Nan's Marinara Sauce:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 cups minced sweet (yellow) onion
2 tablespoons minced or crushed garlic cloves
2 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
6-ounce can tomato paste
1 cup water
2 cups finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup dried sweet basil
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 dried bay leaf

Place a 4 or 6 quart, non-stick pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil, onions and garlic. Cook the onions and garlic, stirring occasionally until they are opaque and tender but not at all browned, about 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to low. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste and water, stirring until smooth. Add the parsley, sugar, salt, basil, cloves and bay leaf. Cover the pot and cook the sauce over the lowest heat setting for at least three hours, stirring occasionally. Serve the sauce immediately or store it in re-sealable plastic containers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or the freezer for up to 1 month.

Makes approximately 8 cups; 16 servings.

Each (1/2 cup) serving has: 65 calories, 3 g protein,13 g carbohyrates, 1 g fat, trace amount saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 3 g fiber, 366 mg sodium