Spaghetti Sauce

2 cans plum tomatoes

2 cans Hunts tomato paste

2 large onions, quartered

½ LB button mushrooms

1 LB ground beef – optional

4 cubes pesto– (see Pesto Recipe)

In a large stock pot or dutch oven brown ground beef, onions and mushrooms over medium high heat until cooked through. If you are not using meat, add a little olive oil to fry the vegetables in. Drain off any fat.   Add tomatoes and tomato paste, stir well, and bring to a boil.  Add pesto and simmer over low heat for at least 2 hours.

This is an adaptation of the sauce that my Mother used to make.  It has become a standard in our house (and many other people's houses) over the past 30 years.  It's a good base for individual tastes.  You can add, ham, ground beef, Italian sausage, fancy mushrooms (BBQ them first for a really robust flavour) or just sprinkle it with cheese.  It freezes well so we put it in plastic containers in two serving sizes in the freezer for a quick dinner idea.