I am definitely someone who gets bored of the same thing over and over. My husband teases me on a daily basis about it. I will spring into action switching out my children’s toys, proclaiming that they are so sick of this or that and that we have to move it upstairs and change around what toys they have downstairs…blah, blah, blah. When I am done ranting, my husband usually chuckles and says, “it was really YOU that was sick of the toys. I know it.”
He is usually right.
The same applies to food. Get this…EVERY DAY my husband has a bowl of cereal, orange juice, and coffee for breakfast. EVERY DAY! Oh sorry, not EVERY DAY. On the weekends he gets a little crazy and has waffles or something, but literally, Monday thru Friday, he eats the same breakfast and has done this since we have been married (almost eleven years).
Sometimes I will even try to entice him.
Me: “Hey, just so you know there are some bagels for breakfast if you want….”
Him: “Oh thanks.”
Me: “They are really good. Fresh, chewy, delicious.”
Him: “Mmmm…they sound great.”
Me: “You are really not going to eat them are you?”
Him: “No I am not, but thanks.”
So. Frustrating.
He doesn’t understand it. He is usually laughing at my frustration. (Real nice, right?) “Why do you care?” he always asks. “I like my cereal, orange juice and coffee.”
I don’t know why I care. I just do. Sheesh.
I am the exact opposite of that. I probably do not eat the same breakfast all week. I always have something different for lunch. I just get bored. I don’t know what it is. Don’t you think I wish that I could eat a chicken breast and broccoli everyday for lunch? I mean come on, a lot of problems would be solved if I could do that! It is just not in the cards for me.
I am like that with cooking too. I have some tried and true recipes, and I really do love them, but every time, they come out a little different. I might add this or that. It is always fun to see how it turns out.
My tomato sauces are a prime example of this. I probably have five different sauces that I make, all very different, but all very good. Sometimes, it isn’t even a recipe. It is just throw whatever I can find that has tomatoes in it into a pot and simmer away.
This sauce is one of my all-time favorites. If you are looking for fresh, look no further. I make this all year around, but I will tell you, with fresh garden tomatoes, it is definitely a little slice of heaven.
I use this sauce for a variety of things….over pasta, as a pizza sauce slathered on my homemade pizza dough or even as a sauce for chicken or eggplant parmesan. Sometimes I make a big batch of this and freeze it. It is so wonderful to have it on hand for a variety of dishes.
I will be posting a number of tomato sauce recipes on this blog as time goes on, and they are all worth a try, but this one definitely ranks as one of my favorites. Simple, yet delicious. I am sure you will agree.
Fresh Tomato Sauce
Makes about 4 cups–I usually make twice or three times the amount and freeze any leftovers!
3 large garlic cloves
1/4 cup olive oil
3 pounds very ripe plum tomatoes
2 – 6 oz cans tomato paste
Salt
Sugar
Pecorino Romano cheese
3 tblsp fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces
Slice tops of tomatoes and cut in half so all pieces are even. In a stockpot with a lid, heat olive oil. Lightly smash garlic cloves with the back of a knife so they are split. Add to olive oil and swirl them around as they cook.
In the workbowl of a large food processor, start pulsing tomato halves in batches until liquidy, although chunks of tomatoes are still evident.
When garlic is slightly browned, add tomato sauce to pan. Continue until all of the tomatoes are pulsed and poured into the stock pot. Bring to a boil. Turn heat down to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove cover. Add tomato paste, salt, sugar, romano cheese to taste. Stir well and frequently for 10 minutes until cheese is completely melted. If your spoon comes across the garlic cloves, smash with spoon and stir. Cover with lid slightly askew to let some steam out, and simmer for 1 hour on low heat. Taste. Add more salt or sugar if necessary. Stir in basil. Serve over pasta and generously sprinkle with more pecorino romano cheese and basil leaves if desired.
NOTE: I do not give measurements for the sugar, salt and romano because it is a preference thing. Add a little at a time. Two teaspoons of salt and sugar, a tablespoon of romano. Taste after it has cooked into the sauce. Add a little more until sauce tastes like you want it to. Once you get the taste right, the next time you make it, you can add your designated amounts.
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