Marinara Sauce with Fennel
(makes about 2 quarts)
From the Cheese Factory Restaurant in the Wisconsin Dells
This is a vegan/vegetarian restaurant, and its cook book is quite good.

Ingredients-1:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
½ cup finely chopped onion
2 tsp. minced garlic
¼ cup finely chopped celery
¼ cup finely chopped green pepper
1 tsp. whole fennel seeds
Ingredients-2:
¼ tsp hot pepper flakes
1 29 oz. can tomato sauce
1 14.5 oz. can peeled plum tomatoes, chopped
8 oz. tomato juice
6 oz. tomato paste
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dried basil, crumbled
¼ tsp. dried thyme, crumbled
½ tsp. dried oregano, crumbled
¼ tsp. ground black pepper
½ tsp. ground fennel (commercial or ground fine)
2 tsp. sugar
2 bay leaves
1 Tbsp. flat parsley, chopped
½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

In a sufficiently large, heavy duty sauce pot, sauté the first group of ingredients in the oil for 3-5 minutes
Add the second group of ingredients, cover, bring to a slow boil, then reduce heat and simmer on low fire for 45 min. Stir frequently.

Freezes well, and takes well to the addition of beef, chicken or sausage