Growing Shoes: How-to with tomato sauce

I'm something of a sauce snob. I think it was inherited from my Dad, who would cheerfully critique each and every pizza we ate. Now I do the same thing, and it's carried into my

love for a good red sauce.

This recipe is an essential base for so many meals! Once I finish this, I can make chili, lasagna, soup, nachos, tacos, whatever.

Ideally, I would boil down tomatoes or use what I've canned, but that's run out already.

Next summer my goal is to can enough to last us through the year, but alas, I am relegated to other means for now. Canning priorities go to what is most used by our family and then what is most expensive when bought throughout the year. I found an affordable sauce that has only what is needed: tomatoes, lemon juice, salt. done.

Ingredients for a no-fail red sauce:

1 lb (or more) of ground meat

1 can of tomato sauce

1 can of diced tomatoes

1 green pepper, onion, carrot all diced

spices: garlic, oregano, chili powder, black pepper, thyme

I'm browning sausage gotten from my friendly milk man as opposed to ground beef or turkey today.

Yum.

Meanwhile, chop onions and pepper; add those to meat and set carrot aside

Adobo and I are inseparable when it comes to red sauces. A generous shake will do.

Add the rest of the spices to the tomatoes heating in the sauce pan. After the meat has been thoroughly browned and drained, add to tomatoes and stir with a wooden spoon.

*Note: the carrots are only on hand to add sweetness if needed. Some people might add brown sugar, or lemon juice, but I prefer a bit of diced carrot to offset any bitter taste the tomatoes might present.

Simmer, and then keep on low from 2 hours to overnight. The longer it's there the better it tastes, in my experience! I usually keep everything covered unless I want to cook the liquid down so it's a thicker sauce. Just make sure the stove is warm enough to actually cook, or the meat will spoil. Regrettably, also in my experience.