Here is a great recipe I got from Jamie Oliver via a magazine, I only subscribe to two magazines and the rest I get for free for Lord-only-knows what reason. Point here being that it was not one of the two magazines I actually DESIRE to receive, so I’m not naming the uninvited rag, though I feel guilty saying that because I found this recipe!

I am re-obsessing about getting veggies into everything I can, all the time.  After serving this sauce by itself on noodles (lukewarm reviews) I used it to spice up some grilled burgers (our own grass-fattened beef) – kids said best burgers ever.  Then I made a lasagna.  My Farmer said it was so fancy and delicious he thought I purchased it instead of making it myself (I know, let’s choose to take that as a compliment).   In fairness to him, that may just be the way I received the wording he chose to express that he enjoyed it – but he was surprised it came from our own kitchen!  The children each had THREE helpings of the lasagna.  SCORE.  If you want to duplicate it, throw whatever veggies you have in your food processor (heavy on the red bell pepper) and finely chop.  Saute veggies in 1 lb of meat.  Mix one cup crumbled feta with three eggs.  Layer the meat mixture and eggs with lasagna noodles and the sauce recipe I’m about to type.  Put a little bit of cheese on top.  Ignore this writer’s complete distraction from the original topic (the SAUCE recipe!), run-on sentences, and general vomit-typing (when thoughts are coming into your head so fast you vomit them onto the keyboard as fast as you can regardless of their ability to make sense together or be followed as rational thought at all).

Perfect Tomato Sauce

Peel 2 small onions, trim 1 small leek (thoroughly washed of sand) and 2 stalkscelery, halve and deseed 2red bell peppers, then roughly chop everything. Use the coarse side of a box grater to grate 2 zucchinis and 2 carrots.

Heat a large saucepan (big enough to hold all the ingredients) over medium heat. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, followed by all your chopped and grated veggies. Add a large pinch of dried oregano and 2 bay leaves, then cook slowly, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes with the lid on, or until the vegetables are soft but not starting to brown.

Meanwhile, peel 1 small butternut squash, then carefully cut it in half, scoop out and discard the seeds, and coarsely grate the flesh. Add it to the pan of vegetables. Add 4 (14.5 oz) cans plum tomatoes with juice, 2 cups water, a pinch of sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the squash is soft. Take the pan off the heat, spoon out the bay leaves, and let the sauce cool slightly before blitzing with a stick blender until smooth (or use a blender or food processor in batches, but make sure the lid is secure). Makes 13 cups.

Here is mine, simmering while I grated the squash.  I remember now that I did not have a bay leaf, FYI.  I let the sauce simmer while I finished the painting project I mentioned last week.  And yes, that’s the breakfast smoothie I’ve currently become addicted to.  Let me know if your family likes this sauce!