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Chocolate Chocolate and More!

Welcome to my baking adventures.

February 11, 2012

Spaghetti with Meat Sauce and Fine China Fridays

Spaghetti with Meat Sauce-make a large pot and freeze the leftovers!
 
Spaghetti with Meat Sauce-make a large pot and freeze the leftovers!
 
Everyone likes spaghetti sauce the way they like it. It’s just a fact.  Some like a thick, chunky sauce full of onions and green peppers.  Some like a thin sauced with big chunks of tomatoes. At my house we like a meat sauce. Full of flavor.

I’ve been making this sauce for years. I have wonderful friends, Tommy and Rose who are true Italians. They taught me a few things about making “gravy” way back when and I know that’s why my sauce tastes as good as it does today.

Spaghetti with Meat Sauce-make a large pot and freeze the leftovers!

But I’ve never written the recipe down. It’s one of those recipes that you just keep tasting and adding as you go.

And hubby has been bugging me ever since the kids first came into the kitchen to help that I need to write it down. They’ll never remember it. I think Cassie will, and I think given a few more years, Grace will.

Spaghetti with Meat Sauce-make a large pot and freeze the leftovers!

But ok, I’m writing it down.

I’m so honored that Andi over at The Wednesday Baker chose my sauce recipe for the Crazy Cooking Challenge! Be sure to check it out.

Meaty Spaghetti Sauce and Fine China Fridays

Meaty Spaghetti Sauce and Fine China Fridays

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1/2 onion finely chopped (can use minced onion)
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 can (29 ounces) tomato sauce
  • 1 can (29 ounces) whole tomatoes (can also use fresh tomatoes)
  • 1 can (12 ounces) tomato paste
  • 1/4 cup Parmigiana cheese
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 1-2 teaspoons garlic powder or minced garlic
  • 2-3 bay leaves
  • 1 beef bouillon cube
  • 3/4-1 cup water

Instructions

  1. Brown ground beef with onions and salt and pepper. Once cooked, drain well, you don't want a greasy sauce.
  2. Drain whole tomatoes in to the large pot you will be cooking sauce in. Either chop or puree tomatoes and add to pot. (we don't like big chunks of tomato in our sauce)
  3. Add your can of sauce and tomato paste.
  4. Add drained ground beef. Stir, then add all your spices.
  5. Add your bouillon cube and water (you can substitute with beef stock)
  6. Let simmer a minimum of 2 hours before you taste. Make sure to stir every now and then. Let the flavors mingle, get to know each other, blend.

Notes

This sauce tastes better the longer it cooks.

This sauce freezes well

Note, be sure to pull out the bay leaves as you serve, they taste horrible. We've told the kids, it's lucky to get one but don't eat it.

recipe source ChocolateChocolateandmore.com

The longer this sauce cooks the better it tastes. After 2 hours, you can add any meat you want. This sauce pops when we add Italian Sausage to it.
 
 
I precook the sausage in the oven then add to the sauce, making sure I have at least 1-2 hours before dinner. The flavor the sausage adds is unmatched. You can also add meatballs. If you do add meatballs, add about 1/2 cup more water so you can gently stir the meatballs without them falling apart.

I start my sauce in the morning of the day we want to eat it and let it simmer all day, stirring and tasting as the day goes on.

Spaghetti with Meat Sauce-make a large pot and freeze the leftovers!
 
And doesn’t this sauce look wonderful on my Grandmother’s china? It’s part of Fine China Fridays. I never really thought much about using my “good” china until I read Jana’s post. And she’s right. Why let it gather dust. And I do have 13 dinner plates, if one get’s broken, I’ll be ok. So I can’t promise every week, but at least twice a month I’m going to use “the good stuff.”
 
Spaghetti with Meat Sauce-make a large pot and freeze the leftovers!

And the kids loved it. When each one came home from school they immediately noticed the table, they asked what’s the occasion. When I explained Fine China Fridays, they walked off with smiles on their faces.

Spaghetti with Meat Sauce-make a large pot and freeze the leftovers!

 
I just love this picture, my son took it. He was supposed to be getting a picture of his plate!
A great way to spend a day around the house, and I’ve got at least 4 more meals in the freezer now.
 
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Filed Under: Main Courses, Savory Tagged With: garlic, Italian, meats, sauce, sauces, seasoning, Spaghetti, tomato paste, tomatoes

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. AndiWinslow says

    February 11, 2012 at 2:04 pm

    Yummy love pasta meals. andi

  2. Jana A (@jana0926) says

    February 11, 2012 at 6:07 pm

    I love it! And love the reaction from the kids. Henry told me his pizza tasted delicious on his fancy plate!

