HealthIER Recipe of the day: Authentic Italian Tomato Sauce to die for...

(Me attempting to roll & cut fresh noodles from scratch)

I love my sister Tracy. She is an AMAZING cook and god bless, her she tries to help me become a better cook too. (Check out her facebook group and soon to be blog).  I have the hopes that I will become a better cook simply by "association" alone.  I have said this many times, but I will say it again, "I swear she could cook cat food and make it so gourmet, I would eat it...not only eat it, but walk away raving about it, dreaming about it, craving it and jealous that I didn't think of it first."  I would pretty much happily eat ANYTHING she cooked.

(So here is the look on Anabella's face at the thought of her Mama attempting to cook pasta.... )

While I was on the island visiting this time, Tracy decided to try a new recipe from an old friend. Homemade authentic italian tomato sauce WITH home made from scratch fresh noodles.  Now, pasta has never been my favorite meal, don't get me wrong, I do eat it but I don't love it.  Well that is the OLD me, now that I've tasted this "scrumptious, fresh, clean tomato sauce", I am a convert for life.  This pasta sauce was SO GOOD before we even cooked it or added the meat, I was eating it cold and by the spoonful, like a bowl of refreshing summer time cold soup.  Oh ma gawd...it is sooo good.

(Me and the "sauce"....The beginning of our "love affair")

(Oh ma gawd...I had no clue such horrible looking noodles could taste so friggin' good)

I've included the sauce below, however for the home made noodles, just do a google search, there's a million recipes to choose from or use the pre-packaged noodle of your choice, which  for me on my vegan detox starting TOMORROW will be brown rice pasta.

JP'S AUTHENTIC TOMATO SAUCE


Ingredients:

•  1 large can of PLAIN whole tomatoes (No spices or additives if possible, there are many on the shelved with just water and a spice or two, but plain is best!)
• 1 stalk of celery, cut
• 1 red pepper OR yellow pepper, cut
• 1 carrot, cut
• 1/2 large onion, cut 
• 2 Tbsp. white sugar
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste
• Oregano, to taste
• Parsley, to taste
• Garlic, minced or chopped, to taste
• 1/2 c. Romano or parmesan cheese *optional*
•  **Optional meat - Ribs, meatballs, sausage or ground beef (Par cooked to get rid of some of the grease.)

 Directions:

1. Blend tomatoes in your blender for just 30 to 40 seconds, just enough time for the tomato to come a part. You don't want them to go to mush.
2. Put tomatoes in a pot, keeping about 1 cup of the sauce in the blender. Add the celery, your choice of pepper, carrot and onion and blend together well. Add this to the pot of sauce.
3. These next ingredients are added to YOUR taste, so add little bits at at a time as to not over-season. Salt, pepper, sugar (this cuts the acid in the tomatoes), oregano and parsley. Garlic is optional, but who doesn't like garlic?
4. Add the cheese to the sauce, this is optional but good. If you add the cheese, keep stirring while you do because it will go to the bottom of the pot and burn.
5. Add your par cooked meat if desired or keep the sauce plain and cook on low for 2 to 3 hours depending on what whether you add the meat and what type you add.
6. Cook WITHOUT a lid as this creates moisture in your sauce and will make it watery.
7. DO NOT ADD WATER OR TOMATO PASTE, unless it's needed because it's just way too thick. Avoid this if possible.

 Serve with your favourite pasta and ENJOY!

(My girl ate two..count them TWO huge bowls of fresh pasta and sauce...)

HAPPY BELLA = HAPPY MAMA