Recipe: Jean's Spaghetti Sauce (gluten free)

 A special thank you goes out to my Mother n Law Jean for sharing this recipe with me several years ago. Spaghetti is one of our favorite meals, especially with this delicious homemade sauce on top! This sauce is easy to make, affordable and healthy.

Ingredients

1 t. olive oil
1 T dried minced onion flakes
1/2 t. pepper                               
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 T dried basil leaves
1 T dried oregano
1 pound LEAN ground beef (no more than 7% fat)
2 15 oz cans tomato sauce
1 small can tomato paste
1 can sliced mushrooms (optional)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 bay leaf
water (1/2 of an empty can of tomato sauce)

1 package spaghetti noodles (we LOVE Trader Joe's corn spaghetti...it's gluten free!)

Directions

 Drizzle the olive oil into the bottom of a large sauce pan. Place ground beef into the bottom of the pan.

(excuse my old pan!) Next sprinkle all the seasonings and garlic on top of the meat. Using a wooden spoon push the seasonings into the meat. (reserve the bay leaf)
 

 Brown over medium/high heat until all the seasonings are incorporated and the meat is browned, using the spoon to crumble the meat as you go.

If you use lean ground beef and dried onions, there should be no need to drain before adding tomato sauce.
Add the 2 cans of tomato sauce.

using a spoon, scoop out the tomato paste into the pan.

Stir well to incorporate the tomato paste. Then add the 1/2  a can of water. (use the empty sauce can)

Stir in the Parmesan cheese.

Stir well until all the cheese in incorporated. Add drained canned mushrooms if desired and bay leaf.

Let simmer on LOW for up to two hours.. If you have a lid with a vent to let steam escape, then put a lid on the pan. If not, careful it will bubble up and "spit" out. You may end up with a mess on your stove top.

When sauce is done, serve with spaghetti noodles. Enjoy!!