At Lead Dog Ventures, we appreciate good food and good company.  And if there's one place to separate the Lead Dogs from the pack, it's in the making of a great tomato sauce.  After years of trial and error, here's one that's sure to please. This fantastic tomato sauce will inspire the best kind of “collaboration” with friends, particularly when enhanced with a bottle of great wine.  Woof!

3 Tbs. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
6-8 Garlic Cloves Chopped
2 Med Organic Onions Chopped

1 28oz Can Italian San Marzano Whole Tomatoes  
1 28oz Can BioItalia Organic Whole Tomatoes 
1 28oz Can Muir Organic Crushed Tomatoes 

Water
3 Tbs. Tomato Paste
1 Tbs. Sugar
¾ Tbs. Natural Sea Salt
¾ Tbs. Course Ground Pepper
3 tsp Dried Thyme
3 tsp Dried Oregano
3 Bay Leaves
2 tsp Dried Basil

Heat Olive Oil over low heat and when hot sauté onions for two minutes.  Add garlic and continue to sauté about three more minutes until onions are translucent.  Meanwhile open tomato cans and tomato paste.  With the whole tomatoes, pull off tough stem section and discard, then hand-squeeze remaining tomato into a large bowl.  Pour juice from can into bowl and add the Muir crushed tomatoes.  

When onions are translucent, pour tomatoes and juices into large stockpot.  Then rinse each can with a little water and pour ¾ cup from each into pot.  Stir in tomato paste, sugar, sea salt, thyme, oregano and basil.  Bring to a boil, stir, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.  Allow to cool slightly before serving.

Note:  For you gadget junkies, I highly recommend the purchase of a FoodSaver system, shown here.  With it you can use a rainy afternoon to make a large quantity of sauce and meatballs, then vacuum package them into meal size portions and freeze 'em up!  Weeks later  just thaw in the bag and heat, or cook  in boiling water in the bag until hot!  Either way, it tastes as good, sometimes better, than the day you made it! 

And the FoodSaver can be used for so many other things, it's incredible.!  The first day I got it, I  vacuum sealed everything in sight -- the contents last about five times longer when sealed!  At one point,  my two  ShihTzu's  started looking  really nervous! 

You can get them direct on the web site (http://www.foodsaver.com), or save a buck and buy it a Costco.  Five stars!     JBL