I started by sautéing 1diced onion in 1Tbsp coconut oil. Does that sound crazy? I thought I would try it. Not at all coconut-y like you might think. Just a hint sweet.
After that came: 2 cloves of minced garlic, 1 small can tomato paste, and 1(28oz) can of petite diced tomatoes.
1/2c Red wine. (Merlot)
1 bay leaf, 1/2 tsp basil, 1/2 tsp oregano, and 1/2 tsp parsley.
1 tsp sugar.
A dash of salt and pepper.
After trying the sauce, it tasted too acidic. It still needed something.
1 Tbsp of honey
Much better.
1 more Tbsp of honey.
Perfect!
I added a pack of al fresco Tomato and Basil Chicken Meatballs. (My son loves these!)
I also added 1/2 c water.
Then let everything simmer on very low heat for two hours.
By the time my hubby came home from the office, our home smelled delicious!
We served a salad and The Bread with the spaghetti. (My daughter made the bread all by herself!)
*we like linguine noodles with spaghetti sauce.
I'm curious... do you experiment with recipes? I've tried so many new recipes over the past year and it has been fun, but I also love to create my own things with whatever I have on hand. My grandmother could do that. We would stop by for a quick visit and she would invite is to stay for lunch or dinner. She would always say "I don't have anything fancy." By the time she called us to the kitchen, there would be a feast on the table. She was always so modest about her cooking. I would love to walk into her warm cozy kitchen again and enjoy a meal she prepared!
I hope you all had a wonderful Valentine's Day! When I was counting my blessings yesterday, I counted you all! Thank you for stopping by my blog so often! I know some of us will never meet in person, but I truly believe friendship can span computer cables and I am grateful for that!
Much love,
Elizabeth
Hi Elizabeth - that sounds wonderful - esp. the merlot! I have not added a lot of wine to my cooking (probably because it goes straight to my mouth!) There were a lot of things that I used to be inconsistent on - one of those was sauce. But now I stick to my tried and true recipe. The other was burgers. I'd try adding all kinds of things. Usually - they weren't good. They were so bad that I started buying frozen patties. Then, a year or so ago, I tried a simple recipe from Weight Watchers - just add onions and Worcestershire sauce and they are so good! I am trying to be more experimental with vegetables so I love to explore what others are cooking! We had breakfast night for our Valentine's dinner...but Mike and I are going out to dinner tonight!
ReplyDeleteJane, Vegetables are always tricky. I feel like if they are dressed up too much, they are often not as healthy. So many nights we end up having salad with our entree. I need to work on the veggies, too!
DeleteGlad you and Mike got to go out and celebrate... sometimes we go the day after, too! For us, it is always easier to get a sitter!
I'm the same way. I love to experiment and my family jokes that they will never have the exact same dish twice. It drives my husband crazy because he is a precise engineer but he's gotten used to it. I really think Pinterest has me trying new things cuz I love a recipe with a picture!
ReplyDeleteSarah, My husband always measures everything, too! Opposites attract!:)
DeleteHappy Valentine's Day, Elizabeth...and does you sauce ever look delicious! I can almost smell it right through my screen. I love homemade sauce...simmering on the stove all day...ahhh, the best!
ReplyDeleteI wish I had more confidence in myself when it comes to cooking, so I could experiment more. I am too OCD about recipes and tend to stick right to them. You have given me some inspiration to step out of my comfort zone, and I appreciate that!
Hope you day was sweet! I love your tea towel on the stove, too! : )
Thank you, Billie Jo! Sometimes just changing one little thing can be nice and not too scary! I am very flattered that I inspired you a little bit:) You just made my day!
DeleteHi Elizabeth...sorry I missed this blog post and it is so lovely! You are such a sweetheart xx I know we may never meet but I truly class you as a friend no matter how far away. Hope you had a great Valentines Day!! Simon and I had a night away the weekend before...it was lovely. The sauce sounds so nice. I never seem to make pasta sauce the same from one time to another but it always tastes fine! Jane xxx
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jane! I am so glad you and Simon had a night away! Every couple needs to get away sometimes! I think my parents are going to come up soon and keep the kids so we can have a little getaway!
DeleteI am very guilty of experimenting. It really freaks some people out when I say that I added this and that all willy nilly. But it makes cooking easier and much more fun!
ReplyDeleteKaty, I agree... It is so much more fun to experiment. And when you do it often enough, I think you get better at it!
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