Rachel's Pasta Sauce

Base:
*Plain canned tomato sauce
*Canned diced tomatoes
*Chopped fresh tomatoes
or any combination of the above

Seasonings:
*at least 1-2 T. sugar or brown sugar per can or 2 cups of fresh tomatoes (brings out the tomato taste & also adds a touch of sweetness that we love!)
*fresh garlic or garlic salt
*lots of salt
*dash of pepper
*Italian seasonings such as oregano & basil (fresh or dry)

Other optional additions:
*browned Italian sausage
*bround ground beef
*sauteed onions
or whatever other vegetables or meat are on hand & sound yummy...

Instructions:
Combine desired ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat & simmer over low heat for a long time until the sauce thickens. Serve with pasta, lasagna, or pizza. I usually start the sauce and get it simmering for 20 minutes or so and then cook my the rest of my meal while the sauce simmers.

Notes:
To make the sauce thicker, you can always add tomato paste (it's especially useful to do that if you are using mostly fresh tomatoes which are juicier). Most of the time, I don't have all the fresh ingredients on hand or the fresh ingredients are too expensive, so I just use a can of tomatoes as a base and use my dried seasonings and it tastes just great. But it is always fun when we can add fresh tomatoes, meat, or herbs.