Sales of canned tomatoes and tomato paste indicate that a lot of people make their own spaghetti sauce. With a homemade sauce, you can avoid some of the additives that commercial sauces contain and cut sodium content, too, if desired.

Even if you're a long-time devotee of ready-made sauces, you may want to try our recipe. It's easy to make, very flavorful, and costs only about 22 cents a serving. Yield is about five 3/4-cup servings. 1 med. clove garlic, minced 1/2 med. onion, chopped 1 (28 oz.) can concentrated crushed tomatoes 1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste 1 c. water 4 leaves fresh basil, chopped (or 2 tsp. dried basil) 1/4 tsp. (scant) freshly ground black pepper 3/4 tsp. salt (or to taste)

Heat the olive oil in a six-quart saucepan over medium heat. Brown the garlic. Add the onions and saute until they're transparent. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste blended with water, basil, pepper, and salt. Simmer for 30 minutes over low heat, stirring often.

SOME VARIATIONS:

For a marinara sauce, add one medium-size fresh tomato, peeled and seeded, cut in chunks and sauteed with the garlic and onion. Then add the rest of the ingredients along with half a teaspoon of oregano.

For a meat sauce, brown a pound of ground beef, pork, or veal, or a combination of those meats, and drain off the excess fat. Add the cooked sauce and simmer an extra two to three minutes. Add water, if necessary, to adjust consistency.