We had spaghetti and meat sauce for dinner in the CWB house tonight. It's tough to beat as one of my favorite go-to meals.

 

When it comes to spaghetti sauce, do you make your own, have a regular brand that you buy, or do you 'doctor up' store bought sauce?

Every once in a while I'll make my own. I made lasagna a couple of weekends back, and I always make my own sauce for that. Not too tough to make, really. It's a crock pot recipe, so I'll let it cook for more or less a full day on low, and then I'll make the lasagna.

 

2 (28 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes

1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce

1/3 cup dry red wine

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup onion, finely chopped (can substitute 1 tablespoon dried minced onion)

6-8 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons brown sugar

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1-2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flake

1-2 teaspoons cracked fennel seed

1 teaspoon dried marjoram

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage

Zest of 1 lemon

 

Combine all ingredients in a large crock pot, mix thoroughly, and cook for minimum 8 hours on low setting.

Edited November 12, 20187 yr by Colonels_Wear_Blue

More often than not, I'll just doctor up what I buy. I prefer marinara sauce so you get a lot of tomato flavor in the sauce, and I really like Newman's Own marinara, and Barilla marinara. Then I'll add about a tablespoon of dried chopped onion, a teaspoon and a half of dried Italian seasoning, and a half teaspoon of garlic powder to the sauce as it's cooking. If I'm feeling wily, I might pick up a can of sliced mushrooms and toss those in as well.

 

Good stuff, good stuff.

My girlfriend’s family has a couple great recipes for a homemade sauce. The marinara is good... the Bolognese will knock your socks off.

 

Making a meat sauce makes doctoring up store-bought sauce much easier. Add some Italian seasoning to the sauce, fry up some garlic and add that in there, carmelize some onions while browning the beef. It’s simple and fantastic.

Doctor up the store-bought. Lots of mushrooms and garlic, spices from Colonel De's.

 

If there's too much ground beef for the amount of sauce I need, I'll make a little mini-meatloaf for Randy Parker.

I actually just enjoy the generic Kroger stuff. Like it more than a lot of other brands.

I actually just enjoy the generic Kroger stuff. Like it more than a lot of other brands.

 

This. I typically find we enjoy the Kroger brand for a lot of things more than the name brands.

I recently discovered Classico’s “Spicy Tomato & Basil” sauce flavor – yum! It has officially replaced the Prego sauce that I’d been purchasing for years, lol.

This. I typically find we enjoy the Kroger brand for a lot of things more than the name brands.

 

Yup.

 

This is basically the reason I prefer Kroger to Walmart when it comes to groceries.

 

I don’t have to put up with the terrible crowds at Walmart and the Kroger brand stuff is 10 times better than the great value stuff that Walmart offers.

Doctor up the store-bought. Lots of mushrooms and garlic, spices from Colonel De's.

 

If there's too much ground beef for the amount of sauce I need, I'll make a little mini-meatloaf for Randy Parker.

 

:lol2:

I might have to make spaghetti for dinner tonight. It's one of my favorite meals.

I might have to make spaghetti for dinner tonight. It's one of my favorite meals.

 

I'll trade you. We're having some kind of Ethiopian pea soup (sometimes I wish my wife had never heard of Pinterest) paired with fresh turnips & greens. The turnips and greens will be great; I've already had a sample; the jury is out on the main course.

 

Although I will say that the Queen of Sheba Ethiopian restaurant over by Bowman Field is one of our go-to places. A word of warning, though - if someone at your table (like a son-in-law, for instance) tells you to "try some of this powder - it's nice and spicy" - run; don't walk.

I'll trade you. We're having some kind of Ethiopian pea soup (sometimes I wish my wife had never heard of Pinterest) paired with fresh turnips & greens. The turnips and greens will be great; I've already had a sample; the jury is out on the main course.

 

Although I will say that the Queen of Sheba Ethiopian restaurant over by Bowman Field is one of our go-to places. A word of warning, though - if someone at your table (like a son-in-law, for instance) tells you to "try some of this powder - it's nice and spicy" - run; don't walk.

 

I know the place you're talking about. I've never felt the need to try it. :lol2:

I know the place you're talking about. I've never felt the need to try it. :lol2:

 

They don't give you silverware. You're supposed to pick everything up with pieces of Injera flatbread that looks like a thin sponge. Even your salad.

 

And we wonder why Ethiopians have the reputation of being skinny.

They don't give you silverware. You're supposed to pick everything up with pieces of Injera flatbread that looks like a thin sponge. Even your salad.

 

And we wonder why Ethiopians have the reputation of being skinny.

 

...and now I will never go there. :lol: