Secret's in the Sauce

My "homemade" marinara sauce recipe comes from my mom, who got it from one of the many kitschy cookbooks in her cupboard that she received for her wedding in 1971. Maybe Make-a-Mix Cookery? I'm honestly not entirely sure, but I will say that I L-O-V-E this sauce. It's really easy to throw together and super cheap if you get the canned ingredients on sale. Plus, it's tasty. Dang, is it tasty! I've gotten to the point where I literally can't handle the pasta sauce you buy in jars at the store. Blech. Choose to make this sauce instead, my child. It's worth it. :)

Marinara Sauce

1 T. dried minced onion
1 T. parsley
1 T. cornstarch
1 1/2 t. salt
1 t. sugar
3/4 t. Italian seasoning
1/4 t. garlic powder
2 8-oz. cans tomato sauce
1 6-oz. can tomato paste
1 tomato sauce can of water

Combine sauce, paste, and water in a small pot. Add all other ingredients, and stir well. Cover and heat over medium-low for thirty minutes to let the flavors become friendly with each other, stirring occasionally.

Believe me when I say you need to cover it; this stuff splatters a lot, so if you don't use a lid you will have a red-spotted kitchen.

You can certainly sub in fresh onion/garlic/parsley for the dried if you choose, and you can add any other ingredient that suits your fancy: ground beef or sausage, chicken, mushrooms, peppers, etc. You can also puree veggies and mix them in, and your kids will never know what hit them. Surreptitious nutrition! Mwa-ha-ha-ha!

I love to use this sauce on pasta, but it's also a great on pizza, meatball subs, parmesan chicken, and added into soup (I came up with my minestrone recipe while trying to use up leftovers of this sauce). It freezes well for later use, too. The possibilities are endless. And delicious!