Meat Sauce

I have a friend that is always telling me, "Spaghetti sauce is so simple to make. I don't know why anyone buys canned/jarred crap." *excuse me while I sneak off to hide my jars of spaghetti sauce*

Yes, yes, spaghetti sauce is crazy simple to make. It takes time though. Lots and lots of time if you are making it from scratch. Lots and lots of tomatoes, too. I don't grow a garden because A) my apartment patio is the size of a postage stamp and B) I have the black thumb of death. I can breathe on plants and kill them.

Enter the quick meat sauce using *gasp* canned tomatoes. *cue the sarcasm* Oh, the horror.

1 lb extra lean ground chuck
1 medium onion, finely chopped (I cheat and use dried minced onion which means I can skip a step)
2 medium zucchini, chopped
10.75 oz can tomato puree
10 oz can Ro-Tel diced tomatoes and chiles (Mild or Hot depending on taste)
14.5 oz can peeled, whole tomatoes
1 T rice vinegar
2 T fresh lime juice (or 1/2 a lime, squeezed)
1 t sea salt
1 t black pepper
1 t dry mustard
1/4 t cumin

1. In a large dutch oven, brown the beef.
2. While browning, combine the tomatoes, vinegar, lime juice, and seasonings in a blender or food processor.
3. Blend smooth.
4. Add the onion to the beef.
5. Cook until soft.
6. Add the tomato mixture and zucchini to the beef.
7. Simmer 30 minutes.

You can reduce the sauce and make something like sloppy joes by browning the beef, cooking the onions, and then pouring all the ingredients into a crock pot and cooking on low for 2-3 hours.

The original recipe is at TGIPaleo.