Recipes by Shirley Syiek
Almost everyone thinks their mother's cooking is the best. I can honestly join that group. Mom has really gotten better at cooking over the years, and she has developed many recipes that have become her signature.
Of course she is a great Italian cook, and each family has its own unique way of making spaghetti sauce. One way is not necessarily better than the other; simply different. Here is the spaghetti sauce that my mother learned to make from her mother:
Spaghetti Sauce by Shirley Syiek
2 onions
1 garlic, chopped
2 green peppers
2-3 stalks celery
8 oz. mushrooms, chopped 2 cans tomato paste
1 can whole tomatoes, pureed
1/2 tsp pepper
11/2 tsp salt
2 tsp oregano
2 tsp parsley
1 tsp marjoram
1 1/4 tsp thyme
3/4 cup red wine (optional)
Saute onions, garlic, peppers, celery, mushrooms. Add tomato paste and let simmer 5 mins. Add 6 tomato paste cans of water, the pureed tomatoes, and the spices. Bring to a boil, then simmer 3-4 hours.