Don't let the laundry list of ingredients scare you off, this goes together fast and is worth the extra effort for a tastier sauce.

Quick Spaghetti Meat Sauce

1 teaspoon dried basil leaves

1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

1 bay leaf

1 to 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef (or combination of ground beef and pork; or Italian sausage)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic or to taste

1 medium onion, chopped

1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste

1 (16-ounce) can tomato sauce

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes in juice, undrained

1 to 1 1/2 cups beef broth (depending how thick you want the sauce)

1 (4-ounce) can sliced mushrooms (optional)

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon dried parsley (1 tablespoon dried)

Freshly ground pepper to taste

1 (16-ounce) package spaghetti pasta, cooked according to package directions

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for accompaniment

1. In a small bowl or cup, combine the basil, oregano and bay leaf; set aside.
2. In a large saucepan, brown ground beef over medium-high heat; drain fat. Season with salt and garlic; add the onion to saucepan and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in reserved spice mixture and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients; bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 15 to 30 minutes.
3. To serve, ladle sauce over pasta, which has been cooked al dente (cooked with a nice firm bite) and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.

Serves 6.