Spaghetti Sauce - Everyone has one!

Every family has one.  It's the "go-to" for a quick fix.  Often frozen or in a Mason jar, spaghetti sauce is always ready for a meal, especially when you don't know what to do for dinner.  For years I tried to make a good spaghetti sauce, but it turned out not as thick as I would have liked and tasted different every time. Well, that all changed two years ago!

It was a few weeks before Christmas and I went to my friend Annie's for dinner and she served me her spaghetti sauce.  OMG it was like a revelation.  It was what the foodie in me had been waiting for years.  It was sweet, savory and spicy, it was rich and thick.  A lot of flavour, but nothing too complex.  I had to have this recipe and being the great friend that she is, she gave it to me.  Since then, I've made this sauce many times and I even gave some to friends. I was able to consistently get it to taste the same and everyone always seems to enjoy it.  Annie confessed that she was stuck like me, without a great spaghetti sauce and that she had found this one online.  So I can't quote the primary source for the recipe, but I will share it with you since it would be a crime not to.  This will yield about 10 cups of sauce.  You can freeze it or store it in Mason jars.

You will need:

- 1/4 cup of vegetable oil (or any oil you want)
- 2 large onions, diced
- 1 large green bell pepper (I prefer red)
- 4 carrots, cut in small pieces
- 4 celery stalks, cut in small pieces
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 can of 284 ml of sliced mushrooms (you can use fresh)
- 2 lbs of ground beef
- 1 small can (156 ml) of tomato paste
- 2 cans (796 ml) of diced tomatoes
- 1 can (284 ml) of tomato soup (like Aylmer or Campbell's)
- 1 can (540 ml) of tomato juice
- 1/2 tsp of each of the following: rosemary, marjoram, thyme, oregano, nutmeg, ground cinnamon, clove, salt and pepper.
- 1/2 cup of brown sugar (this is the secret ingredient!)

What to do:

Heat up the oil and all the chopped vegetables and cook for about 10 minutes.  Add the meat.

Once the meat is brown, add all the tomatoes (paste, tomatoes, sauce and juice), one at a time, stirring between each addition. Add the spices, stir and then add the sugar.

If you are cooking the sauce on the stove, bring the sauce to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium and let it simmer for four hours, stirring occasionally.  Keep the sauce uncovered.

I prefer to cook it in the oven at 250-300 F (125-150 C) for four hours and I stir every 30 to 45 minutes.  The first two hours, I keep the lid on the sauce, then remove it for the remaining two.

You will most definitely love this spaghetti sauce.  For a little kick, I add pepper flakes when I sauté the vegetables. In my house, we like it spicy!

Any time I serve spaghetti, I love to have a side of garlic bread to go with it. Here is my recipe, inspired by my husband's cousin Katelyn:

Melt some butter, then add minced garlic (as mush as you want, but one clove is generally enough!). Add black pepper and some dry parsley (optional).  Take a brush and brush the bread with the garlic butter mixture.  Before putting it in the oven, sprinkle a mix of Italian herbs on top of the bread.  Cook for 10 to 15 min in a 350 F (175 C) oven or until toasted to your liking.  You can add cheese halfway through the cooking if you like.  Let it melt for the remaining time.

So there you have it! Every family has a spaghetti sauce that is shared from generation to generation and this is mine that I am sharing with all of you.  Enjoy!