Nana's Spaghetti Sauce

Well, I apologize for not posting anything for the last 2 weeks but I was enjoying a 'staycation' on Mary Lake.  My parents live 15 minutes from our house and have a small but fully functional in-law suite on their house that they use for company.  Myself, my 2 kids and my husband moved in.  We originally said we'd stay for 5 days, which turned into 7 days, then 10.  It's hard to leave such a beautiful spot.  Easily my favorite place on earth.  Anyhow, I had very little access to my computer, therefore no posting.

When my husband and I started camping, we always brought along my Nana's Spaghetti Sauce.  I can still remember calling her for the recipe 7 years ago.  When she passed away, I decided that would always become a staple on our camping trips.  I knew it froze really well and actually tasted even better after the freeze, so I decided that's what we'd take.  It's now become a tradition.  In a couple of weeks we have a 'mother/daughter' camping weekend.  We started this last year and we young mommas take our wee girls and our own enthusiastic momma's with us.  I'm on spaghetti sauce again with no complaints.  

This sauce isn't your typical spaghetti sauce.  I always found this recipe to be so far from what I had always made.  I don't really know what makes it so tasty, but it is.  Like I said, the flavors always seem better after it's been frozen.  It calls for canned mushrooms which I shudder to think about but when Nana made it, that's what was in it and it was good!  I have in the past sauteed my own and added them in but for camping, I'm going all out with the canned mushrooms.  We're a classy bunch on this trip.  Instead of a photo, I have added Nana's original recipe.  I can barely read it these days but I've made it so many times that I know what's in it.  It makes a big batch.  Here's the recipe word for word.

Nana's Spaghetti Sauce


1 lb ground lean beef
1 lb ground lean pork
2 onions, finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1-680ml  spaghetti sauce
2-398ml  tomato sauce
8 peppercorns (optional)
1 tsp dried oregano, or to taste
dried parsley, to taste (I use fresh)
1 bay leaf
1 tsp salt, or to taste
1-680ml tomatoes, drained and chopped
1 can mushrooms, drained

Brown meat in 1 or 2 tbsp of oil.  Add onions, lower heat and cook until onions are tender.  Add remaining ingredients and simmer gently 1 to 1-1/2 hours or until desired thickness.

p.s. it goes on to say that it should be served with a lovely greek or caesar salad and garlic bread.  I would have to agree.