Home-made Spaghetti

I made spaghetti tonight, always a big hit in our house! I started making my own sauce a few months ago after realizing there is high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and preservatives in the jar sauce from the store. I try not to buy things with HFCS in it because it's really bad for you, so are preservatives.

Jenn's Spaghetti Sauce -

1/2 to 1 bell pepper diced (depends on size)
1/2 to 1 onion, diced (again, size)
2-3 carrots, almost pureed in the processor (Alli won't eat them if she can see them), or diced
1 pkg mushrooms, chopped (optional)
4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

Saute all of the above in EVOO as you get it chopped. You could use frozen pre-diced veggies, I just really like to chop and dice. Weird I know, but it makes me feel like Giada!

1 lb ground meat (I use turkey) brown then add the following:
2 tbsp Italian seasoning
a little pepper
1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
1 small can tomato sauce
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp sugar or more to taste. This takes that sharp tomato taste away. Don't put too much, add a little, taste, then add a little more then taste, etc.
add more seasoning, pepper, or salt to taste.

Simmer on low heat for at least 20 minutes while you cook the noodles. It can be made well ahead of time as well, the longer the better with sauce! If it gets to thick, you can add a little of the pasta water, it has starches in it from the noodles that help keep the sauce from getting to runny.

It never tastes exactly the same every time I make it, but it has never tasted bad! Enjoy!