====== Hamburger Ragu ======

===== Ingredients =====

  * 4 slices bacon
  * 1 small yellow onion chopped super tiny
  * 1 cup shredded carrot
  * 1 celery stalk diced super tiny
  * 4 oz mushrooms diced super tiny
  * 1 lb ground beef lowest fat content you can get
  * 2 garlic cloves minced
  * 1 tsp italian seasoning
  * 1 15- oz can petite diced tomatoes
  * 1 15- oz can tomato puree or sauce, but not marinara/spagetti sauce
  * 1/2 cup beef stock or dry red wine
  * 1/4 cup no salt added tomato paste
  * bay leaf
  * 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
  * 1/4 cup freshly grated romano cheese


===== Instructions =====


  - Heat a medium dutch oven over medium heat.
  - Dice the onion, carrot, celery and mushrooms super small. This will help them cook faster and help deepen the flavor as it cooks.
  - Dice the bacon into small pieces and cook until mostly done – you want it to be somewhere between mostly limp and mostly crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan, but keep the drippings.
  - Add the onion, carrot, celery and mushrooms to the dutch oven and cook, stirring frequently, for 3-5 minutes, or until the onion is starting to become translucent.
  - Add in the ground beef and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until there is no more pink left. Drain off any accumulated grease.
  - Add in the garlic and Italian seasoning.
  - Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, tomato paste, and bay leaf.
  - Bring to a boil, then allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes.
  - Remove the bay leaf, and serve over pasta with freshly grated tomato cheese and fresh chopped parsley.