{Tasty Tuesday: Homemade Marinara Sauce}

I looooove COSTCO.

I love the prices.

I love the bulk.

I love the samples.

I love the hot dogs.

I love everything about it.

I always have a plethora of canned tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and tomato paste because recipes always seem to call for them.   My husband and I don't have pasta often enough to buy marinara sauce -it would probably go bad before the next time we'd want to use it.  So I decided to make my own marinara sauce, use some of it, and then freeze the rest in portions good for two.

This is SO easy.  And it is yummy, too.  Plus, it makes your house smell good.

You'll want to make it when you A. have some empty space in your freezer, and B. are going to eat some that night (it just makes more sense that way).  

Homemade Marinara Sauce

servings: 8+

Indredients:

3 (15oz) cans Tomato Sauce

1 (6oz) can Tomato Paste

1 (14.5oz) can Diced Tomotoes

Garlic Cloves (whole, or minced) - as many as you'd like

1 large chopped Onion (or some onion powder)

Thyme

Basil

Italian Seasoning

Oregano

Salt/Pepper to taste 

1.  Mix everything into a large sauce pan.

2.  Bring it to a light boil, stir, and then bring it down to a simmer.

3.  Let simmer for at least 20 minutes.

4.  Taste. And add any more seasonings you think it might need.  Be generous.

5.  Let it simmer for another 5 minutes or so.

6.  Once you are all done, serve what you are going to eat that night.  Then, turn off the heat and let the rest cool in the sauce pan.

7.  Now it's time to portion out your servings to save.  Grab some gallon freezer baggies and a baking sheet.  

8.  Average about 1 cup per person and depending on how many people in your family, pour into baggies.  For my husband and I, I put 2 cups in each bag.  

9.  Clear out a spot in your freezer for the baking sheet so it can lay flat.

10.  Lay the bags of marinara sauce flat on top of each other on the baking sheet and place in the freezer overnight.

11.  Once they are frozen, you can take them off the baking sheet and stand them up in your freezer for more efficient storing.  See??

Isn't that exciting?  I know you are just as pumped as I am about it!

It's easy, definitely cheaper, and way better in my opinion!  Go do it!

{What do you buy in bulk to save money?}