Italian "Red Sauce"

Ok so I know that I haven't up with this blog but I just HAD to share this recipe. There are two ways to make it so Im going to share both.

ITALIAN RED SAUCE (For Pasta or Lasagna)

INGREDIENTS

10-15 Large Red Tomatoes

5-8 Good sized Roma tomatoes

OR

1 28oz Can crushed tomatoes

1 28oz Can italian seasoned diced tomatoes

1.5 - 2 Lbs ground beef

1/2 lb Mild Italian Sausage (optional)

2 med sized yellow onions

3 cloves (or 1 TBS) garlic Minced

2 TBS Fresh Basil

2 TBS Cilantro

! TBS Italian Seanoning

1 tsp red pepper flakes

2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

2 tsp sugar (optional)

 DIRECTIONS

(**For fresh tomatoes. Bring a large pot of water to a hard boil. Drop in 3-4 tomatoes at a time, boil about 10-30 seconds or until skin starts to split. Remove and immediately place in a bowl of ice water to halt the cooking process. Peel skin off tomatoes and place in a large bowl. Using a hand blender, blend tomatoes until smooth**)

1) Chop Onions and Mince garlic and place in a frying pan with 2 TBS olive oil on Med Heat.While garlic and onions are browning, mix ground beef, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until well blended

2) When garlic is light brown (make sure it is light brown and not cooked too long or it will burn) Add ground beef mixture and Italian sausage. Cook until all meat is browned.

3) While meat is cooking chop fresh basil and cilantro. Add cans of tomatoes or blended tomato sauce, fresh herbs, italian seasoning, and sugar to large pot or slow cooker. 

4) Cook on low stove heat for 1.5 hours. Cook on high slow cooker heat for 3-4 hours.

Use over pasta or in lasagna.