Grandma Shannon's Amazing Spaghetti Sauce

Be sure to make a triple batch of this sauce... it is tried and true and been around for generations. My 90 year-old Croatian grandmother still makes this every Wednesday night for the family... absolutely and perfectly delicious, with just the right blend of savory and slightly sweet. Serve with green salad and homemade French or Italian bread. Yum!

• Ready In: 20 mins
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 1  tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1  small onion, chopped
• 2  fresh garlic cloves, minced
• 1  lb ground beef (I'll sometimes substitute ground turkey, Italian sausage, or do a mixture of the three.)
• 28  ounces crushed tomatoes
• 28  ounces water
• 15  ounces tomato sauce
• 6  ounces tomato paste
• 1⁄4 cup parmesan cheese
• 1⁄4 cup fresh basil (or use 1 T. dried basil)
• 1⁄4 teaspoon fennel seed, ground
• 1⁄8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, ground
• 1  bay leaf
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

1. In a large pot, over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and saute the onion, garlic and meat together. (It's best to add the garlic after the onion and meat have been sauteed for 4-5 min.). Saute for 8-10 minutes altogether. Drain the fat.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and let simmer for 1 hour or more. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking. I sometimes add a teaspoon of sugar to make it a bit sweeter, if need be. Serve over your favorite cooked pasta and enjoy!