For many people, i'm sure the month of November is all about FOOD, which is true for me, too. Growing my own food, cooking from scratch and trying new recipes are all things i love to do. One things i have found from living this kind of lifestyle is that food is all about self-sufficiency, and it's not hard at all! Making & especially growing your own food is one of the healthiest things you can do for your body & your family. When you make your own food, you know exactly what's going into it, you can add as many fruits & vegetables as you want (i'd hope it's more rather than less) & it's easier to control portion sizes. Being healthy & eating right helps you to look & feel fabulous, something clothes & accessories can only do for so long.
This past year i have had the privilege of having my very own garden, making jam, salsa & tomato sauce from scratch, canning & freezing. i know most people think canning is only something grandmas do (or did) but really, it's fun & beneficial. But i'll have more on those things later. This entry is all about tomatoes!!
In our garden this year we had 4 roma tomato plants which were more than sufficient for my husband & i. In fact, we had to give away a bunch of them, & also took several dozen to my mother-in-law's to make some batches of salsa. i don't have canning supplies at my own home, or an appropriate stove (gas is best), so i am left with the option to freeze all of my leftover food, which works well enough. Freezing is relatively easy & all you need is the space & some containers, like freezer bags or plastic containers.
One of my favorite things to do with tomatoes is to make tomato sauce from scratch, which may seem daunting but really, it's easy if you have the time to cook it (4 hours, no that does not include hovering over a pan for 4 hours, just 30 minutes of prep & 4 hours for it to simmer on the stovetop) & affordable. While jarred grocery store tomato sauce is also inexpensive, it doesn't nearly have as many veggies & instead it does have all those preservatives & god knows what in the ingredient list. Plus you won't have the satisfaction of pouring this delicious nutritious sauce over your steaming hot whole wheat pasta & enjoying it with some garlic bread & merlot. It also freezes well so you can make double & save some for later.
After searching for a good sauce that used plenty of vegetables, i made this recipe up one night when i was bored.
So let's make some sauce!
You will need:
Blender or food processor
Large pot
8-10 fresh tomatoes
1 carrot
1 bell pepper
1 onion
3 garlic cloves
1/3 cup red wine (choose your favorite)
1 small bunch fresh basil, about 1/3 cup chopped
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 teaspoon fresh oregano (you can use dried for any of the herbs, of course, just cut the amount in half or so)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
salt & pepper to taste
1.Chop those tomatoes! Small enough to easily puree in a blender or food processor.
2.Chop up the veggies & toss them in the pot with the butter & olive oil, stir to coat & cook for about 5 minutes.
3. Add the pureed tomatoes & seasoning, stir well.
4. Bring the pot to a boil & then turn it down to a simmer, cover it, & let it simmer for 2-2.5 hours.
5. After the 2 hours, check the consistency & taste your sauce! If it seems bland or needs a little kick, don't be afraid to add more seasoning. i often add seasoning throughout the cooking process.
6. Bring it back to a boil & let it simmer again for at least another hour. If you still want it thicker, you can simmer it for a half hour or so with the lid off to cook it down a bit.
7. This process by itself creates a chunky sauce. i like to let it cool & then put it back in my blender & puree until relatively smooth. This hides all the veggie chunks!
I find this recipe makes a good amount of sauce if you're having a spaghetti meal for 6 people. But if you're stuck with leftovers, i like to freeze my sauce. Let it cool as much as possible & pour it into either freezer bags or freezer safe plastic or glass containers. To thaw, i take the sauce out of the freezer & thaw it in the fridge the day before using it, & then heat it on the stove just like jarred sauce. The smell of homemade tomato sauce in the middle of winter might just warm you up a bit. Not to mention it's a great way to use up the fresh tomatoes when the store has a sale or when your garden is overflowing with them, like mine was in the summer.
This sauce can be combined with many things to create a different flavor. Stir in mushrooms & ground beef & you have a rich & meaty sauce. Add cumin, chili powder & cayenne pepper to make enchilada sauce. Add extra basil to make your own pizza sauce. It's versatile & healthy!
Happy cooking!
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