Nothing tastes better than homemade sauce. Serve this chunky Tuscan-style sauce over cooked pasta, and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Makes about 5 cups of sauce.
Ingredients:
- 1 medium yellow onion, coarsely chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
- 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
- 1 lb. lean ground beef
- 1 can (28 oz.) diced tomatoes
- 1 can (8 oz.) tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon basil
Instructions:
- Lightly spray 2-quart casserole with no-stick cooking spray. Place onion, green bell pepper and garlic in casserole. Crumble ground beef into casserole. Microwave, covered, on HIGH, 5-7 minutes, stirring after 3 minutes, or until beef is no longer pink; drain.
- Add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar and basil. Return casserole to microwave. Microwave on HIGH, 5 minutes or until mixture begins to bubble. To simmer, microwave on power Level 4, 15 minutes; stir every 5 minutes. Remove from microwave.
- Serve over hot cooked pasta.
Tips:
*If not using sauce immediately, divide sauce among 1-quart freezer safe containers; cover and freeze for later use.
*Small-size cans (14.5 oz.) of diced tomatoes are now widely available in different flavors. If desired, substitute 2 cans (14.5 oz.) roasted garlic and onion or Italian-style diced tomatoes for even more flavor.
Enjoy!
