Kathie's Italian Sauce

1 pound hamburger
1 pound Italian sausage (if using "hot" sausage start with 1/2 a pound)
garlic
oil
1 tablespoon sugar
large can of tomato puree
16 oz can diced tomatoes with Italian seasonings
2 small cans Italian paste with Italian seasonings.


Brown garlic in oil. Put in meat, break it up and brown. Drain oil. Add both cans of Italian paste and simmer for a couple of minutes. Add tomato puree and stir. You might need 1/2 can of water (use the puree can so it's more like tomato flavored water by rinsing can). Add diced tomatoes. Stir together. Then add sugar and simmer sauce low for 1/2 hour to hour.

Depending on how it tastes sometimes I add basil or oregano. If it is too thick, then add water. If it is too thin, let it simmer more.

The rest is really up to how you want it to taste. I don't add salt, but you may feel it needs it. Sometimes I put pepper in. Just play around with your spices.

Sometimes at this point, I feel it is "Perfetto" that I don't add anything.

I always use name brand products -- Del Monte, or Hunts, there's another brand that I buy by sight -- can't think of the name -- but it's Italian. I just feel that some of the generic sauces don't have the flavor I'm looking for.

So at least this is a beginning point for you and what you like.

Buona fortuna e cucina felice!

by Kathie C.
(made it for us the day of Mom's funeral)