Sneaky Sauce

Pin It

I'm not a "picky" eater and my children won't be, either.

But my husband is picky.  He doesn't like anything from the sea, mushrooms, and many different vegetables.  You know, many of my favorite foods.  And many very healthy foods.

Sauce is a family favorite.  I  make large batches with the intent to freeze it but we end up eating it all within a week or two.

If you have a pot and can open a can, you can make sauce.  And the beauty of this sauce is that it is blended - you can put what you wish in there and blend it up, and nobody is any the wiser.

Sauce is healthy for you - tomatoes are a super food, particularly when cooked.  This one has eggplant (which my husband thinks he doesn't like, but it is in so much more than he knew before he read this...) and zucchini.

Sneaky Sauce

You will need:
3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
1 Italian (or small) eggplant, peeled and diced
1 medium-large onion, diced
1 zucchini, peeled and diced
3 large garlic cloves, sliced
2 large cans of San Marizano tomatoes, diced or crushed (I usually do one of each if I'm not blending my sauce, but this time it doesn't matter)
10 fresh basil leaves, torn in half
1c.+ white wine
1/2 tbs oregano
1/2 tbsp salt
red pepper flakes to taste (if you like spicy sauce, up to 2 tsp, but if you like mild sauce, just a shake)

In a dutch oven, saute and sweat the first 5 ingredients in some extra virgin olive oil until tender, about 10 minutes.
Add the wine and bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pan and reducing the wine slightly.
Add the remaining ingredients and simmer, partially covered or covered with a splatter screen, for at least 30 minutes.  Be sure to stir occasionally, and add water if your sauce gets too thick.
Blend all ingredients with an immersion blender.  Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.  You can add browned ground beef if you like.  Serve over pasta, use in a lasagna, or however else you enjoy your sauce!

Here's what I did with some of that sauce a few days later.