Tomato Meat Sauce

There is nothing more comforting than a rich hearty tomato meat sauce with my pasta. I had this craving the other day and whipped this dish up for a few friends that came over. It was unusually cold out so this really hit the spot. I love how easy pasta sauce is to make and it’s even better the next day for left-over’s. This is a standby for me if I need to feed a lot of people and don’t have a ton of time to cook. Feel free to add bell peppers, roasted red peppers, basil, or anything else to this sauce to make it your own!

Tomato Meat Sauce

1 Pound Ground Beef
1 Pound Ground Italian Sausage (I like to use spicy)
1 Teaspoon Salt & Pepper
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Teaspoon Chili Powder
1 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
4 Cloves Garlic, Minced
1 Large Onion, chopped
5 Stalks Celery, chopped
1 Pound Mushrooms, chopped
1 28-Ounce Can Diced Tomatoes
1 28-Ounce Can Tomato Sauce
2 Bay Leaves
Small Handful Italian Parsley, chopped

In a large stock pot, over medium high heat cook ground beef and Italian sausage with salt and pepper until browned, remove and drain grease. Next add 2 Tablespoons Olive oil, chili powder, and oregano to the pan and sauté the onion, garlic and celery until just translucent, then add mushrooms and continue to cook until mushrooms soften up a bit. Add the Meat back to the pan and the rest of the ingredients. Turn heat to a simmer and cook for at least an hour, stirring occasionally until all flavors are well blended and sauce is thick. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve over your favorite pasta along with a lot of freshly grated parmesan cheese and a little sprinkle of parsley.