Tomato Meat Spaghetti Sauce - cooking recipe

Ingredients

olive oil (Italian virgin)
1 clove fresh garlic, chopped
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 (16 oz.) can tomato paste
1/2 can water
3 (1 lb.) cans Italian style tomatoes, crushed
dried oregano to taste, crushed
salt and pepper to taste
fresh dried mint to taste
1 small can Mexican hot sauce (optional)
12 Progresso Italian dried black olives (optional)

Preparation

In a large saucepot, coat the bottom with olive oil.
Brown chopped garlic.
Crumble the ground beef into the pot and brown. You may use your own variety of meats (meatballs, Italian hot sausage removed from casing, pork chops, sirloin steak or ground beef).
Once the meat is browned, add the tomato paste, the water, the tomatoes, the oregano, the salt and pepper, the mint and the hot sauce.
Cook, covered, for 1 hour over medium heat; stir now and again.
Cook, uncovered, for 2 hours over medium-low heat, stirring now and again.
If heat is too high sauce will stick to bottom of pan.