Prep:10 min Total: 6 hrs 10 min Serves: 6

1 227-g pkg sliced button mushrooms 5 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped 1 onion, coarsely chopped, about 3 cups 1 celery stalk, thickly sliced, about 1 cup 1 796-ml can plum tomatoes, drained 2 156-ml cans tomato paste 2 tsp dried basil 2 tsp dried oregano 2 tsp salt 2 tbsp granulated sugar 2 kg beef pot roast, such as sirloin tip roast pinch black pepper

COMBINE mushrooms with garlic, onion, celery, tomatoes and tomato paste in slow cooker insert. Add herbs, salt and sugar. Season with pepper. Stir to evenly mix. Add meat and spoon vegetable mixture over top. Cover and cook until beef is fork-tender, 6-8 hours on low.

TRANSFER beef to a cutting board and let stand 5 min then thickly slice. Spoon off any fat floating on surface of sauce before serving. Serve with one-third of sauce. Thicken remaining sauce to use another day for pasta by pureeing half of it, then stirring in the un-pureed sauce. Refrigerate for up to 5 days.