By Sheri
ONE SIMPLE SAUCE, MANY QUICK USES
There’s nothing like a fragrant, yet easy to make, tomato sauce simmering on the stove to make chilly winter days seem cozier. I like to make a double batch of my recipe below and freeze some of it, or prepare foods ahead to keep in the freezer when time is short.
Basic pasta dishes are a snap. Simply mix cooked noodles with sauce, freeze, thaw overnight in fridge, heat, then top with Parmesan cheese. Mini English muffin pizzas can be easily made and frozen for quick lunches with a salad. Even boxed mac and cheese can be deliciously dressed up by adding some homemade tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese.
My favorite tomato sauce recipe follows below. It can be easily adjusted to your preferences – just add the ingredients you like. Meat or even sugar can be added if you like those – I prefer just a really basic tomato sauce with basil, oregano and lots of fresh garlic.
BEST TOMATO SAUCE RECIPE:
1 28 ounce can whole tomatoes
(you may want to have a can of tomato paste on hand to thicken the sauce if needed – if the sauce needs thinning, you can add broth or water as well as more seasonings.)
1 onion – chopped
3 cups mushrooms – sliced
4 garlic cloves – minced
Olive oil
1 ½ Tablespoons oregano
1 Tablespoon basil
(or add your favorite blend of Italian seasonings)
salt and pepper
1. Saute the onions, mushrooms and garlic in olive oil until tender.
2. Add the tomatoes, herbs, salt and pepper. Simmer the sauce for about 40 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings, adding broth or water or tomato paste as needed. Simmer another 20 minutes and readjust the liquids and seasonings.
3. Let the sauce cool, then place it in the fridge for several hours or overnight. It will have even more flavor when you reheat it, but you should again adjust the seasonings once more before serving or cooling and freezing.