Recipe of the Week: MamaMia Marina Sauce

Okay this week Recipe comes from one of my FB Friends Tammy Malty....

Mama Mia’s Marinara Sauce

Tammy Said. "This is by far the best sauce around—and adaptable to so many uses. I have used a basic recipe I found and added and added until I got it just right. My Italian friends go wild over the rich and authentic flavor of this sauce. It freezes great, and there are so many meals you can make with this sauce. Try to use fresh herbs if at all possible. The flavor is worth it!"

Ingredients:

Two pounds bulk Italian sausage

One pound lean ground beef

5 cups chopped onion

3 12-ounce cans tomato paste

5 28-ounce cans plain crushed tomatoes in puree

5 28-ounce cans diced tomatoes in puree

One chopped red bell pepper.

6 cups water

4 tablespoons minced garlic

10 bay leaves

8 tablespoons sugar

6 teaspoons fresh marjoram, chopped (or 2 teaspoons dried)

3-4 tablespoons fresh basil leaves,

chopped (or 2 large tablespoons dried)

3-4 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves,

chopped (or 2 large tablespoons dried)

One bunch of chopped parsley chopped

6 teaspoons kosher salt

Procedure:

In a large pot, cook and stir the meat with the onion until meat is brown. Drain fat and add all remaining ingredients. Bring sauce to boil, then reduce heat to slow boil. Partly cover and simmer 2 ½ hours, stirring occasionally. Alternately, you can put ingredients in a large slow cooker. Cook on low 8-10 hours or high 4-5 hours. Makes approximately 36 cups of sauce.After sauce is cooled, freeze 4-5 cups (depending on your family size) in a gallon freezer bags. Make sure they lie flat while freezing—I put my sauces on a cookie sheet). Then they’ll stack easily and save space.Spicy Tomato-Cream Sauce: Prepare as above, except use hot Italian sausage and stir 1 ½ cups whipping cream into sauce just before serving. Artichoke Tomato sauce: Prepare as above, but add three large 14 oz cans of small (8-10) per can….of artichokes, drained and chopped, with other ingredients. For extra flavor, use marinated artichokes or add a small jar of capers.