Italian Style Stewed Tomatoes -Good for Canning

I stewed a whole bushel today, but this is the recipe for one batch. I can these and use them for spaghetti sauce, crock pot chicken cacciatore and anything you would used canned tomatoes for. I never buy canned tomatoes anymore!

• Ready In: 2 hrs
• Yields: 5 quarts

Ingredients

• 5  quarts tomatoes (I use plum or roma)
• 4  cups  chopped onions
• 4  cups  chopped sweet peppers (I use red & green)
• 1⁄4 cup  minced garlic
• 1⁄4 cup  chopped fresh oregano
• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 1  tablespoon sugar

Directions

1. Blanch, peel, core and quarter tomatoes.
2. Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven.
3. Add garlic and oregano, cook till garlic is tender and oregano is fragrant (about 2 minutes).
4. Add chopped onion and peppers and cook until tender (about 5 min).
5. Add tomatoes and sugar, simmer uncovered about 45 min or until desired consistency (you will need to cook longer if tomatoes are watery).
6. Place in hot sterilized mason jars, and place in hot water bath, bring water back to the boil and boil for about 20 minutes longer, remove and let cool, re-bath any jars that don't seal.
7. NOTE: Some people feel that the hot water bath method is not safe for this recipe, and that a pressure canning method should be used, however, I have always done these this way with no problem.
8. I leave this up to your discretion.