Grandma's Famous Spaghetti Sauce

Meal planning isn't always easy, particularly for moms working outside the home (as well as in) and especially during the holidays with so many other things going on. 

Grandma considered herself very fortunate to have a vocation she loved. She loved people, had a servant's heart, and was gifted with patience and kindness.  Perfect character qualities for nursing, which was her calling.  But even doing something she loved, it was still hard work. She was on her feet nearly all day and when she got home she probably would have preferred relaxing instead of cooking. 

That's where planning came in. Grandma would create a menu plan for the week ahead and try to "coordinate" the recipes so leftovers could be used in another meal. We've already done that with the Herb Roasted Chicken & Vegetables and the leftovers from that were used the following day in Chicken Pot Pies with Flaky Crust. You get the idea. 

Planning is half the battle. Actually, it IS the battle, but much easier to win when you're rested, relaxed, and putting it all together on your own terms. Not stressed after a hard day's work.

So here's another favorite--Grandma's Famous (at least in our family) Spaghetti Sauce. Homemade is best, more flavorful, and not difficult to make. She always added a little sugar to offset the acidity of the tomatoes and Bay leaf for seasoning (be sure to remove it before serving though).  Try this sauce with Grandma's Basic Meatballs. Delicious!

A large batch of this sauce yields leftovers that can be used in another meal or frozen.



Grandma's Famous Spaghetti Sauce

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 small can mushrooms, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 stalk celery, sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 large can tomato sauce
1 large can crushed tomatoes
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
2 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp parsley
Italian Seasoning
Pepper
1 bay leaf (remove before serving)


Heat oil in Dutch oven or saucepan and sauté onion, mushrooms, pepper, celery and garlic. Add tomato sauce, tomatoes, paste, sugar and parsley. Season to taste and add bay leaf. Simmer for an hour, remove bay leaf, and serve over noodles or use in your favorite pasta dish.

NOTE: Can be prepared in advance and frozen easily.