Carl’s Pasta Sauce

2 med/mild    Italian sausages (the ones I get are about 7 in. long)
2 hot             Italian sausages
1 slab             baby back ribs, cut into individual rib pieces
3-28 oz cans   tomatoes, crushed,  diced or whole and you can crush them    
1-29 oz. can   tomato sauce
16 to 18 oz     tomato paste
1-10oz. pkgs  sliced mushrooms
3 T                 garlic    
3 T                Italian seasoning
2 to 6 T         olive oil
2 t                 sugar – add more to your taste-
4 fresh or 2 dried bay leaves
2 t each salt and pepper or to your taste.

        Pre heat oven to 325º

    Remove sausages from skins, separate.  Add some oil to a large Dutch oven and brown the sausage.  Set aside.  Cut the ribs into individual pieces.  Add 2 or 3 tablespoons of oil to the Dutch oven over med. heat and add the ribs with a little s & p and brown. As the meat browns, add back the sausage, the mushrooms and  the garlic.  Let them blend and the mushrooms cook down for a few minutes.
    Add tomatoes and tomato sauce. Stir well and add Italian seasoning, some of the sugar and bay leaves.  Then add the paste. Stir to combine and place in the oven for two hours.
    After about two hours, check the sauce.Add more sugar or salt or pepper as you like.   If it is thicker than you like add some water or chicken broth or sauce or if it is too thin, more paste to thicken it. Return to oven for another hour.
    After three hours check the ribs. If the meat has fallen off the ribs the sauce is ready. If not continue cooking in the oven until meat is off the rib bones.

    When bones are clean remove them and the bay leaves and the sauce is ready.

    I use some the day I make it and freeze the rest in Food Saver packages with about 3 cups in each package.

    Now, once you’ve made it you can adjust it to your individual taste.  Really, I make it a little different each time.