My dad used to spend all day Sunday making a big batch of spaghetti sauce. We would come in from playing outside to this wonderful aroma infiltrating every nook and cranny in our house. I remember asking as I grew older if he would let me help. He would say, "No, it is a secret recipe". I then began asking for the recipe when I moved out and got my own home. He would say, "when you get married I will give it to you." So, I got married and asked again. He then said, "You really don't need the recipe. Just get a jar of spaghetti sauce and doctor it up a bit by adding fresh onions, peppers, and other vegetables. The jars are just as good." I was so disappointed. I really wanted that recipe. I had watched him from afar many times growing up and he didn't use a jar of sauce. My dad died a few years back and I immediately went after his cookbooks and his other files of recipes. No spaghetti sauce. We finally found it later on. He had written it on a file card and titled it "Herb's 'World Famous' Meat Sauce". He had filed it under MEATS. Here it is...
1 cup onion, chopped
1 lb. ground beef
3/4 lb. sausage
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. 14oz canned tomatoes
1 lb. canned tomatoes
1 6oz tomato paste
1/4 cup snipped parsley
1 TBS brown sugar (secret ingredient)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp MSG
1 1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp thyme
1 bay leaf
1. Saute onion and garlic
2. Add meats and cook until brown
3. Skim off excess fat
4. Add remaining ingredients and 2 cups of water.
5. Simmer uncovered for 3 hours or until sauce is thick
6. Serve over spaghetti, shells or other pasta.
7. Top with parmesian cheese
(Remove the bay leaf before serving)
Dad always had a "secret ingredient" that he would put in that would make it all that much better and a bit different from the normal.
You can leave out the MSG and I am not sure but from reading this recipe it may be 2 cans of 1lb 14oz canned tomatoes instead of one big and one little can. You may have to play with the amount of tomatoes a bit. The recipe is unclear.
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