Monday, March 14, 2011

My homemade meat sauce



I love to make my own spaghetti sauce. But, every once and awhile if I don't feel like making it or don't have any frozen, I will use the jars. I personally just love cooking, so I really enjoy making it homemade, and of course, everything is better homemade right?

What I like with this, is that I can make a large batch of this, and have 2 more dinners worth that I can freeze.

This can also be very versatile as well. I have done this sauce without meat before, and I usually add some green bell pepper to it also but just didn't have any on hand which I made this. So here is my recipe:




*1 28 oz can plum tomatoes
*1 14.5 oz can tomato sauce
*1 can tomato paste
*2 carrots, diced
*2 celery sticks, diced
*1 small onion diced (or half of a large onion)
*garlic cloves minced (however many you like, I do 4-5)
*1 pound ground beef or turkey
*salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper (optional of course)
*few tablespoons olive oil



In a medium pot or large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Once oil is hot, add the onion, celery, carrot and ground beef. Brown the beef, and drain liquid.



Once liquid is drained, add the garlic. (adding garlic too early in the cooking process can burn the garlic, and no one likes burned garlic)



Let cook for about a minute or two, and add most of the can of tomato paste. Meanwhile, in a food processor, puree the plum tomatoes. Or, you can also buy crushed tomatoes if you do not have a food processor.





Let the tomato paste cook down for at least 5-7 minutes.

Then add the tomato puree (or can of crushed tomatoes), the jar of tomato sauce, and your spices, you can do those to taste.



Let simmer for AT LEAST an hour. Closer to two even makes it better. I like to add a screen on the top of my pot so it doesn't splatter all over my kitchen :)




Then, cook your pasta and serve! Depending on how many people your feeding you should have extra that you can freeze. For two people I always have at least 2 more dinners worth I can freeze.

Enjoy!


2 comments:

  1. Looks yummy, just might have to give it a try! Homemade stuff is so much better than store bought.

    ReplyDelete