I often get asked how to make something followed by the question of how I learned to cook. The answer is always simple-I had to! Growing up my mom really didn't like to cook-my sister and I used to say it was because she really didn't like to eat. Mom would be happy with a bag of chips and a coke for each meal. That is not to say if someone cooked for her she would turn her nose up and run for the snack foods, no she would dig in just as heartily as the rest of us. Also, just because she didn't like to cook didn't mean she wasn't a good cook-she was actually a pretty good in the kitchen. One of the first recipes I learned was spaghetti sauce (gravy). Over the years I have changed and improvised the recipe and have often cheated a bit and added jar sauce and added my own spices and meat-nobody was the wiser!!!
Here is the basic recipe for mom's improved spaghetti sauce:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
*1 lbs ground round
1 Lg onion chopped
1 Lg carrot chopped
3 celery stalks chopped
6 cloves of garlic minced
1 Lg can chopped tomatoes
1 Lg can whole plum tomatoes
2 sm cans of tomato paste
2 cups beef broth
2 cups red wine-use one you would drink!
3 bay leaves
2 tbls of garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, basil
1 tsp of thyme
1/2 tsp pepper flakes
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp sugar
2 cups grated Parmesan/Romano cheese-not in the green can please, go to the deli and buy the good stuff!
Salt and Pepper
In a large pot add olive oil and turn on to medium heat. Once warm add all spices/pepper flakes(except bay leaf) and stir for two minutes. Add onions carrots and celery and sweat until onions are clear. Crumble meat into pot and brown, then add cheese. At this point add half of the minced garlic stirring to keep from burning the garlic. Once the garlic is incorporated add the tomatoes, beef broth and wine. Now add the bay leaf, salt and pepper. Simmer over medium low heat for at least two hours then add the rest of the garlic-keeping in mind the longer this cooks the better it is. I place leftovers in freezer bags and freeze.
*I have used other meats and often adding Italian sausage.
