A peek into my world: This week it includes this homemade spaghetti sauce recipe!
My world this week has been like most other mom’s. In a word, hectic. This seems to be a common theme! I would not have it any other way, but sometimes mommy needs a time out! We have family coming into town, my dad had a second surgery, I have spent 2 days batch cooking, and am still trying to be super mom. A hot yoga session would definitely soothe the soul right now, there just has not been time! Oh, and I turned 35!
Accountability
Unfortunately, I think most mom’s function like this daily, weekly, and monthly. I have not figured out how to balance it all without feeling as is something is being neglected. My coping strategy has been to simply neglect myself. I can live with that much easier than if I neglected my other responsibilities. It is, however, a short sighted strategy. You can only serve from an empty cup for so long. My goal this year is to take better care of myself. I want to be around to see my grandchildren and to be healthy enough to keep up with them!
Comfort Food
Admittedly, comfort food is my favorite. My caloric intake gets out of hand sometimes due to this. Especially lately! The older I get the less I can eat like I used to. When I was younger I could eat whatever I wanted and wouldn’t gain weight. Since about 33 or so (and after having my son) this has flip flopped! I feel like I can look at a brownie and gain 5 lbs. Seriously, not cool! My husband is the tall and skinny to my short and hmmm…fluffy? soft? I really don’t like any of these adjectives, lol! They fit now though. My son grabbed my lower belly pooch and asked if there was a baby in there the other day! Oh My Gracious, I almost burst into tears! Obviously, he didn’t mean any harm. It still stings though! Want the irony? I’m currently writing and eating a slice of pizza! I have been good this week though, so it is OK. I think. Yeah, it’s OK.
What did 35 look like this weekend?
Sunshine and steaks! My husband grilled and we spent the day in the pool. It was wonderful family time. It isn’t often that all three of us have time together. Typically if David is working, I’m not and if I am, he is not. Logan always has one of us, just not usually both at the same time. It was the perfect birthday 🙂 Oh, and I got awesome snuggles and a NAP with my son. Bliss!
Such a drastic change from my birthdays pre-baby! At least this year I didn’t have a hangover the next day! Those just aren’t worth it at this stage of life. Who can handle a three year old and a hangover? Not this mamma! I’ll trade for snuggles and a nap any day of the week.
On to the Main Event: This Homemade Spaghetti Sauce Recipe
I’ll begin with saying it is COMPLETELY worth the time it takes to make this homemade spaghetti sauce recipe. I make it in ridiculous quantities and make not only spaghetti with it, but also lasagna. It freezes well so as long as I put in the work for one day, I can have countless others dinners that are stress free. How convenient is simply popping a frozen meal in the oven? I depend on meals like this to keep a supply of nutritious food in my families’ belly. Now, how nutritious is lasagna or spaghetti you ask? This recipe is quite good as far as nutrition goes. There are so many different veggies it is amazing! Definitely a chunky garden fresh type of homemade spaghetti sauce. It’s also a super easy way to get the much needed veggies into my son. There are no complaints for either spaghetti or lasagna. In fact, he requests them! Score a point for mom!
The How To:
To make this homemade spaghetti sauce recipe gather all your produce and wash it. This is important. Wash your produce. Even organic produce can have bugs and such present. Once washed, dice, chop, or slice as desired. I personally just use a rough chop. It’s a rustic and chunky sauce sauce so it really doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. Once your produce is chopped, set it all aside.
In a large stock pot, brown beef along with onions. Season with salt and pepper. Lightly. Halfway through, add the garlic. I use grass fed organic beef, but use whatever your family enjoys. Add the chopped produce to the pot once the onions are translucent and beef is thoroughly cooked. Season with salt and pepper. Saute for about 10 minutes or until veggies have softened. Add the tomatoes, diced and crushed. Stir. Add the parmesan rind. Cover and simmer for about an hour or so. Stir occasionally. Add the swiss chard. Stir and cover. Allow sauce to simmer covered for about 2 hours. Stir occasionally. Add the fresh basil, oregano, parsley and simmer for 20 minutes.
Freezer Meal
After adding the herbs and simmering for 20 minutes, you may go ahead and use the sauce however you see fit. This sauce is perfect for lasagna or baked ziti as well as spaghetti. My favorite thing to do is make freezer meals with the sauce. I assemble my lasagna and once covered I place it in a 2 gallon Ziploc bag. This helps to keep the meal from getting freezer burn. I try to avoid disposable foil containers and chose reusable Pyrex containers. The 8×8 is perfect if it is just my husband, son, and myself. The 9×13 is great to have on hand for when guests are over. Freezer meals really save my tail on busy days. I always want my family to have nutritious and delicious homemade meals. Time isn’t always compliant in this wish of mine so freezer meals are how I cope.
By making my own freezer meals I am saving a ton of money. I can make a 8×8 organic lasagna for around $10. That’s cheaper than the non organic brands in the grocery store. I call that a win! This sauce recipe made 1 9×13, 2 8×8 lasagnas and 1 spaghetti dinner. Give one afternoon to your kitchen and freezer and it will repay you, I promise!
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do! I’d love to hear what you think so leave a comment!
