How to Make Spaghetti Sauce

Skip the stuff in a jar and start from scratch for spaghetti sauce -- your recipe may turn out better than your mom's.

Step 1: Peel tomatoes Peel your fresh tomatoes and dice. If you like sauce a little chunkier, make your tomato cubes bigger. Set the diced tomatoes aside.
TIP: Peeling tomatoes is easy if you dunk each one in boiling water for 10 seconds and set in ice water to cool.
Step 2: Brown beef and add spices Spray a skillet with cooking spray and brown your ground beef. Drain the grease.
Step 3: Add spices Add onion, garlic, basil, a bay leaf, and oregano. Mix together all ingredients and cook for three minutes.
TIP: If you don't have all the spices, buy a jar of premixed pasta spices.
Step 4: Add in remaining ingredients Add the diced tomatoes to the meat mix, tomato sauce, salt, and pepper, and stir the mixture well.
TIP: For a thicker sauce, add some tomato paste to the sauce until you reach your desired thickness.
Step 5: Simmer sauce and pour over pasta Simmer the sauce for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Use over your favorite pasta and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese for a great homemade meal.
FACT: Cooked tomatoes have the antioxidant lycopene, which may reduce the risk of breast, prostate, and pancreatic cancer.