One Sassy Sauce..or saucy sass.

One less item that I'll be buying precooked. =)

Tomato Herb Pasta Sauce

5 tomatoes, diced, big chunks (Locally grown if possible)(you may also sub a large can of crushed tomatoes)
1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 med. carrots, chopped
3 tbls olive oil
1 tbls basil
1 garlic clove or 1.5 tsp minced garlic
1 tbls oregano
Salt and Pepper
1/2 c white wine (optional)

In a dutch oven or stock pot (5 or 6 quart pot), heat olive oil over med heat. Add in onion, celery, and carrots. Lower heat and simmer for about 6 minutes. add garlic and simmer for 5 more minutes. (If you are making a meaty sauce, now would be the time to add in the meat and brown it. We had grass fed lean beef in the lasagna and it was tasty.) Add basil, oregano, salt/pepper, and wine. 5 more minutes, then add tomatoes. Don't worry about it looking like a big tomato salad. The tomatoes will cook down and will provide all of the liquid that you'll need. Cover and cook for two hours, stirring occasionally. Then uncover and cook for an additional 30 min or until sauce has cooked down to your desired consistency. Serve over pasta.
This will also keep nicely in the fridge for up to a week. The tomatoes take care of the preservation.

A couple of hints about this recipe~ The tomatoes do not need to be cut into small pieces. It will not cut down your cook time to cut them smaller. the time is needed for the flavors to meld together.
Also, some people may prefer to blanche and peel the tomatoes... I don't mind the skin. That is also why I offered the canned solution. And, depending on the season, the can may be more cost-effective.
Also, if you go with the meat option, choose a very lean meat. Otherwise, you'll need to brown it with the onions, celery, and carrots and then drain it. No bueno. That's a waste of flavor!

Prep time: 10 min.
Cook time: 2 to 3 hours (but, like the bread, it won't require your attention)

Enjoy!