Recipe Thursday - Part 2 - Homemade Sauces

Here are 3 sauces my family likes:

Vodka Cream Sauce
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallots
1 tablespoon vodka
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1 cup tomato sauce, directions below (this is what I can)

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until they soften. Add the vodka, cream, and tomato sauce, and simmer until the flavors blend, 2 to 3 minutes.

Tomato Sauce (makes 2 cups of sauce - this freezes really well.
14 ounces canned or fresh ripe tomatoes (I like to use roma tomatoes)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves of garlic minced
6 fresh basil leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Puree whole tomatoes. Heat oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add the pureed tomatoes. Add the basil and garlic, season with salt and pepper and simmer, stirring frequently until the sauce is concentrated, about 25 minutes. Remove the basil and refrigerate or freeze until ready to use.


Marinara with and without meat
For plain basil marinara I use the above recipe for tomato sauce except at times I add chopped fresh basil.

For marinara with meat:
1 pound of Italian sausage (I usually use the mild one)
1/2 pound ground beef
1 cup chopped onions
Tomato sauce as above (I use 2 cups if making stuffed shells or lasagna and 1 cup if just over fresh pasta)

In a large saucepan, brown the sausage and ground beef with the onions. Drain. Add the tomato sauce. Simmer covered for 20 minutes. Serve.

Now if your children won't eat vegetables like mine, I will add the following to every one of the sauces above:
I steam carrots, mushrooms, zucchini, eggplant, spinach or pretty much any vegetable you want until they are really really soft. I throw them in either the blender or food processor and puree them. I then add that pureed mixture to a sauce and blend it in very well. Voila - you still have your sauce and yet you still are getting your kids to eat their vegetables without them ever knowing it. I have also grilled the vegetables and roasted them - but note the grilling or roasting tends to leave the flavor to the vegetables which is why I tend to steam them. I do like the understaste though of the grill or roasting - adds a layer of flavor to the recipe.