Simple Fare, Fairly Simple

You all might remember that I'm a huge user of jarred pasta sauce. There are just recipes that CALL for it, you know? I'm not ashamed to say I use it, and you shouldn't be either! BUT...sometimes it's nice to have the homemade stuff, right? And you can't go wrong with this recipe. It's easy and delicious and makes a ton. It's easy to freeze if you don't need as much as this recipe calls for or its perfect for a big crowd. You can make it more on the sweet side, if you like..or leave out the sugar completely...but I have to say, adding a little sugar does cut the acidity of the tomato. The last time I made this, I served 9 people initially...sent some to work with IT Guy the next day, and STILL had leftovers. It's good for spaghetti, lasagne...whatever your pasta needs are! A nice recipe to have on hand when you need to serve LOTS!

Homemade Pasta Sauce



2 28-ounce cans tomato puree
2 28-ouncce cans crushed tomatoes
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1 cup chicken stock
4 cloves garlic – minced
2 medium onions – diced
3 – 4 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon garlic salt
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ to 1 cup sugar (according to taste)

In a large dutch oven, sauté onion in olive oil until almost tender. Add garlic and cook another few minutes.

Add tomato paste and chicken broth and cook until smooth. Add tomato puree and crushed tomatoes. Cook and stir until combined.

Add seasonings and stir to blend. Set temp to low and allow to simmer for 3 or 4 hours.


Meatballs for Sauce

1 ½ pounds Italian sausage
1 ½ pounds ground beef
½ cup water
½ cup bread crumbs
1 egg
1 small onion – diced

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well and form meatballs about the size of small golfball.

Heat a large skillet. Add several glugs of olive oil then place meatballs in skillet. Brown on both sides and allow to cook until almost done.

Spoon meatballs into sauce the last hour of cooking.

Here's the stuff for the sauce. If I had had some red pepper flakes I would have added about 1 tablespoon, but I was out. (sad face) Also...one of those onion powders is SUPPOSED to be garlic powder. Oops.

Saute the onion and garlic in a little olive oil until tender.

Then add the tomato PASTE and stir in some chicken broth.

Pour in the tomato puree and the crushed tomato and all the seasonings. This is where you will decide how much sugar to use. I think I put in about 3/4 of a cup.

Here's what you'll need for the meatballs.

Combine the bread crumbs, egg, water and spices.

Add the meat and shape in balls!

Fry 'em up or you could put them in the 

oven on a cookie sheet and bake them.

Throw the meatballs in the sauce about the last hour that the sauce needs to simmer. Or leave them out if you're using the sauce for something else.