Marinara Sauce

I don't have a picture of this, it's marinara...just picture it in your head. It is so much better than jarred pasta sauce! The funny thing is it doesn't call for any spices except garlic and bay leaf, but for some reason it is awesome. And, because you can make a big batch and freeze it, it is less expensive than jarred pasta. This recipe makes two servings. I used one for manicotti and one for spaghetti. I just added 1 lb browned hamburger to the marinara for the spaghetti and Jeremiah and I fought over the leftovers.

Marinara Sauce
from Giada de Laurentiis

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 small onions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped (some people add more)
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped.
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 (32-oz) cans crushed tomatoes (I can only find 28-oz cans, which work fine)
2 dried bay leaves

In a large casserole pot, heat the olive oil over a medium-high flame. Add the onions and garlic and saute until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the celery, carrots, salt, and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and bay leaves and simmer, uncovered, until the sauce thickens, about one hour. Remove from heat and discard the bay leaves. Season the sauce with more salt and pepper, to taste.