Spaghetti Meat Sauce

I'm so bad about this....i usually just do it by looks & what is left in the fridge =) But here's my best "guestimate" and then you guess how much thicker/lighter you want it.

It's a great way to get my children to eat veggies & protein. Be prepared to bathe immediately afterwards.

• 1 small onion, finely chopped (you can reduce if you're not an onion fan)
• 1 zucchini finely chopped or food processed
• 1 carrot or a handful of baby carrots, finely chopped or food processed
• 1T garlic, minced (I just use the jar of Christopher Ranch minced garlic & keep it in the fridge, so much easier than constantly buying it/mincing it - but for parmesan bread or bruschetta, it's always better to use *fresh* garlic - I've found that in sauces & risotto, it doesn't make a difference if it's fresh or refridge jarred.)
• 2 Cans of Chopped Tomatoes (used Organic S&W brand from Costco or any store).
• 1-2 Cans (to your liking; do a "visual" after 1 can) of Tomato Sauce
• 1/3 of Lawry's Spaghetti Seasoning packet (if you don't have this on hand - add a few dashes of basil, oregano & sugar)1-1.5lbs of ground meat (80/20)
• 2 sweet Italian sausage links (if you have them on hand, if not, you can make w/o)
• Pack of mushrooms (Crimini have the most flavor) - optional
• 1T olive oil
• Crushed black pepper & salt to taste.
• Parmesan Cheese, grated (garnish).

1. Cook meat w/ onions & garlic until thoroughly cooked. drain. set aside.

2. Use same pan, on med/high heat - add olive oil and sautee veggies (except tomatoes) & add mushrooms midway through (use judgment, make them soft, slighly transluscent, *not* brown or they'll get bitter)

3. Add meat to veggies, stir for a minute. Add tomatoes, stir for a minute.

4. Add tomatoe sauce to mixture (you can add 1-2 T of red wine @ this point, optional, but remember - if you're not drinking it, don't cook w/ it); STIR; Bring to a *slight boil* (may need to "up" heat) then reduce to low heat and let it simmer - at least 15 minutes but you can simmer longer (45min- keep an eye on it though, you may need to add more sauce if it reduces too much).

5. Boil pasta, according to directions. Traditional spaghetti is best, but you can serve w/ penne or another "thick" pasta. Remember to add salt & olive oil to water. Drain, but Never rinse pasta. Once cooked, add pasta directly to sauce (stir & let it absorb).

[Tip: I usually start water boiling @ the point the meat is cooked..then continue making the sauce. That way it's all timed]

6. Serve. Top w/ Fresh Grated Parmesan. Enjoy!

NOTE: Use your best guestimate to the ratio of sauce vs. pasta - you may want to set aside a jar/container of the sauce and freeze (w/o pasta). It freezes *very* well.