Marinara

I love making my own marinara, and it is so easy too! Don't be intimidated by it, go for it, once you try it you won't want to go back to the jarred stuff.

Marinara
3 TBS EVOO
1 cup onion, diced
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/2 cup carrot, chopped
1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp. Italian seasoning (or chopped fresh basil)
1/2 to 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 28 oz. can tomato sauce
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 TBS sugar

1 pound cooked Italian turkey sausage, (or other ground meat).

Pour the extra virgin olive oil into a deep pot heated over medium heat on the stove. Once heated, add the onion, celery and carrots and cook until semi-tender about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the bell pepper and garlic, cook 2 minutes, then add the Italian seasoning and crushed red pepper. Use the crushed red pepper sparingly especially if you are using a spicy Italian sausage in your sauce. Add both cans of tomato. Season with the salt, pepper and sugar (sugar is added to cut the acidity). Turn the heat down to low and let simmer for half an hour. Add by the cup full to your cooked meat to your desired portion. Serve over your favorite pasta!
This makes a big pot, sorry I didn't measure because here is my issue, I have a daughter that is a vegetarian so I had to divide the sauce so I'd have some with meat and some without. There was plenty left without meat to use in other recipes. Just make sure you store it in an air tight container in the refrigerator for no more than a week, (you can probably freeze it too) or can it following the proper canning method.
Enjoy!