Quick Meaty Tomato Sauce

This is a quick and delicious tomato sauce that is great to use in casseroles such as Baked Ziti or Lasagna if you're not into making the really long all day sauce (which is def. better but more time consuming). This is my own recipe.

Ingredients
1 15oz can diced tomatoes
1 25oz can tomato sauce
1/2 onion, diced to preferred size
1 lb. ground beef (or turkey or whatever meat)
1 -2 cups button mushrooms (the kind in the blue foam square containers) (optional)
1/2 tsp. oregano (optional....to taste, I dont always feel like oregano so I dont always add it)
1 stick salted butter


In a large pot stir together all tomato sauce and diced tomatoes, plus half a stick of butter. Low Heat. Leave to simmer while you prepare everything else.
In a medium saucepan sautee mushrooms in half a stick of butter.
In large saucepan/frying pan toss meat and onions together. Stir continuously until meat is browned thoroughly.
Dont forget to stir your mushrooms as well! Sautee mushrooms until they are tender, smaller in size and darker in color.
Drain meat and onions of fat.
Throw meat and onions, and mushrooms into the tomato sauce.
Add spices to taste... oregano... I use two or three ground pinches... dont add too much salt and pepper as the butter already has salt and so doe sth esauce from the can.

That's it. If you make this at lunch time and let it simmer covered for the rest of the day it will taste great by dinner time but you can use it right away. Obviously you can add whatever you want to this recipe, like bell peppers or olives, whatever you want.

Penne with Vodka and Spicy Tomato-Cream Sauce

This is my perennial favorite. I come back to this all the time. It is quick and easy and hearty enough to stand alone, but also good paired with a nice salad. It is from my absolute favorite cookbook, Patricia Wells' Trattoria. The spice is not very strong, but you can cut down the red pepper if you are sensitive to it.

Yields 6-8 servings

1/4 cup olive oil

4 fresh garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper

sea salt

One 28 oz. can peeled plum tomatoes or one 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes in puree (I always use the latter)

1 pound dried tubular pasta, such as penne

2 tbsp. vodka

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, lightly chopped

In a large skillet combine oil, garlic, pepper and salt, stirring to coat with oil.

Cook over moderate heat just until garlic turns fragrant and golden, but not brown.

(if using whole tomatoes, blend or crush before adding to skillet) Add tomato puree to skillet.

Stir and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.

Bring pasta to boil in separate pot.

Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss. Add vodka and toss again, then and add cream and toss. Cover, reduxe heat to low and let rest for 1-2 min.

Add the parsley and mix in.

Transfer to warm, shallow dishes and serve immediately. Traditionally cheese is not served over this dish.

Wine pairing: good quality red that stands up to the spice: Chianti Classico or California Zinfandel