Ingredients:
Browned ground beef - whatever amount you wish. This sauce works with a little or a lot so you can stretch your meat budget. I recommend draining the cooked ground beef then rinsing under water after browning before putting in the pot to remove the extra fat. If vegetarian omit the meat and feel free to throw whatever veggies in you wish - I promise it will still taste great.
1 can tomato sauce
2 cans diced tomatoes
2 cloves fresh chopped garlic, throw in with ground beef when browning
1/2 cup ketchup (*secret ingredient - up until now oops)
teaspoon of basil, even better if you have fresh
teaspoon of oregano, even better if you have fresh
1 pepper, red, green or yellow (today's batch had 1.5 as I had some rubbery ones that needed using), throw in with ground beef when browning
1 onion, any kind diced, throw in with ground beef when browning
1 can sliced mushrooms
Optional: chopped celery, hot sauce/cayenne pepper if you like it spicy
This recipe is very forgiving - and great for using up limp veggies in the fridge. Let it simmer for 1-2 hours stove top or if done in the crock pot for 3 hrs on high.
You might be thinking I missed an ingredient - tomato paste, not required if you add the Ketchup which I prefer the taste of. I have always hated the taste of store bought spaghetti sauce and no matter how broke I was I could afford this recipe. This makes enough for three batches of sauce for two people and could easily also be used for lasagna. We had the first batch for dinner and are freezing the other two. On a side note hubby has owned these square containers that I am using to freeze the sauce in since before we even met. They are over 11 years old and still going strong. When hubby cooks spaghetti sauce he makes meatballs. I find them too time consuming so make this meat sauce instead. It takes 15 minutes to put together. My friend Alex over at Living the Small Life uses left over meatloaf squares (great re-use) in her spaghetti sauce.
I have been doing some Spring cleaning in the form of cleaning air vents and baseboards around the house. I have also made a huge list of all the things we need to do, both personal and company wise before we go on holiday.
In the mean time I highly recommend you go check out my extremely funny friend Mitchell's blog - Mitchell is Moving as he has posted some fabulously beautiful shots on a day trip near where he lives in Fuengirola, Spain.
Spain is right next to Portugal where we are going on holiday, and definitely on my list of places to travel (maybe next year?)- 17 sleeps to go!!
Great recipe - we use a very similar idea but I sometimes add a tablespoonful of onion gravy granules and my DD14 loves it with that little extra addition - seems to give it a hint of richness. Sometimes I leave it out if I intend to eat it myself as the granules have wheat in, which I can't eat, and then she is not so happy!
ReplyDeleteI don't know if we can buy onion gravy here, never seen it. Sounds tasty though!
DeleteMy daughter's favorite meal is meat sauce over pasta. I use ground turkey instead of beef. A meat sauce is definitely faster and easier than making meatballs. I usually put some parm cheese in with the meat after I brown it for that meatball-like flavor. I have those same lock n' lock containers. I love them!
ReplyDeleteI have used ground turkey before too. I sometimes throw the parm in too if I have any, this time I was out though
DeleteNow I'm craving sgetti! We don't eat red meat but I'm sure ground chicken or turkey would taste yummy :) I like the kind of recipe where you can get rid of limp veggies or make changes to.
ReplyDeleteYes, chili and stir fries are good for the limp veggies too.
DeleteI hope you'll forgive me for skimming the recipe. I got to a word that looked like "Ingredients" and my eyes rolled back into my head.
ReplyDeleteYou had a crockpot AND an electric frypan?!? I am so impressed.
Thanks for your very kind words. I hope your friends will all visit, say hi, and like what they read and see (and especially that last part).
No worries, I knew you would glaze over when you saw the cooking part :) I love your blog, I am sure they will too
DeleteYum I will definitely try that recipe! And who would have thought that ketchup would go in spaghetti sauce? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteIt is also the secret ingredient in my chili recipe which is essentially the same minus the tomato sauce and instead of oregano and basil throw in the chili powder. I only cook easy recipes
DeleteThis looks like a great recipe--I like that you can put limp vegies in it. I canned spagetthi sauce last year & will do so again this year. It was easy & fun--it was meatless so canning was easy.
ReplyDeleteI have never tried canning, although my Mom does regularly. Maybe I should get on that :)
DeleteI looove cooking/freezing ahead of time :D I now make a simple sauce with sundried tomatoes, regular ones, and assorted Italian spices. Sometimes with olive oil, blend it up and it's deliiiiicious and easy.
ReplyDeleteI have never tried sundried tomatoes, they cost a bloody fortune here.
DeleteMy spaghetti sauce recipe is very very similar to yours, just instead of mushrooms and peppers we just have some grated carrots and beef stock. There's never a complaint when this is on our menu plan! If you've frozen and thawed it, it makes lasagne much quicker to make.
ReplyDeleteI might add carrots next time, I have seen that in a few recipes.
ReplyDeleteWayne and I always but too many vegetables to eat before we have to leave either our condo or cabin. I hate to waste, so I either prepare and freeze them for future soups, stews or baking, or like you I made them into spaghetti sauce. By the way, my mom called it sketti, close. - Margy
ReplyDeleteI also throw the limp veggies in chili - great way to disguise anything. Cheers!
Delete