Doctoring store bought spaghetti sauce?

I never understand why people do this. Real sauce is pretty easy-- all the work is in the "doctoring" anyway. Why buy the chemical, sugar and preservative filled junk and then take the effort to "doctor it"? With a can of diced tomatoes, can of tomato paste, sautéed onions, peppers, garlic, some Italian herbs, a dash of red wine, you know what you're getting, not getting the chemicals, it's all fresh and you can say "I made this".

That's what I suggest!

You can use basically any brand. Try adding beef or italian sausage, or even chicken breast.

Generally, you want to add some onion, garlic, parsley, oregano, and possibly a tiny bit (like 1/4 tsp) sugar if you like sweeter sauce. Green peppers will change the taste, so only add them if you like them, and you can toss in a spash of red wine, a tsp olive oil, some basil, or crushed red pepper (very little) to spice it some.

Jar sauces usually have enough sodium in them.

It will still need to cook for a little bit, to absorb the flavors.

If you want to experiment, try making sauce with your favorite spices and a can of tomato puree. This is basically just plain tomato, and you control the seasoning. Season a bit heavier than doctoring premade sauce, and it will need to cook for at least a few hours on low, but probably about 6 to get you where you want to be. Crock pot is best. Taste and re-season if needed after about an hour, and keep tasting every hour or so to make sure you like where it's going.

If you REALLY feel frisky, boil about 8-10 good sized tomatoes for a minute or so. Take them out and cut the core top out, then peel the skin off. Toss them in a food processor or a blender, and use them instead of puree or sauce. You'll need a bit of olive oil and red wine in this, and all your spices.

When I'm in a hurry, I use Hunt's Four Cheese spaghetti sauce and add 1/2 cup Seasoning Blend (a frozen mixture of chopped onions, celery and bell peppers), one bay leaf, a teaspoon of sugar, one pound of browned and drained ground beef or Italian sausage or 15 frozen meatballs (if using the ground beef, I usually add one link of diced smoked sausage), 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 tablespoon Italian seasoning and stir in 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese right before serving.

My mother always bought the Prego brand with the meat in it and added ground beef to the sauce and occasionally garlic chunks. I was never a fan of the beef... I'm not big on red meat. But I like my sauce chunky... sometimes I'll eat the leftover sauce without the pasta!

Sweat 2 shallots, 1/2 spanish onion, 1/2 bell pepper, 1 carrot. Add garlic then ground meat (beef, lamb, pork, veal, whatever you like, I like a combo of lamb and veal)

Brown the meat.

Add sauce, along with dried oregano, a little cayenne and simmer

At the end, add fresh chiffonade basil and some fresh grated parm.

Toss in noodles, and enjoy

I buy the Walmart garden blend then I saute chopped onions and bell pepper. I add fresh garlic, minced. Once all is sauted I brown some ground beef mixed with the onion mixture. I add italian seasoning blend to the meat. Once the meat is cooked through I add it to the sauce, heat it up and viola yummy spahetti sauce. My kids and hubby love it.

Every body had a recipe with jarred sauce.

All I say is if it tastes too acidic, put a tiny amount of sugar in it.

taste. Keep doing so until it doesn't taste bad.

Every thing that you add is going to make it taste better.

My faves herb: Garlic, basil and oregano.

other: mushrooms, onions, beef round, sausage.

I've recently heard that putting 2 TB of white vinegar in the boiling water makes the noodles less sticky.

Mix the

1. Browned meat

2. Store bought sauce like prego

3. additional sauce to add and mix in

1-1/2 T butter (or olive oil)

1 heaping T flour

3/4 t garlic POWDER (not garlic salt)

pinch of nutmeg

1 t salt

1-1/2 cup milk, heated (you can microwave it for one minute)

4 oz of cream cheese cut into cubes.

Heat the butter in a saucepan until it[s melted and sizzling stops (this means all the water's boiled out of it). Add the flour and stir with a wisk until it's all coated in butter. If there's not enough fat to fully incorporate the flour, add a little more oil or butter. Add the salt, nutmeg and garlic powder and stir. Add the boiling milk. Carefully wisk it all to blend and bring it to a simmer, then reduce the heat. Add the cheese and whisk to blend. Taste and add salt if needed

It doesn't matter which brand in fact the cheap ones are fine......

First brown chopped onion and bacon, then add mince or chicken depending on your taste. While they are cooking I usually grate carrott and zuccini and throw that in. Once the meat is cooked add the sauce and chopped garlic.....this is quite nutritious as well as yum!!

Good luck

ur father was right on, but i'd also throw in a head of garlic roasted at 375 for about an hour. mushrooms and zuchinni are also nice.