Ingredients:
- keep in mind that I've never written it down, or done it exactly the same twice.... and I've never measured ingredients, so be prepared for some experimentation!! And this is a large recipe, so be prepared for freezing *nods* Freezing is good!

OK.

You'll need:

* - mince/hamburger meat - maybe a pound or so (or half a kg)... it depends on how much (if any) you want. I probably use about 750 grams.

* - veggies - whatever you want *l* onions are essential - I usually use a couple small normal brown ones, and a couple white or red ones for different flavour. Then carrots of course, and I find capsicum (um, red and green peppers), broccoli, maybe celery if you like it, definitely lots of mushrooms(!) or whatever you feel like. And I just use however much I use - I honestly can't guide you there *g* enough to fill a small pot - and you'll need a big pot for this recipe!!

* - canned tomatoes: I generally use both puree and whole, for more texture... although I put the whole ones into the food processor/blender/pulveriser (henceforth I'm calling it just a blender!). Um, I generally have, I think, um, at least 2 cans of each.... at least 4 in total.... possibly more. Sorry. I forget. I suggest you have a bunch on hand, and add until it gets right *g* I'm useful, aren't I?

* - ok, fresh herbs! the most important part!! my spaghetti sauce is not the same without it!!! Most crucial is basil, yummy yummy basil.... thyme and rosemary and oregano are also wonderful! use lots and lots! fresh! *g* actually, I prefer rosemary dried, cause it's kinda chewy and gets stuck in your teeth fresh, but otherwise....

Method of Preparation! Roughly chop the 2 brown onions into quarters or something and chuck them in the blender. Also put in most of the nice herbs, although it's good to save a couple for later, so the flavour's fresher, esp basil *nods* Oh yes, a couple cloves of garlic is good - or you can use garlic only in the frying, or not use it *l* Then add the 2 cans of whole tomatoes, and blend blend blend! It should turn into a big weird-coloured mess that smells like the most wonderful thing ever *g*

Chop up the red/white/other onions - you can slice or dice, whichever you prefer. And garlic, too, as much as you think tastes good. And I find it useful to chop the carrots too at this point. Heat some oil (preferably olive, and you don't need to use too much health-conscious people *g*) in the bottom of the pot - and it has to be big, remember *g* - and fry up the onions and garlic until they're getting nice and golden. Then add the carrots - they take a horribly long time to get tender if you don't fry them a bit first. The same goes for dried rosemary if you're using it, and probably fresh too (frying it up softens it nicely). When it's all getting a bit cooked, pour in the blender mix, followed by the cans of tomatoe puree. At this point you should have your other frying pan out and be frying up the hamburger meat *l* When the tomatoe sauce is starting to boil, add all your other chopped vegies (yeah, you should have chopped those at some point *g*), and when the hamburger meat is done you can add that too..... then just cook until the veggies are getting tender!

some of those vegies take longer to cook than others - celery takes longer than red and green peppers (capsicum), and the peppers take longer than the broccoli, which will get overcooked very quickly, esp if you chop it into small easy-bite pieces like me, so be warned ;-) for mushrooms it depends on how well dome you like them - if they're overcooked, they lose a bit of flavour, but maybe you like it that way.... otherwise I'd put them in with the broccoli.

At this point you can start tasting and going "mmmmmmm" *nods* add pepper or whatever.... I suppose because you're heathens you'd add salt too *lol* I find with all the fresh herbs it's not necessary, but that's just cause I'm used to it, and most of you would think it was bland. You can add any remaining fresh herbs - the basil can go in as nice big pieces, so it's like a veggie itself - it's very yummy that way!

ummmmmmmm. I think that might be pretty much it. You'll have to keep stirring as it cooks, or it can get burnt to the bottom of the pan - and it'll probably spit a bit, being so large. And you can adjust it to your taste, add more or less tomatoes/veggies/meat..... I made the recipe up, so it took me a while to get it right, and I always buy too much of something and don't end up using it anyway *l* I'm sure there are other veggies that I use, but I can't think of them.....

anyway, that's it from me. I'm really good at writing coherent easy-to-follow recipes aren't I? And ultra good at really specific instructions, too *nods* I should write a cook-book.

Jade

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