Moms Winter Pasta Sauce

 This is a pasta sauce my mom used to make during the winter, when the  fresh tomatoes weren't aren't fresh. It's quite a sweet sauce, so adjust the sugar to taste. Perfect to serve with spaghetti or lasagna!

Ingredients

 

• 1/4 cup oil
• 2-3 stalks of celery
• 1 green pepper
• 1 large onion
• 1 large of can of crushed tomatoes
• 1 can of tomato soup
• 1 can of tomato juice (48 oz)
• 1 large can of tomato paste (13 oz)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar - to taste
• 2-5 bay leaves
• ~ 2-3 teaspoons of garlic salt - to taste
• 1 tablespoon salt
• Pepper - to taste
• 1/4  teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2-3 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 can of mushrooms

Instructions

1. Chop the onions, green pepper and celery.

2. Over medium-high heat, heat a few tablespoons of vegetable oil and cook the vegetables until soft.

3. Add the canned crushed tomatoes, tomato soup, tomato juice and tomato paste.

4. Add the brown sugar and bay leaves, and cook over low-medium heat for one hour.

5. Cook the ground beef, and drain the fat.

6. Add the beef, mushrooms, and spices to the sauce. Simmer for one more hour.

7. Taste, adjust the seasonings, and enjoy!

8. This sauce is also great for freezing!

Cheaters pulled pork

I say cheaters because i live in an apartment building and the city by-laws state that i cannot have a barbecue on my porch let alone a smoker. Instead i use a slow cooker that i use to cook the pork overnight and add the sauce the next morning. Also, to add some of that smoke flavour to the meat i have some handy liquid smoke that helps kick this pulled pork up more than a notch.

Ingredients

• 1 pork roast ( preferably picnic roast bone-in) 2-3 lbs.
• Sauce
• 1 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup yellow mustard
• 1/4 cup grain mustard
• 1/3 cup of your favorit barbecue sauce
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp garlic power, onion powder, chilli powder
• 1 tsp. liquid smoke
• 2 tbs. Worchestershireshire sauce
• Kosher salt and pepper ( table salt is...ok)

Instructions

1. Thaw the pork roast overnight in the fridge for a day or two depending on the size. The roast shouldn't be frozen when you put it into the slow cooker but slightly chilled kind of thing. get tu? Put slow cooker on low, add about a cup of water to the bottom of the cooker and leave overnight for 8-10 hours. ( You can also chop an onion and put it on the bottom for moisture instead of water if you prefer)

2. Once pork is done in the morning it should be ready to be pulled apart, 'pull' it with 2 forks or tongs and leave in cooker.

3. Add all the sauce ingredients into a sauce pan and bring to a simmer. Add to the slow cooker once the sauce is ready ( about 5 minutes on low ) and stir it in.

4. Breakfast of champs, coffee and pulled pork sandwich.