Here are two recipes I use. I can mine but it may be frozen or just made up for a meal. Divide the recipe as required.

Plain Italian Tomato Sauce

24 cups smooshed tomatoes whirred smoothish *
2 cups finely minced celery
2 cups finely minced onion
1 1/2 cups finely minced carrot (use just one for a bit less sweet I use 1 1/2)
12 TBSP bottles lemon juice
2 TBSP coarse salt

Note: For one batch I sub hot peppers for some of the carrot and celery, just so I have a piquante sauce as well.

Herbed Tomato Sauce

24 cups smooshed tomatoes whirred smoothish *
4 - 5 cups chopped herbs of your choice
12 TBSP bottled lemon juice
2 TBSP coarse salt.

I use Basil, oregano and parsley but you can use only one or two or three and you don't need to use equal amounts, in other words you can go 2/3 basil 1/3 parsley. For all of them bring to a rolling boil and then lower heat to a high simmer , you want to see some action but not a full boil. After coming to the boil a foam will form, skim it off.
Place your jars in the dishwasher , when the jars are done so is the sauce. I generally cook about an hour , you can go longer. I don't like to cook less than an hour 'cause I want some thickening to take place while canning so it doesn't need to much cook time when I use it.
Fill jars as normal. HWB for 30 minutes.

* I break the tomatoes with my hands and then use a hand blender to smooth some more. You could use a food processor. I do not seed my tomatoes but you could.

I love this one when I'm lucky enough to get good tomatoes (rare)
LINGUINE WITH FRESH TOMATO SAUCE
4 TBL olive oil
2 TBL minced garlic
3 lbs very ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped, liquid reserved
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil
3 TBL red wine vinegar
Salt & pepper
1 lb linguine
1 TBL extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly grated Parmesan

Heat 1 TBL oil in a heavy small skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic & stir 3 minutes; do not brown. Transfer to large non-aluminum bowl. Mix in tomatoes & liquid, remaining 3 TBL oil, basil & vinegar. Season w/salt & pepper. Let stand 6 hours.
Just before serving, cook linguine in large pot of boiling salted water until just al dente. Drain well; transfer to large bowl. Add olive oil & toss well. Add sauce & toss again. Serve w/Parmesan.~~

Ginger, wish I could send you some.......we have a ton of them in the garden!
Here is a recipe that we like:
Spaghetti with Fresh Tomato Sauce
4 firm, ripe tomatoes
8 stuffed,green olives
2T capers
4 spring onions~ finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/3c fresh parsley, chopped
1/3c olive oil
12 oz. thin spaghetti
Chop tomatoes into small dice. Chop olives and capers. Combine all ingredients except pasta in a bowl and mix well. Refrigerate covered at least 2 hours.
Cook pasta, drain and add cold sauce to hot pasta.
May also add 1/2c shredded basil.
Serves 4
RL`

I usually can this one but it can be frozen too.

It's from the "Complete Book of Small-Batch Preserving." I've taken out one clove of garlic and added a teaspoon of crushed red pepper for zip.

Chunky Basil Pasta Sauce

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
8 cups (2 L) coarsely chopped peeled tomatoes -- (about 9-12 tomatoes or 4 lb/2 kg)
1 cup chopped onion -- (250 mL)
3 cloves garlic -- minced
2/3 cup red wine -- (150 mL)
1/3 cup red wine vinegar (5 % strength) -- (75 mL)
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil -- (125 mL)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley -- (15 mL)
1 teaspoon pickling salt -- (5 mL)
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar -- (2 mL)
1 6-oz/156 mL) can tomato paste

Combine tomatoes, onion, garlic, wine, vinegar, basil, parsley, salt, sugar and tomato paste in a very large non-reactive pan. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 40 minutes or until mixture reaches desired consistency, stirring frequently.

Remove hot jars from canner and ladle sauce into jars to within 1/2 inch (1 cm) of rim (head space). Process 35 minutes for pin (500 mL) jars and 40 minutes for quart (1 L) jars in a BWB.

Yield:
"8 cups"

I was lucky enough to receive a gift of a bunch of homegrown tomatoes, so I made a pasta sauce this week. I peeled the tomatoes first - core them and cut a little "x" on the bottom, then plunge them into boiling water for about 20 seconds. The skins should slip right off. I chopped them into quarters, preserving as much of the juice as I could, then made a spaghtetti sauce out of Italian sausage, a couple of chopped purple onions, lots of garlic, red wine and Italian seasoning. I added the tomatoes with their juice and cooked until they were mostlly dissolved into the sauce - about 45 minutes or so. In the past I've also done the same thing by roasting the tomatoes in the oven with the onions and other seasonings. If you use roma tomatoes, they're not as juicy, so I add either a can of tomato sauce or V8 if we have it.

Becky
Lompoc, CA

Thanks for the replies. When canned, how long of a shelf life does it usually have?

bbq I can about 100 jars of tomatoes each year. I usually go through them all by the time the next batch is ready, so for sure well over a year. I suspect even longer.

I forgot to mention that I also peel my tomatoes first using the technique described by Becky.

Should have mentioned , becasue I can my sauce I don't add garlic or ground pepper when canning but I do add minced garlic and pepper when I cook up the sauce to serve.

So if you are making it to eat right away add garlic and fresh ground pepper to both versions.

bbq, the USDA will tell you canned goods have a shelf life of 1 year. After a year the nutrients in the container start to break down. So the quality and sometimes the color are not what they are during the course of a year. It's a quality issue not a safety issue. I usually go through spaghetti sauce within the year. However, with other canned items (pickles, jellies) I'll can a certain kind every other year. I have not noticed a significant difference. I've heard from some of our canning gurus that if canned properly, it'll last 5 years.

Here is a recipe from an old Sunset Mag. that I have made many times and really like.
TOMATO SAUCE
2 large onions, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
5 T oil---I use olive
1 green pepper, seeded and chopped
5 pds (about 12 med) tomatoes, peeled, cored and cut up (1/8's)
1 1/2 T salt
3/4 t each--pepper, rosemary
1/4 t anise seed, crushed or chopped fine with a knife
1 T each dry basil, oregano and sugar
1 T paprika
3/4 cup dry red wine or 3 T lemon juice with water to make 3/4 cup

In a 6 qt. kettle over med heat, cook onions and garlic in oil until golden, about 10 mins. Add tomatoes and all the rest. Bring to boiling, stirring and breaking up tomatoes.
Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour. Then uncover and boil over med-hi until reduced to 8 cups.---about 50 mins.
Ladle into prepared jars within 1/2 inch of the rim. Process in a pressure canner pints and 1/2 pints 20 mins. Or freeze. Makes about 4 pts.
Be sure to include the anise seed---it gives a wonderful Italian flavor.
Beebonnet

Remove the tomatoes from the freezer and allow them to thaw slightly. When the tomatoes start to thaw the skins will slip of easily. There is no need to blanch them. Squeeze any juice from the tomato and place it in a food processor. When your food processor is full puree the tomatoes and add them to a large stock pot. Heat the tomato sauce over medium heat.

Here is a link that might be useful: block paving

Here is a really good sauce made from roasted tomatoes:

http://family.go.com/parent-to-parent/blogs/catherine-newman-blog/easy-roasted-tomato-sauce-832480/#