Recipe: Big Batch Beef Sauce

4 lbs ground beef
4 med. onions, chopped
5 celery ribs, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 cans (28 oz each) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cans (6 oz each) tomato paste
2 jars (4.5 oz each) sliced mushrooms, drained; optional
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1 Tbsp salt
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

In a Dutch oven over medium heat, cook beef, onions, celery and garlic until meat is no longer pink and vegetables are tender; drain.
Stir in the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered for 1 to 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally. Cool. Transfer to freezer bag or containers, about 2 cups in each. May be frozen for up to 3 months.

Yield: about 15 cups total

*Notes: I use a little more beef, and sometimes use the seasoned tomatoes. I usually don't add the red pepper flakes either. I also usually brown the beef in a roasting pan in the oven on about 250. This is from a magazine called Quick Cooking. Then they have recipes to use it for: Tacos; Spaghetti, Lasagna. And I use it in chili also.