Spaghetti Sauce from PW

Not PW picture quality...but trust me it was yummy!

After all these years my husband has requested spaghetti and meatballs and now I finally find a recipe that will make him request spaghetti and MEAT SAUCE! Of course it would be Pioneer Woman's since many of our favorites do originate from her. This one is a keeper...meaty and lots of flavor. It makes a lot, so you can freeze it or share it with another family...they will love you for it!! And it's versatile and can be used in different dishes. The sky's the limit with this one!! I altered her recipe a little based on what I had on hand. Below is PW"s recipe with my changes.

Ingredients

• 5 pounds Ground Beef (I Used Ground Round) I used ground chuck
• 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 whole Large Yellow Onions, Diced
• 2 whole Green Bell Pepper, Seeded And Diced
• 6 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1 cup White Wine (or Low Sodium Beef Broth If You Prefer) I used the white wine
• 2 cans 28 Ounce Crushed Tomatoes
• 1 can (14 Ounce) Crushed Tomatoes
• 1 can (small, 4-ounce) Tomato Paste
• 1 jar Good Storebought Marinara Sauce (can Use Another Jar If You Like The Sauce To Be More Saucy Than Meaty) I used a can of Hunt's Garlic and Herb
• 1 teaspoon Ground Oregano Was totally out, so I substituted dried basil
• 1 teaspoon Ground Thyme
• 4 whole Bay Leaves
• 2 Tablespoons Sugar
• 2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
• ½ teaspoons Crushed Red Pepper (optional) Left this out
• ¼ cups Finely Minced Fresh Parsley (or 3 T. Parsley Flakes), More To Taste Left this out
• 1 whole Rind From One Wedge Parmesan (optional) Left this out
• ½ cups Grated Parmesan Cheese (optional)
• 2 pounds Spaghetti, Cooked Al Dente And Tossed With Olive Oil
• Extra Minced Parsley, For Serving Left this out
• Extra Parmesan Cheese, For Serving

Preparation Instructions

IMPORTANT: This recipe can easily be halved! I just like to make a ton so I can freeze it.
In a large pot over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef until totally browned. Remove meat from pot with a slotted spoon and put into a bowl. Set aside.
Discard any grease in pot, but do not clean the pot. Drizzle in olive oil. When it is heated, throw in the diced onion and diced bell pepper. Stir it around for 1 1/2 minutes, then add the garlic. Stir and cook for an additional minute.
Pour in the wine and allow it to bubble up and reduce for about 1 1/2 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and marinara sauce. Stir to combine, then add oregano, thyme, sugar, salt, bay leaves, and crushed red pepper (if using). Stir, then add cooked ground beef and stir to combine. Place the lid on the pot and allow to simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add a little water or some low-sodium broth if it needs more liquid
After an hour, add the minced parsley and the rind from a wedge of Parmesan (or grated Parmesan if you prefer–or both!) Stir to combine, then put the lid back on and allow it to simmer for another 30 minutes or so. Discard bay leaves before serving.
Serve a big bowl of oiled noodles and spaghetti sauce so guests can serve themselves. Top each serving with minced parsley and grated Parmesan (or Parmesan shavings) and serve with a big piece of garlic-cheese bread.

This got rave reviews from my dad, my brother, my husband, my 15 yr old & ME!

Try it soon!!!

Source: Pioneer Woman