Pass the Prego! Non grazie.

I don't think I will never understand why the most popular brand of "tomato sauce" (in quotations for added effect) in America is called "you're welcome" in Italian--which is what "Prego" means. To me, it should be called "Non, grazie--no, thank you!" This "tomato sauce," in my humble opinion, is a travesty to authentic Italian cooking--it's the Olive Garden version of neighborhood trattorias lining the streets of Florence, it's the Wonder bread of artisanal Parisian baguette--simply put, a mere carcass (by look and taste), a shadow, of what it could be, what is should be. I admit I'm terribly spoiled, having been raised on homemade tomato sauce usually made from homegrown tomatoes. But I did have to eat Prego once in my life, and I will never forget the horrible taste of that pasty, disgustingly sweet (why do they insist on adding high fructose corn syrup?!), unnaturally thick, absolutely wretched red goo clinging to my pasta. It was simply unworthy of my tastebuds.

Yes, I'm a food snob.

Don't hate. Appreciate.

The top two reasons why people insist on buying jarred sauce are because "it takes too long to make" and "it's too difficult." What a misconception! For in a mere 15 minutes (the time it takes to boil water and cook pasta--or order and wait for delivery if you're that kind of person) and with four easy to find ingredients, you can be well on your way to naturally sweet, tangy goodness that will make your pasta sing! And heck, why not bust out with your own aria or two--or just leave it up to Pavarotti. And of course, if you have the time, there simply is nothing like a pot of tomato love that has simmered for 3 hours--the rich flavor of slow cooking just cannot be synthesized in 30 minutes (take that, Rachael Ray!).

I admit I do on occasion buy jarred pasta sauce, especially when tomatoes are out of season. And I am known to bring back 6 jars of my favorite over-priced sauce from a little store in Manhattan each time I go to visit--shameful, I know. But lucky for me, tomatoes are in season at my farmers market and the extra ripe ones were on clearance! Can't beat this deal---a big pot of organic sauce for $5! You can thank me later ("Grazie, Nina!"), and I'll be sure to respond with an enthusiastic "Prego!"

Grazie! (a more suitable name for authentic Tomato Sauce)

What I Used For Inspiration:

Extra ripe tomatoes from the market ($1/lb!!)

Basil that was about to go bye-bye

Ingredients: (makes a LARGE pot of sauce--feel free to scale down)

2 large onions

6-8 cloves of garlic (or 2 cloves of elephant garlic)

5 lbs tomatoes

1 C packed fresh basil

Check out this elephant garlic I bought!! One clove was like 4 times the size of my thumb nail! (and surprisingly not pungent--don't think I'll buy again)

Directions:

Roughly chop onions and garlic--they'll be pureed later. In a large sauce pot, heat up some olive oil. Add onions and garlic and cook on medium-low heat until softened.

Roughly chop the tomatoes and basil, and add to the pot! What beautiful colors!

Cover and let simmer for at least 30 minutes (or if you have the time, cook for a few hours on low heat--Nonna was right, it does make a difference)

When the tomatoes are sufficiently squishy...time to blend!

One of the best things God invented was the hand-held stick blender. Of course you can blend in a normal blender, but this is WAY more fun--you can blend liquids right in the pot without dirtying another dish!

Once thoroughly blended, season to taste with salt and pepper. Because most of my tomatoes were the yellow variety, my sauce has a pretty orange color and tastes more mild than if I had used all red tomatoes. And as a side note, because of the more mild flavor it could totally pass as tomato soup. HA!

Buon appetito!!

Broccoflower puree!

Once upon a time I was a nanny for a very wealthy family in NYC. I learned a lot of things during those nine long months...a lot...and that's where my story will end.

This is a twist on something I used to make for the family because the husband I worked for was on a low-carb diet. I have to admit I was skeptical at first, but it is quite good--extremely simple yet incredibly satisfying! I remember reading in his low-carb cookbook about "faux mashed potatoes" which is essentially pureed steamed cauliflower. With its look and texture similar to mashed potatoes, it seemed to satisfy his craving for the carby goodness while being virtually calorie-free and packed with vitamins and fiber.

I made this several times with just cauliflower and thought it was kind of bland. So realizing broccoli was part of the same family, I thought let's throw some of that in and see what happens! I'm glad I did--the flavor is more distinct and now it's even more nutritious.

Broccoflower puree

Ingredients:

Broccoli

Cauliflower

Garlic

Salt and pepper

Butter (optional)

In a large pot or steamer, steam broccoli and cauliflower florets and whole peeled cloves of garlic (as many as your heart desires!) until the vegetables are soft. Puree all together in a food processor until smooth and season with salt and pepper. For added decadence, throw in some olive oil or butter, although I find the puree perfectly satisfying as is! And at 25 calories/half-cup it's an extremely fiberlicious low-calorie accompaniment to your meal.

Looks strange, tastes great! :)