Nona’s Favorite Homemade Pasta Sauce

Blend on High speed

Blend together with seasoning (to taste) and vegetables:

3 (16 ounce) cans diced tomatoes 

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 med carrot cut in pieces

1 bunch spinach

Seasoning quantity will very with fresh, ground, or flakes.

Other vegetable options (be creative):

¼ bunch broccoli

Butternut squash (a friend added to the sauce and it was delicious!)

1 wedge or shredded purple cabbage, beets, or any red or purple vegetable to deepen the color of the sauce (especially helpful if cooking a shorter period of time)

Put blended ingredients in a medium to large crockpot or pot and add:

2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste

1 teaspoon salt (or to taste) & ground pepper

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce (optional)

2 bay leaves (optional) take out before serving

If desired add:

1 ½ lbs ground beef or turkey cooked int 2 TBS olive oil with 1 medium chopped onion and 2 cloves minced garlic

Cook in the crockpot for 6 hours on high or 12 hours on low.

Make your own Italian Seasoning mix

2 tablespoons dried basil

2 tablespoons dried marjoram

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon oregano

1 tablespoon thyme

1 tablespoon rosemary

1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes

Seasoning with a zip

3 tsp oregano flakes crushed

½ tsp powder oregano

1/2 tsp rosemary flakes crushed

½ sage

2   cloves garlic

2 tsp garlic salt

¼ ea chili powder/paprika

2 bay leaves