    • Joan@chocolateandmore says

      February 11, 2012 at 7:58 pm

      Jana, thanks so much for the idea, you are right about using it. Why have nice things if they never get used?

  3. Jo-Lyn's Cup Cakes N' Candies says

    February 11, 2012 at 7:01 pm

    YUM! This is really similar to what I make already with a few tweaks, a few FANTASTIC tweaks! =)

  4. Michelle says

    February 12, 2012 at 1:16 am

    I am all for the meat sauce. I am now following you on Linky Follower. I would love it if you would followed me back. I really enjoy meeting new bloggers.

  5. Danielle says

    February 12, 2012 at 1:56 am

    Visiting from the Linky Blog Hop at Blissful and Domestic. now following you. Would love for you to follow back:>

    https://blissfulanddomestic.blogspot.com/

  6. Debbie M. says

    February 12, 2012 at 1:58 am

    Yummy … Love the china!! I like mine meaty… cheesey!!
    I am now following you on Linky Follower.

    https://www.scatteredmusings.net

  7. Jay says

    February 12, 2012 at 2:06 am

    this is just awesome…drooooling here..;P
    new to your space..love your space..
    excellent posts with stunning cliks..
    Am your happy follower now..;)
    do stop by mine sometime.
    Tasty Appetite

  8. Allison Downes says

    February 12, 2012 at 3:35 am

    Yummy! I LOVE Spaghetti!

    new Linky and GFC Follower! hope you follow back and come check out my great giveaways going on!

    https://giveawayhog.blogspot.com/

  9. Anne@FromMySweetHeart says

    February 12, 2012 at 5:04 am

    Joan….we love a meaty sauce at my house too! Yours looks incredible with both sausages AND meatballs! So great that you are using your grandmothers beautiful plates….you should. You are worth it! It feels so good to make ordinary days special. And LOVE that picture your son took of ‘his plate’! Your daughter looks like she’s enjoying fine china Fridays, too! : )

  10. Tera Leigh says

    February 12, 2012 at 6:22 am

    Excited to find you via the Linky Blog Hop! I’m a new follower! Hope you can come visit mine: https://www.eccentricleopard.com/ – Tera

  11. Natalie says

    February 12, 2012 at 11:46 am

    Yum!!! Going to def try it.
    I found you on the Linky Blog Hop – and am a new follower – please pop over and visit me and maybe follow back if you like what you see xx Nat
    https://northshoredays.blogspot.com/

  12. Marriage from Scratch says

    February 12, 2012 at 5:47 pm

    YUM! Thanks for linking up at From Scratch Friday! Come back next week ๐Ÿ™‚

    ~Christina
    https://marriagefromscratch.blogspot.com/

  13. Jennifer says

    February 12, 2012 at 6:05 pm

    That looks great! Just stopping by from the Linky Party Hop. I hope you will visit http://www.laughterandgrace.com and follow back.

    Thanks!!

  14. Krista says

    February 12, 2012 at 7:02 pm

    Yummy! We are pasta lovers! I’m actually serving pasta on Valentines! Hope yours is a happy one, and have a blessed week. ~EMm

  15. SheilaG @ Plum Doodles says

    February 13, 2012 at 12:35 am

    Yum, your spaghetti looks so gooooood!
    I’m a new Linky follower from the hop, would love for you to come visit and follow if you like. ๐Ÿ™‚
    https://plumdoodles.com

  16. Online Parenting Class says

    February 13, 2012 at 9:27 am

    that looks so delicious!

  17. Kristina says

    February 13, 2012 at 8:40 pm

    Visiting from I Heart Nap Time’s Sundae Scoop ๐Ÿ™‚

    Kristina
    https://www.yomichaelmichael.com

  18. Sarah says

    February 17, 2012 at 3:47 am

    Thanks for sharing this yummy too!

  19. Natasha Mairs says

    February 17, 2012 at 8:52 pm

    Thanks for linking up to Serenity Saturday
    Hope to can join us again tomorrow

    Natasha

    http://www.serenityyou.blogspot.com

  20. Melissa says

    March 4, 2014 at 9:38 pm

    Could this be done in a crockpot? It sounds great, but time consuming.

    • Joan Hayes says

      March 6, 2014 at 10:59 am

      Absolutely! I use the stove because when i make it I will triple the recipe and just don’t have a crock pot big enough!

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