Home made Pasta sauce

Chop 1 onion, 2 bell peppers, 3 zucchinnis (not Mexican Squash. It's too stringy for my taste), mushrooms.
Put onions in with olive oil first and let them get going. Once they're a little translucent (not caramelized), dump all other veggies.




Continue to cook until it reduces a good amount. Add pepper to taste, and VERY little to no salt. (this will make sense later)



Add Herbs.
Personally, I add Italian herbs mix IF i'm using ground beef, but only fresh or basil flakes IF i'm using chicken or ground turkey. (I feel that beef tastes better with a heartier sauce, while only basil gives it a much more delicate flavor that goes well with Turkey or Chicken)

Add Roma tomatoes. I buy 18. I don't know why, that's just what I do. Add whatever amount of garlic you want.


Let it cook away with lid on. (1/2-3/4 heat) Go back and stir every 7-10 mins to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom.
Put in 1 small can (the 4inch tall ones) of tomato paste. Roma tomatoes are great, but you want a little more tomato flavor "punch" and this works well.
Also add secret ingredient... 1 small can of V8 or spicy V8. (5.5oz can). This is where you get the salt you didn't put in earlier.



20mins or so later, vegetables are very soft. Take lid off to start to reduce. Start pan frying whatever meat you chose. In this case, I went with lean ground beef.



Once reduce to "goulash" consistency, add whatever meat you pan fried in a different pan.



Add cooked meat stir it in well, let everything simmer with lid for a few minutes.



Enjoy!



Makes for 6 or so servings, which you can put in one container or half in one and freeze the other.




1 hour of your time.
1 onion***
2 green peppers
3 zucchinis
1 box/basket mushrooms**
Salt, pepper
Garlic
Basil or Italian Herbs*
1 5.5oz can of tomato paste
1 5.5oz can of V8
Preferred meat (1lb)

* try ONLY basil with ground turkey for a much different flavor.
**mushrooms really take on the earthy hearty taste so once in a while, try poultry without mushrooms for an even more delicate flavor.
***for an even bolder taste when using beef, try caramelizing the onions!

You'll never want to eat pre-made, preservative-filled pasta sauce again.