
• Add 16 oz roasted tomatoes
• Sprinkle on one-third of the basil and seasoning
• Add mixed vegetables
• Pour 8 oz of tomato pasta sauce over the vegetables
• Sprinkle on top the remaining basil and seasoning.

• Cover and cook on the high setting, about 2 hours and 15 minutes.
• Serve with grated parmesan cheese (optional)
• Makes four servings.

Roasted Tomatoes

Roasted tomatoes add so much more tomato flavor to any recipe you prepare that calls for tomatoes (such as pasta sauce, whole tomatoes or diced tomatoes). And it's an easy way to preserve the harvest for use throughout the year, either canned or frozen.

To preserve the most flavor, roast them at a low temperature for a long period of time. Convection ovens, which distribute the heat more equally, are great for this. If you don't have a convection oven, be sure to turn the tomatoes once at the midpoint of the roasting process.

Our recipe:
• Cut fresh tomatoes into equally thick slices, about a quarter-inch to a half-inch thick (no peeling necessary!). Cherry tomatoes can be cut in half.
• Place cut tomatoes in a single layer on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. 
• Drizzle with olive oil.
• Bake for 90 minutes to two hours at 300 degrees (250 if your convection oven goes that low). If roasting on two trays simultaneously on upper and lower racks, switch them half way through. Check for doneness at 90 minutes; go longer if necessary.
• The tomatoes will shrink, but should still look somewhat meaty.
• Freeze in small batches or can them (hot water processing) in pint or quart jars.