Seasoned Tomato Sauce


This is a basic tomato sauce; use it anytime a tomato sauce is called for - in pasta sauces, soups, stews or casseroles.

Steps


Combine tomatoes , onion , garlic , oregano , sugar , pepper & bay leaves in a large stainless steel or enamel saucepan.
Bring to a boil over high heat , reduce heat & boil gently , uncovered , until very thick , about 1 1 / 2 hours.
Stir frequently.
Press through a food mill or coarse sieve to remove skins & seeds.
Add lemon juice & salt.
Remove hot jars from the canning kettle & ladle sauce into jars leaving 1 / 2 inch of head space.
Remove any trapped air bubbles , readjust the head space , wipe rims & apply lids until finger tight.
Transfer jars to the canner & set timer for 35 minutes when the water returns to a boil.

Ingredients


tomatoes, onion, garlic cloves, fresh oregano, granulated sugar, fresh ground pepper, bay leaves, lemon juice, salt