Heat a large skillet, sauté pan or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Be sure to use a pan with a lid.

Once the pan is hot; add the ground beef and Italian sausage to the pan and break apart. Cook until browned (takes about 5 minutes), stirring occasionally. Remove any excess grease from the pan.

Reduce the heat to medium; push the meat aside and add the olive oil, diced onions, diced bell pepper, grated carrots and diced mushrooms to the pan. Sauté the vegetables, for about 10 minutes, until they are softened and have released the flavor. Add the minced garlic and sauté for another minute.

Next, add the crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce to the pan and gently stir to combine everything together then add the seasonings and bay leaf. Stir to combine, cover with a lid then reduce the heat to low and allow the sauce to simmer, stirring occasionally for 45 minutes to an hour. (See post for slow cooker method).

Serve the homemade spaghetti sauce over cooked spaghetti or use in other pasta dishes.