After talking about my Dad I’m not really sure how to move from that topic…so I decided to post one of his favorite meals.  My dad loved spaghetti and meat sauce! And I love comfort food this time of year (or anytime of year really)! And my husband has perfected this sauce over the years (many of our friends know him as Panfi…by the way) so I need to post it! Hope you enjoy if you make it this holiday season…or anytime soon!

·      1-2 lb. ground beef

·      1-2 lb. Italian sausage* (spicy or sweet…whatever you like)

·      onion (chopped…1 small per two pounds of beef)

·      garlic (at least 6 cloves grated or minced…more if you like)

·      bell pepper (chopped…1 – 2 per pound of beef)

·      mushrooms (sliced…about 10 – 15 mushrooms)

·      2 cans crushed tomatoes (15 oz each) (per pound of meat)

·      1 large can tomato paste (or two small…15 oz total)

·      fresh or dried basil or dried Italian seasoning

·      salt & pepper

Brown beef, Italian sausage, onion & garlic in a large pan. Season with salt & pepper as you go. Add bell peppers & mushrooms and stir for a few minutes.  Add remaining ingredients…adding spices to taste.  Simmer as long as possible (the longer it simmers on low the better it will taste…if it get’s too thick add water/ too thin add tomato paste).

Serve over spaghetti or any pasta that you like.  I make a double or triple batch & often freeze some to use for lasagna on another day. YUMMY!

*I don’t like this sauce with Italian sausage…so sometimes I leave it out…but Aaron loves it so we usually use one pound of ground beef and one pound of sausage.