BabyJane Hudson wrote:
> I have never made a home made spaghetti or marinara sauce, but I will
> try soon. What are the basic essential spices one should have on hand
> when cooking such sauces? Is there a pre-made mixture, (brand) that
> most agree is the best if not using fresh spices?
>
Herbs: oregano, marjoram (a substitute for oregano); basil
Vegetables: minced onion, garlic (lots!) and celery. Some folks add
carrots.
Spices: lots of black peppercorns (ground); crushed red pepper seeds; fennel
seeds

> Are homemade sauces that are simple as good or better than jar sauces
> one buys in a store?
>
That's up to you. Try experimenting with jarred sauces; spice them up a
bit, get the taste you want then try to make your own. But really, making
your own isn't difficult. You *will* need good ripe tomatoes, though, and
it will take more than 10 minutes to prepare. More like three hours
After that, adding meat (like cooked Italian sausage) isn't a difficult
thing; the sausage is already spiced.

Jill