| I have thought about opening my own Italian restaurant | | | | thyme, oregano, marjoram, basil, savory, and sage. |
| because I love to cook and I love to cook Italian food. | | | | Give that a good stir. Now you add about two |
| One of my favorite items to cook is lasagna. I actually | | | | tablespoons of sugar. The sugar cuts down the acidity |
| cook lasagna for thanksgiving dinner instead of turkey. | | | | of the tomato. |
| But whether you are cooking lasagna, manicotti, ravioli, | | | | You cook this in the slow cooker for two to three |
| or even pizza, the key is in the pasta sauce. Here is | | | | hours at the lowest temperature setting. You can stir |
| my recipe for great pasta sauce which is the basis for | | | | the sauce during the cook time a few times but unlike |
| most Italian meals. | | | | cooking your pasta sauce on the stove top you do not |
| I used to use a large soup pan to prepare the sauce | | | | have to come back and keep stirring. |
| but now I use a slow cooker. It is easier because I do | | | | Some pasta sauce purest would never use a slow |
| not have to stir the sauce as much as I do cooking it | | | | cooker for pasta sauce but I have tried both and I do |
| over a stove. I do sometimes open the lid on the slow | | | | not taste a difference in the sauce and it is easier for |
| cooker to stir maybe two or three times but other | | | | me to use a slow cooker because I can go off and |
| than that the sauce is on its own. You need a food | | | | not worry about the sauce boiling and splashing my |
| processor for this pasta sauce recipe. And of course | | | | stove top. |
| you need the slow cooker. | | | | But if you want to use a stove top method raise the |
| This pasta sauce is a vegetable based pasta sauce. | | | | sauce first to a boil and then reduce the flame to a |
| Sometimes I add chicken or beef. Use your food | | | | low simmer. And keep stirring the sauce so it does not |
| processor to grate four medium sized carrots and | | | | stick to the pan. Once the cook time is over prepare |
| three baby zucchini squash; process one large onion | | | | some spaghetti and try out your sauce I am sure you |
| with three cloves of garlic and process a half stalk of | | | | will enjoy it. |
| celery with one bunch of parsley. Place all these all | | | | Remember to refrigerate it once it cools down. I place |
| these ingredients on the bottom of your slow cooker | | | | the sauce in a cool sauce pan so it will cool faster. |
| which you have set on the low cooking time and | | | | You will have plenty of sauce to last you all week if |
| temperature. | | | | you are serving one or two. Or if you have prepared |
| Now cover the ingredients with two 28 ounce cans of | | | | the sauce for many guests it may all go at once. |
| diced tomatoes and one eight ounce can of tomato | | | | Perhaps you will visit my Italian restaurant someday |
| paste. Stir all the ingredients together. Now add the | | | | and recognize this pasta sauce recipe. |
| spices. You add one teaspoon each of rosemary, | | | | |