Han-made Marinara Sauce!

I was raised on Ragu jarred spaghetti sauce. 
It was what my mom always made, so it was what I always made, and up until today, it was what I always liked!

But I keep hearing how easy marinara sauce is to make, and how good homemade marinara sauce is, that today, I decided to take the plunge!

The preparation took under ten minutes, the cooking about 45 minutes, but ohmigod, it was SO good.  And my kitchen smelled unbelievable. 

This recipe is so simple (I did it without a hitch!), that I totally encourage you to try to make this yourself also.  Homemade is worlds better than the jar!

----

Recipe from Tyler Florence (such a cutie) and the Food Network:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon oregano, dried
1 teaspoons basil, dried
1 whole bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Salt and pepper, to taste


Directions

Over medium heat, heat oil in a large pot until hot. Add onion and garlic, saute for 3 to 5 minutes until the onions begin to appear translucent. Add the tomatoes, stir to mingle the flavors. Add in the herbs and bay leaves. Sprinkle in sugar, salt and pepper. Lower the heat and continue to simmer for 30 minutes, uncovered. Stir occasionally.

---

Han twists: I used San Marzano whole tomatoes that I crushed up with a fork in the pan, because I like my sauce chunky.  I put in about a tablespoon each of salt and sugar, and I added in a couple of tablespoons of red pepper flakes to spice it up.  I did not have dried basil on hand, so I substituted the frozen basil from Trader Joe's (which I love--the basil, but also the store); I used three frozen cubes worth because I am a basil fiend. I also cooked mine for about 45 minutes, and it got really thick and wonderful. 

So easy and so worth it.