Outrageously Delicious Spaghetti Sauce

4 - 28 oz cans crushed tomatoes
4 - 12 oz. cans tomato paste
1 large Vidalia or Spanish onion, chopped
1 head garlic, peeled and minced
1 medium eggplant, washed and diced
4 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon sugar
2 cups olive oil, divided
1/2 cup dry red wine
Water as needed for desired consistency

In large stockpot, saute onion in 3/4 cup olive oil for 5 minutes; add garlic and saute another
2-3 minutes. Add eggplant and another 1/4 cup olive oil, saute 4-5 minutes.

Stir in tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, 1/2 cup olive oil, wine and enough water to desired consistency (usually add about 2 cups water)

Place basil in large bowl or glass measuring cup, snip into small pieces and stir into sauce.
Add oregano and sugar.

Simmer 4 hours, adding spashes of remaining 1/2 cup olive oil periodically. When done, either place in jars and process in canner or place in freezer containers and keep in freezer.

My friend Rhonda Bryan provided me with this recipe. We made this together this summer and I have to tell you it is the best sauce ever. Makes 8 quarts or 16 pints.

Serving suggestion: I brown about 1 1/2 to 2 pounds ground beef, drain off grease, add sauce.
While simmering together, I cut up about 1/2 cup Calamata olives and about 1/2 cup sundried tomatoes (with oil) and place in sauce pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil and saute a few minutes.
Then add this mixture to beef and sauce. Simmer about 5 minutes. Serve with your favorite cooked pasta.

This seems like a lot of work but it really is worth it. Once it is cooking, you can do other things and check on it and stir to make sure it doesn't stick to pot, OR you can transfer to
a slow cooker and just cook it on high!!!