Hi JWOP
Good for you on taking up canning and gardening. Good canned tomatoes are so expensive. Oragano grows well, almost like a weed. The canning, I greatly admire , I just havent found the patience for it ,,,yet.
You have some great suggestions here.
For a simple Mother sause...I like to start with about 20 cloves of chopped garlic and saute until golden in oilive oil, alot of olive oil. be careful not to burn it or it gets bitter . For some sweetness you can finally grate some carrot. I use REAL Salt, a good sea salt that is full of trace minerals. Some black pepper. I use 2, 32 ounce canned crushed tomatoes.
Are your tomatoes peeled? If not, you can peel and quater them. mashing them with an old fashioned potatoe masher. Add them to the garlic and oil. Simmer this for an hour or more. If you are worried about the carbs you can use broiled zucchini, sliced lenght wise and other vegetables instead of pasta and make a lasagna with ricotta with a little wisked egg and spices, or fresh Mozzerlla and pecorino.
I like your name...Smile.. but I always read it J-WOP.
Ciao,
e-wop