Spaghetti Sauce

It really isn't that hard to make your own spaghetti sauce and the difference in taste is HUGE! Also you can freeze it to pull out for a quick dinner later. This recipe is my mom's basic recipe that I have changed to fit my families taste and to hide a few more veggies in it. It is one of our favorite meals. I will say once you try making your own sauce you can't go back. Consider yourself warned!

Spaghetti Sauce
1 can tomato paste
½ t dried parsley (or 1 1/2 t fresh)
1 heaping t dried basil (or 1 T fresh)
1 heaping t dried oregano
1/2 t ground dried rosemary
2 cans tomato sauce
Salt & pepper to taste
1 zucchini, diced small (optional)
2-3 Carrots, diced small (optional)
4 oz. fresh mushrooms, diced small (optional)
1 can diced tomatoes, drained (optional)
1 lb. Ground beef (or homemade meatballs)
½ onion, chopped
1 clove garlic
¼ green pepper, finely diced
1/2-1 C water or beef broth
¼ C brown sugar
1 C Parmesan cheese, grated



Combine the first 11 ingredients in a large heavy bottomed pot and place over medium heat. Bring the sauce to a boil and reduce the heat to simmer. In a large skillet brown ground beef or meatballs. If you are using ground beef go ahead and add the cooked beef to the sauce. If you are doing meatballs set the browned meat balls aside on a paper towel to drain. Add the onion and green pepper to the pan you browned the beef in (adding some olive oil if needed). Saute over medium heat a few minutes until softened. Add the garlic and continue to saute another 3-4 minutes. Add the sauteed veggies to your sauce. Return the skillet to the heat and turn the heat up to med-high heat. Add the water or beef broth to you pan and use a whisk to deglaze the pan. Make sure to scrape up all of the brown bits on the bottom of the pan. That is where the flavor is. :) Add the deglazing liquid to your sauce. Stir sauce well. If you are adding meatballs now would be the time to add them to your sauce. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally for 1-3 1/2 hours until thickened. Be careful not to break up your meatballs when stirring. If it starts to thicken too much you can add more water or beef broth to thin it. Add the sugar and cheese the last 5 minutes of cooking. Adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve over hot noodles. This sauce freezes beautifully once it is cooled.