Tomato Basil Marinara

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 dried bay leaves
1 bunch fresh basil, chopped fine

In a large pot, heat oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add the celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 to 10 more minutes. Add tomatoes, bay leaves and basil, and simmer uncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thick. Remove the bay leaves and with a stick blender, or in a regular blender, blend the sauce until smooth. (Add 3 tbsp red pepper flakes after blending for a spicy sauce!)
Freeze leftovers up to 6 months.

*This is a really simple recipe that is really tasty. I prefer this to buying sauce from a jar because you add depth of flavor with all the fresh ingredients. You could also add more fresh herbs if you like to give it a more earthy feel and taste. I store this sauce in mason jars in the fridge, and whatever I don't use, I store in freezer bags in the freezer. The only problem with making it fresh is that it goes bad faster than the kind from a jar, so use it quick!

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