Pasta Night

Pasta night.  I think most American families have a regular pasta night every week or two - it is just too easy to open a jar of spaghetti sauce and boil some noodles, what more can a busy mom ask for?  I mentioned here that I make my own marinara.  Although I rarely cook with a recipe, here is what I typically do.

These are my typical ingredients.  I've mentioned these tomatoes before and I really do love them.  You can use an off brand and you might be able to find an Italian seasoned version in an off brand but these really do have the best flavor.  This is one item where I always buy name brand.

Heat some olive oil in a large skillet and add a whole diced onion.  You really can add as much or as little and chop it as finely as you prefer.  I like really chunky sauce so I keep the pieces pretty big.

When the onion starts to turn transparent, add your garlic.

Now is time for your garlic.  See that bulb in the picture above?  I used the whole thing.  Plus three additional cloves.  Yeah, I love garlic.  I also like having large chunks of garlic in this sauce.  When the sauce is done and the garlic is cooked, it is almost sweet.  Love!

Here I seasoned with a little bit of salt, black pepper and a bit of crushed red pepper.

When the garlic is in and has been cooking for about two minutes or so, add a big spoonful of tomato paste.  

Add your cans of tomatoes, I usually add two - three cans.

Let your sauce simmer while you cook your noodles.

Look at those big pieces of garlic...YUMMY!

I add my pasta directly to the sauce.  I don't really drain it, I just scoop it right out of the pot into the sauce.  A little bit of pasta water won't hurt anything.

Add some refrigerated breadsticks heated in the oven and some greens and you've got a simple dinner in less than 30 minutes!