There has been overwhelming demand for some recipe ideas, so I thought I would highlight a good one this week. My husband has always been a big Prego and Ragu fan because its simple and easy to pop in the microwave. But I have been playing around with a homemade tomato sauce recipe that he now likes.
I believe there are 2 secrets to this recipe. One is using fresh herbs. People used to tell me all the time how much better fresh herbs were than dried ones. So last year, I decided to learn how to grow my own herbs. It’s actually a lot easier than I thought. But if you don’t have fresh, dried will still work. I have a few basic herbs that I grow every year and try to use fresh herbs as much as I can. The other secret ingredient is a little cheese. So I admit, my husband is NOT a cheese fan. He thinks parmasean cheese is the stinkiest cheese in the world. So when I experiment, I have to be careful. I have found that since mozzerella cheese is on pizza, it’s a safe choice. I think it makes it a little thicker and creamier, but you don’t have to add it.
Tomato Sauce Recipe –
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 Celery Stalk finely chopped (I have also put finely chopped zucchini in as well)
- 2 Cloves garlic
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil (translates to 1/2 tsp dried)
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano
- 2 TBsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1 28 oz. can whole tomatoes, including the juice, or 1 3/4 pound of fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
- 1 teaspoon tomato paste
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1/2 c Mozzerella Cheeze
Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion, garlic and celery and cook until soft. Pour in tomatoes and tomato paste, stir, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in parsley, basil, oregano, salt and pepper; simmer 15 minutes, uncovered. Sprinkle the cheese at the end and stir until melted. Serve and ENJOY!