Seasoned Tomato Sauce - cooking recipe

Ingredients

12 cups chopped ripe tomatoes
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano (or 1 tsp dried)
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation

Combine tomatoes, onion, garlic, oregano, sugar, pepper & bay leaves in a large stainless steel or enamel saucepan.
Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat & boil gently, uncovered, until very thick, about 1 1/2 hours; stir frequently.
Press through a food mill or coarse sieve to remove skins & seeds; add lemon juice & salt.
Remove hot jars from the canning kettle & ladle sauce into jars leaving 1/2 inch of head space; remove any trapped air bubbles, readjust the head space, wipe rims & apply lids until finger tight.
Transfer jars to the canner & set timer for 35 minutes when the water returns to a boil.