QUICK EASY GREAT SPAGHETTI SAUCE

Quick Easy Great Spaghetti Sauce image

I have a family recipe that my Dad and his Air Force buddies used to make but it takes all day to cook and lots of beer to be consumed!! This is a quick easy delicious alternative for busy Moms and Dads.

Provided by Liz Osborne

Time 1h

Number Of Ingredients 11

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Ingredients

4 jar(s) prego traditional spaghetti sauce
2 1/2 lb hamburger
5 large italian sausage, mild
1 large onion
1 large green pepper
1 pt mushrooms
2 large celery stalks
2 Tbsp italian seasonings
2 Tbsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp salt
1 Tbsp pepper

Steps:

1. Dice onion, green pepper, mushrooms, and celery into similar sized pieces. Place on a plate.
2. In a large pot, pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add italian seasonings, salt, pepper and garlic stirring for two to three minutes.
3. Add diced green pepper and celery and cook for two minutes. Then add onion and mushrooms and cook until tender. You may want to turn the temperature down a bit while you're working on the next step.
4. While the vegetables are cooking, brown the hamburger in a skillet. When done add to the large pot.
5. This next step can be done two ways. My preference is to remove the italian sausage from the casings and brown in the same skillet that I cooked the hamburger in. You can also brown the italian sausage in the casings and cut into bite size pieces when done. Either way you choose, once the sausage is cooked place it in the large pot with the hamburger, vegetables and seasonings and stir to incorporate all the flavors.
6. Add Prego spaghetti sauce. Use any flavor. I like to mix them up using traditional, meat and chunky vegetable. You can't go wrong! Simmer on low heat for 30 minutes.
7. Here's a couple of tips. 1. If you use fresh herbs be sure to use less since the flavor is much more robust. 2. If your spaghetti sauce is a little tart, add two teaspons of sugar. It will cut the acid in the tomato sauce. 3. When I use fresh herbs, this is what I typically put in the sauce: rosemary, basil, oregano, dill and thyme. For the rosemary and dill, run the branch between your fingers to remove the rosemary and add to pot. Basil should be diced along with the oregano and dill. 4. You can freeze the spaghetti sauce in plastic containers or freezer bags. Be sure to lay the bags flat in the freezer. They will defrost very quickly this way and take up less room. 5. This sauce can be use for spaghetti, lasagna, beefaroni, stromboli....all kinds of dishes!