Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

Ingredients:
~ 2 (14.5 oz) cans Dice Tomatoes (preferably Roasted Garlic and Onion)
~ 2 (12 oz) cans Tomato Paste
~ 1/2 large yellow onion, chopped
~ 1/2 green pepper, chopped
~ 1/2 zucchini, sliced thin
~ 2 cloves garlic, minced (use more if using plain Diced Tomatoes)
~ 3 tbl white sugar
~ 3 tbl cracked black pepper
~ 6 tbl oregano (or to taste)
~ 2 tbl salt (or to taste)
~ 1-2 tbl Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
~ 1-2 tbl Basil
~ Pinch Parsley
~ 1 cup water

1) In a large skillet, mix diced tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic, and vegetables. Bring to bubble over med-high heat
2) When sauce is slightly bubbly, begin adding spices. Be sure to mix well. Reduce heat to med-low. Add water, mix well.
3) Allow sauce to simmer about 3 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Serve hot over pasta.
4) Optional: add 1 pound ground brown (after browning meat) for meat sauce.

This was my first attempt at homemade sauce. Originally, I only added 1/2 tbl white sugar, and it was way too acidic. After experimenting, 3 tbl sugar balanced the sauce almost perfectly.

Zesty Steak Marinade

Ingredients:
~ 1 cup Heinz 57 Sauce
~ 1/4 cup A1 Steak Sauce
~ 4 tbl Soy Sauce
~ 3 tbl Red Wine Vinegar
~ 1 tbl Olive Oil
~ 5 tbl Worcestershire Sauce
~ 1 tbl French's mustard (or equivalent)
~ 1 clove Garlic, minced (or 2 tbl Garlic Powder)
~ Salt, to taste
~ Ground Black Pepper, to taste
~ Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, to taste

1) Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, mix very well.
2) Poke holes in steak with fork to tenderize.
3) Marinate steak in refrigerator for 1 - 6 hours. Baste steaks with excess sauce while grilling.

Note: Cook slowly over low flame. Marinade will have sugars from ingredients, which can cause steak to burn quickly if not cooked properly.


I originally found a variation of this recipe on allrecipes.com. Changed it a bit by adding the 57 Sauce and crushed red pepper. Tried it out with dinner tonight, was absolutely amazing. Just the right amount of zest and thickness to make the steak really tender. I let it marinate about 3 hours, and basted with the sauce every time I flipped the steak. Went great with mashed potatoes and roasted Jalapeno Peppers. I'm thinking this would also be good on chicken or pork.

Try it and comment!