Mimi's Spaghetti Sauce

This is my mother's home made spaghetti sauce, which I like to use when making lasagna or baked ziti too. It's not real thick, and not real thin. You can usually serve it after cooking only 1 hour, but additional time brings out the taste better. The only alteration I made to Mimi's recipe is I added chopped green pepper for DH. You can also make it with ground buffalo or ground turkey for a leaner version.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 15 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1  lb lean ground beef
• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 1  medium onion, minced
• 3  garlic cloves, minced
• 1  medium green bell pepper, minced
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 (8 -12 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1  teaspoon dried basil
• 2  teaspoons dried oregano
• 1⁄2 teaspoon dried rosemary (crushed)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2  bay leaves
• 1  pinch sugar
•  salt
•  black pepper

Directions

1. Put olive oil in stock pot.
2. Add onion, garlic and green pepper. Saute over low heat until onion is translucent.
3. Add ground beef and brown until thoroughly cooked. Drain excess grease.
4. Add tomato paste and tomato sauce. Include one can water from each (about 2 cups water). Stir together until paste is mixed in well with other ingredients.
5. Add basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, bay leaves and pinch of sugar.
6. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer on low for 1-2 hours.
7. Serve over cooked pasta, with freshly grated parmesan cheese, salad and hot bread.