Hearty Spaghetti With Ground Sausage

• 1/2 pound lean ground meat or sausage: Italian Turkey, Chicken, or Pork, mild or spicy
• 28 ounces tomatoes can or carton of pureed
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• white onion or small to medium-sized Red, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste the kind that looks like a toothpaste tube
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 3 tablespoons red wine leftover
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 teaspoon italian seasoning dried
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ground pepper fresh, to taste
• 2 bay leaves dried
• 8 ounces spaghetti

1. Heat oil in a medium cast iron skillet and saute onions for 2 minutes on medium high, lower temperature to medium and add crushed garlic for a few minutes. When Garlic starts to turn golden, add Ground Meat/Italian Sausage and Bay Leaf. If using a a sausage, squeeze the meat out of the casing. Break up the Sausage by using the side of a wooden spoon and cook till meat is brown.
2. Add the can/carton of Pureed Tomatoes, Tomato Paste, Balsamic Vinegar, crushed Red Pepper, Red Wine, and Italian Seasoning, and Kosher Salt. Turn temperature to medium-high till Sauce starts boil. Lower temperature and let Sauce simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Heat large pot of water 1/2 to 2/3 full on high. Once water boils, place the Pasta in the water, then reduce temperature to a simmering (gentle) boil. Follow package instructions but remove pasta 30-45 seconds earlier. Pasta should be al dente or firm (slightly undercooked) so when adding the sauce the Pasta will cook a bit further.
4. Drain Pasta in a colander when ready. Remove and dispose of Bay Leaves from the sauce. You can put equal portions onto each plate with the sauce or you can take the pasta and mix directly in the sauce in the cast iron skillet. Reserve 2/3 of the sauce since there will be plenty of extra. Add in Parmesan Cheese.
5. Put leftover sauce into containers to either freeze (last about a month) or refrigerate (last for a few days).

ground meat, tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, white onion, tomato, balsamic vinegar, red wine, red pepper, kosher salt, ground pepper, bay leaves dried, spaghetti

Taken from www.yummly.com/recipe/Hearty-Spaghetti-with-Ground-Sausage-1320443 (may not work)