Yumminess!!!

As the Constant Reader may well recall, I'm pretty proud of my prowess in the kitchen (among other places). My darling wife, The Lovely and Talented Cathy! (tm) mentioned that one of the folks she follows on Twitter was craving a good Italian-style tomato sauce. Since the sauce I use for spaghetti and lasagna was my first concoction and is still one of my favorite recipes, Cathy thought it would be a good idea to blog the recipe and share it. Without further ado, here it is!

Mark’s Drunken Red Sauce

1 pound ground beef

1 pound bulk Italian sausage (hot or sweet, to taste)

3 large cans tomato sauce

2-3 small cans tomato paste

1 pound mushrooms, sliced

1 large red onion, chopped

1 750 ml bottle Chianti or San Genovese wine

4 bay leaves

Italian Seasoning (to taste)

2 heaping tablespoons minced garlic

2 tablespoons olive oil (not extra virgin)

As with any recipe, get the best quality ingredients you can for best results. In a large stockpot, mix tomato sauce and paste over medium heat.Feel free to substitute chopped tomatoes for sauce on a one-for-one basis, but use at least one can of sauce. In a large skillet, brown and crumble the ground beef, drain VERY well and add to sauce with the garlic. Brown and crumble sausage, drain VERY well and add to sauce with the entire bottle of wine. Heat oil in skillet and sweat (do not brown) onion and mushrooms until mushrooms are cooked and onion is translucent. Add contents of skillet, juices and all, to the sauce. Stir in Italian seasoning and bay leaves and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to a low simmer and cover, stirring occasionally. The longer the sauce simmers, the better the flavor of the final product. If possible, place stockpot in refrigerator overnight and remove any fat that has hardened on top before heating or using. Makes enough sauce to feed an entire herd or enough for 2 lasagnas and leftovers for 3 or 4 for spaghetti. Buon Appetito!  

There it is! The foundation of most of my Italian style cooking. Not "authentic Italian" by any stretch, but mega-yummy! Enjoy!