Fresh And Easy Pasta Sauce™

Need an easy recipe for Lent, try this.

2 - 3 c. fresh or canned chopped tomatoes
1 c. each: chopped, onion, bell pepper
1/8 - 1/4 tsp. each: salt, pepper
2 - 3 cloves fresh garlic chopped
3 - 4 T. olive oil
1 tsp. each: basil, parsley, oregano
Pinch each: red pepper flakes, turmeric
1 oz. white wine or vermouth (optional)

Rinse, peel, chop garlic, onion.

Rinse, seed and chop pepper.

Rinse and chop tomatoes.

Rinse and chop fresh herbs if needed.

Heat skillet to medium high heat, lower heat  to medium, add oil.

Add tomatoes, salt, pepper, onions, and bell peppers and cook for 10 min stirring occasionally. 

While cooking, break up tomatoes with a wooden or plastic cooking spoon if needed.

Lower heat add remaining ingredients and cook for 10 minutes more until heated.

Serve over your favorite pasta.

Serves 4.

Mama Mia Pasta Sauce ™

This pasta sauce is so simple to make. I used ground round for the meat. I've also used fresh mushrooms for this, but you can use rinsed canned mushrooms if needed instead. 

Feel free to experiment and use what you like. For a vegetarian sauce, you can omit the beef or use a vegan meat.

1 lb ground beef (ground round)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 bell pepper chopped
4 oz mushrooms
2- 3 T fresh or dried basil
2 T dried or fresh oregano
1-2 cloves garlic chopped
2 cans each diced tomatoes, tomato sauce
1 can tomato paste (6 oz)
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp salt (optional)

In a skillet or saucepan brown beef, onions and peppers for 8-10 min. Drain off the excess fat from meat (If using ground round or sirloin, omit this step).

Add remaining ingredients to meat, onion and pepper. Reduce heat. Let simmer for 15-20 min, stirring occasionally. Serve over your favorite pasta.

Serves 6-8