Spice-Rack Spaghetti/Marinara Sauce

I threw this together one night that we were out of store-bought sauce. I didn't have any fresh ingredients so I rummaged through my spice cupboard and tossed in a little of everything. My family (including the kids) loved it! We'll probably add mushrooms to the next batch to make it more hearty. It tastes amazing with grated Mizithra cheese as a topper!

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Yields: 5 quarts

Ingredients

• 106  ounces tomato sauce (I used the large S&W brand from Costco)
• 2  bay leaves
• 1  tablespoon  garlic salt
• 1  tablespoon onion powder
• 3  tablespoons  italian seasoning
• 3  tablespoons cocoa powder (Hershey's brand)
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 1  teaspoon black pepper
• 1  teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1  teaspoon  pizza seasoning (Frontier brand)
• 1 1⁄2 cups carrots, sliced, cooked and pureed
• 1⁄4 cup cooking sherry
• 1⁄3 cup  dehydrated onion
• 1⁄4 cup olive oil (enough to saturate the Dehydrated Onions)

Directions

1. (Ahead of time, steam or boil 3-4 cups carrots until very tender. You can either use a food processor to purée cooked carrots right after cooking or you can add cooked carrots to the sauce and purée right in the pot with a hand-held blender).
2. Combine all ingredients (except Dehydrated Onions and Olive Oil) in large sauce pot and bring to boil - stirring regularly.
3. Turn down heat to low simmer.
4. Meanwhile, pour enough Olive Oil in frying pan to saturate the Dehydrated Onions and sauté on Med heat until golden brown.
5. Add onions to sauce pot and continue simmering and stirring regularly for 30-60 minutes.
6. Remove the cooked Bay leaves.
7. Serve and enjoy!
8. Makes about 5 quarts of sauce - so if you're really on the ball, have 3-4 sterilized quart jars and lids ready to transfer all the leftover sauce into for later use.