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Prep Time | 15 minutes |
Passive Time | 3 hours |
Servings |
meals
|
- 1 zuchinni, large
- 1 yellow squash, large
- 4 cups rainbow chard, roughly chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 large onions, diced
- 2 24.46 oz boxes chopped tomatoes
- 1 can crushed tomatoes with basil
- 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
- 2 green bell pepper, diced
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 1 parm rind
- TT salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp fresh basil, roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh oregano, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, roughly chopped
Ingredients
|
|
- Gather all ingredients
- Wash all produce
- Roughly dice zucchini, squash, onion, peppers, and swiss chard and set aside
- Slice mushrooms and set aside
- mince garlic and set aside
- To a large dutch oven, add the ground beef and onions
- After a few minutes, once beef is cooked about halfway, add garlic
- Season lightly with salt and pepper
- Once beef is cooked thoroughly and onions are translucent, add diced produce
- Season with salt and pepper
- Stir
- Saute for about 10 minutes or until veggies are softened
- Add tomatoes and stir
- Add parmesean rind
- Cover and let simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally
- Add chard, stir and cover
- Simmer another 45 min, stirring occasionally
- While sauce is simmering, roughly chop fresh herbs and add them to sauce
- Simmer 20 more minutes, stirring occasionally
- Serve
For a gluten free meal, use gluten free pasta to make your lasagna or spaghetti. The sauce is already gluten free!
Carissa
July 26, 2017First off, this looks YUM! Secondly, I have gone to my wits end in trying to perfect this – every time my sauce seems to come out sort of ‘foamy’, and acidic to the taste. And it’s not even as dark as yours looks – mine stays pretty light pink, no clue why! Is the trick for that to simmer it for 2 hours? I can’t say I simmered mine for that long, but I always read that it was never good to overcook ‘spaghetti sauce’ (maybe they mean the can/jar kind). I don’t know! 🙁 Nonetheless, yours looks absolutely perfect! Sharing!
Leslie Morrison
July 26, 2017Thank you! I have found that mine does that when I try to use fresh tomatoes. As much as I’d love to use them, the availability isn’t always there, so I have switched to packaged.
Corey | The Nostalgia Diaries
July 26, 2017This looks so delicious — so much better than a a jar. I love all the veggies you’ve included in it!
Caitlyn
July 26, 2017This looks delicious and I can’t wait to try it! I love the idea of freezing it.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
July 26, 2017There is nothing better than homemade sauce simmering away on the stove 🙂 Never waste money on icky-filled store-bought 😛
Kat Last
July 26, 2017The spaghetti sauce looks absolutely delicious! It’s so good that there are lots of vegetables in it.
I’m going to bookmark this recipe for later!
Kat – katlast.com
xx
Denisse | Le Petit Eats
July 26, 2017Happy birthday- we are the same age! Hope 35 treats you well. That spaghetti sauce looks incredible!!
Leslie Morrison
July 27, 2017Thank you! If 40 really is the new 25 we are still teenagers, haha!
Amanda
July 26, 2017Yummy! This looks so good!
Felicia @ The Starving Chef
July 26, 2017I have so many zucchinis coming out of my garden right now – I need to make this!
Leslie Morrison
July 27, 2017Yes! And zucchini bread..they are delicious and freeze wonderfully too!
Jordan | Read. Eat. Repeat.
July 26, 2017Sounds like you had a great birthday! I totally get the gaining weight thing…I’m starting to seriously ponder some lifestyle changes as I’m approaching 30 and things aren’t like they used to be, if you know what I mean. Also, your pictures are gorgeous!
Leslie Morrison
July 27, 2017Thank you! And, yes, I know exactly what you mean…haha!
Teresa
July 27, 2017This looks unbelievably delicious! I can never pass up a plate of spaghetti with sauce! Always hits the spot.
Sharon
August 1, 2017I totally get the soft and fluffy! Boo, your so right, every year that passes is another year to eat less…it seems. We moms definitely need to take ourselves off the back burner and invest in our health! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Leslie Morrison
August 2, 2017I’m so glad it’s not just me! I’m still going to eat the ice cream with my kid though, loL!
Caroline @ Pinch Me, I'm Eating!
August 6, 2017First of all, happy birthday! Second, I need to try this recipe! I’m half Italian and almost never make my own sauce – I need to step up my game! Batch cooking and freezing is the best!
Lori Geurin
October 26, 2017Isn’t comfort food the best?! I love that your homemade spaghetti sauce recipe includes so many nutrient-rich vegetables. I can’t wait to try it!
Marcie
October 26, 2017Ok, this looks amazing! I’m big on making food to freeze and this seems like it would be so versatile!
Katrina
October 26, 2017Ooh yummy! I absolutely love spaghetti Bolognese and I love to do my own take on the sauce. Your recipe sounds awesome, may add a few ingredients into mine next time!
Cecil
October 27, 2017I always forget about freezing spaghetti sauce, probably because I rarely make my own. Your recipe looks and sounds amazing! Before I forget, Happy Belated Birthday! Take some time for yourself, life goes by quickly, and the little ones won’t remember the occassional times you put yourself first.
Leslie Morrison
October 29, 2017Thank you! I love homemade sauce. If it wasn’t for freezing the sauce though I’d get to enjoy it so much less.