My Spaghetti Meat Sauce - Stovetop or Crock Pot

Every family out there has a way to make Spaghetti sauce. This is one I have been making for years and years, and it always turns out awesome. My family loves the sweet-slightly spicy herbiness and it cooks in no time. Serves 6.

1 pound ground beef (can substitute Italian sausage)
1 tsp minced garlic
1 onion, chopped
2 8-oz cans tomato sauce (or 2 can tomato paste + 2 cans water)
1 can diced tomatoes (or about 6 fresh, chopped)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (more, if you are so inclined!)
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp marjoram
1/2 cup sugar (or Splenda!)
1 4-oz can mushrooms (more if you want it!)
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1 16-oz box of spaghetti noodles (or any pasta you prefer, actually)

This is the Stovetop version.

Get a pan and spray with nonstick spray (or use 1 tbsp oil). Saute your onions and garlic for a minute or two till onions are a bit translucent and garlic is a little toasted.

Add your ground beef (or Italian sausage) and brown. Toss the black pepper, cayenne pepper, basil, oregano, marjoram and sugar. Mix it really well and simmer for a couple minutes for sugar to carmelize. Add the tomatoes, mushroom, tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese. Bring to a boil and simmer on medium heat for about 20 minutes. You can prepare your pasta while the sauce simmers.

To do this using a crock pot, saute the onions and garlic, brown the meat, and then just throw everything in the crock pot. Give it a good stir and cook on low for about 6 hours, on high for 3. Easy peasy!

About 5 points per serving (if you used 93/7 lean ground beef). Easy, yummy and filling, my picky eaters gobble this up! Yours will too!