Recipe #105: Field Grade Spaghetti Sauce

I didn't have much time to plan a meal for six people, but I knew that pasta would be the best solution, and I've always wanted to try a good hearty meaty sauce.  I did a little hunting on allrecipes.com and found this awesome one, which features cinnamon.  I love it, and I think everyone else enjoyed it too, judging by the clean plates.  This fed me, Nick, my sister, one of my best friends, my uncle and my grandma!

The pictures aren't that great because I forgot to take pictures before we started eating, but you get the idea.  I can't wait to eat the leftovers!

Half-eaten...

Ingredients

• 2 pounds lean ground beef
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix
• 1 (4.5 ounce) can canned mushrooms, drained  (I used 2 cans)
• 2 teaspoons dried basil leaves, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 pinch ground cinnamon
• 1 pinch ground allspice  (I didn't have this)
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 cup water

Directions

1. In a large skillet, brown the meat with the garlic over medium heat. Stir in the wine; simmer, stirring often, for 10 minutes.
2. Mix in dry onion soup mix, mushrooms, basil, salt and pepper, cinnamon, allspice, parsley, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and water. Cover pan almost completely, allowing space for steam to escape, and simmer 1 hour. Add additional water if needed to prevent sticking.