Better-Than-Jarred Marinara

My husband loves when the garden is bountiful and tomatoes are overflowing because he knows that homemade marinara sauce is on its way. Although I will admit that there are a few times when in a time crunch that I will use a store bought marinara, but whenever possible, it is homemade for me. Part of the reason is because one of my fondest memories from childhood is helping my mother can her homemade sauce. The process was a day filled with standing by the stove, cleaning jars, and then preserving the fruits of our labor for the year to come. While I have not done the large scale process in years, because I prefer to preserve just tomatoes and then have them ready for whatever I need, I still love to make sauce from scratch. I know, I know. You are saying, "But I don't have time..." Well, the truth of the matter is that the process is pretty set it and forget it at its core. Once you have a taste of a homemade sauce, I think you will agree that it is worth the effort.

Note: This recipe makes approximately 4 cups of sauce.

Ingredients:
29 ounces Canned Whole Peeled Tomatoes
1 Small Yellow Onion, Chopped
1 Clove Garlic, Chopped
2 teaspoons Salt
1 teaspoon Black Pepper
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
1 teaspoon Dried Parsley
3 Tablespoons Sugar
2 teaspoons Vegetable Oil

1. In a large sautee pan with lid, sautee onion and garlic in vegetable oil for 7 minutes over medium heat.
2. Add the salt, pepper, Italian Seasoning, and parsley to the pan and stir for 1 minutes. This allows the seasonings time to toast and infuse the oil.

3. Add the canned tomatoes and break apart with your spoon. You are not looking for a smooth mixture right now; you just want to start breaking the tomatoes down. If you are looking for a perfectly smooth texture, you should puree the tomatoes in a blender before adding them to the pan.
4. Add the sugar and stir to combine.

5. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover and reduce to a simmer.
6. Continue to simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours stirring occassionally.

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