1 of 8

Write now Article Tools

When I was 11 years old we moved to Texas, a young girls dream location with wide open spaces and horses everywhere. I learned how to catch "crawdads", using my finger as bait. This meant I only caught one and decided to move on to catching the friendlier Horney toads with their bumpy hides.

It was in Texas that I had my first experience with hot peppers when I found a plant growing wild with its pretty red color and smooth, shinny skin. I couldn't resist picking it and once picked looking inside to see what it was made of. I wish I could say that was the end of the pepper experience but alas no, I had to go and rub my eyes. For several minutes I thought I would be blind for life, but despite the red puffiness that followed my sight was restored.

We also discovered a whole new range of flavors, my favorite being cumin, and after moving back to Massachusetts I just couldn't shake the tastes I had come to love. I have imparted some of these flavors into my homemade Tomato Sauce for a fresh and unique twist.

* 2 lbs of fresh tomatoes*, about 12 large, or 28-oz can

* 2 T. olive oil

* 1 c. onion, chopped

* 1 sweet pepper, chopped (I peel this with a vegetable peeler for those with sensitive stomachs)

* 2 cloves of garlic, minced

* 3 ribs celery, minced

* 6 oz. mushrooms, sliced (optional, many in my home don't like 'shrooms)

*If using the fresh tomatoes plunge them into boiling water for a minute or until skin cracks and starts to curl. Remove tomatoes to a bowl. Peel then squeeze to remove most of the water and the seeds. Place into a stock pot.

Heat oil in a large saute' pan. Add onion, pepper, garlic, celery and mushrooms. Saute' on medium low heat until onion is transparent (high heat will cause a bitter taste in the garlic). Add this to the tomatoes in the stock pot.

Add the following to the stock pot:

* 6 oz. can tomato paste

* 2 T. honey(or sweetner of choice)

* 1 T. fresh basil, chopped (can use dry but fresh is so much better)

* 1 t. oregano

* 2 t. cumin

* 1 lrg. Bay leaf

* salt and pepper to taste

Simmer on low stirring frequently until desired thickness. Remove the bay leaf (it can be a choking hazard).

Your sauce is now ready to enjoy with your favorite pasta or perhaps you might like to try it with a spaghetti squash to add another element of nutrition. Another way to enjoy this is as salsa:

* 4 oz. of the sauce mixed with

* 1 c. chopped fresh tomatoes

* 1 T. fresh chopped onion

* 1 T. fresh chopped parsley

* a dash of hot sauce to taste

However you use this sauce I'm sure it will be as much a favorite in your home as it is in mine.

Learn more about this author, Robin Moynihan.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about How to make homemade tomato sauce?
We want to hear your view. Write now!