Meat Sauce
1 lb. ground chuck
½ lb. ground lamb (You can substitute ground chuck or pork)
½ lb. chopped sausage (I like Kielbasa)
3 32oz cans tomato sauce
3 8oz cans tomato paste
1 green pepper (chopped)
1 yellow pepper (chopped)
1 stalk of celery (chopped)
½ onion (finely chopped)
1 large fresh mushroom (chopped)
1 Tbl. minced garlic
1 Tbl. black pepper
1 Tbl. Oregano
1 tsp. Basil
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. sage
1 cup red wine (You may use water instead)
Note: for meatless version, triple the veggies.
Brown the meat in a skillet and drain all excess grease. Put the meat in a stockpot.
Sauté the mushrooms and onions in butter, after a minute, add the peppers and celery. Add to the meat in the stockpot.
Add the spices to the meat and veggies mix well and put over low to medium heat.
Remember: You must spice the meat, not the sauce!
Add the tomato paste and mix until the meat and veggies are completely coated. Now add the tomato sauce. Use the wine (or water) to rinse out the cans of tomato paste and tomato sauce and add to sauce.
Simmer for 1 hour over low heat stirring occasionally. Be sure you move the sauce on the very bottom of the stockpot otherwise it will burn.
The sauce can be used immediately or frozen and used later. You can use it to make lasagna, manicotti, or just use it as a sauce for pasta.
Enjoy!!