Sexy, Sassy, Saucy Recipe

Why is this recipe sexy?

The main ingredient is tomatoes and tomatoes are aphrodisiacs.

I’m not advocating you squish tomatoes all over yourself and meet your husband/wife at the door. Although, if that’s your thing, I’m not judging.

Why is this recipe Sassy?

Because I needed another word that started with “S.” Also, once you’ve eaten this sexy tomato sauce, you will self-sassify into one Sassy Chick or Chuck.

My friends tell me that I never include exact measurements when sharing recipes.I have a good reason for this. I blame my mother. She taught me to cook without using a recipe book. Trust me, you don’t need exact measurements for this recipe. It’s that easy to make.

Do you have a Crock Pot or a big pot for the stove?

Are you able to visit your local farmer’s market or the produce aisle in your grocery store for natural libido boosting vegetables?

If you said yes to both of the above, you’re good to go.

Why is this recipe Saucy?

That one’s self-explanatory. It’s a recipe for tomato sauce made the right way. By that I mean it’s not from store bought jar or can. If you’re going to use ready-made tomato sauce, then please call itfake sauce.

Every time someone calls jar sauce, Italian Spaghetti sauce, an Italian Angel has to eat a slice of Devil’s Food cake.

My people from the motherland yell (complete with hand gestures), “Mamma Mia! No! Please! No cans!” I know, this may sound melodramatic, but have you ever witnessed an Italian mamma in a grocery store when she spots shoppers slip a jar of insert name of any store-bought sauce  into a shopping cart? It can get real ugly.

Tomato sauce (or gravy as it’s called in Italy) can be made many ways. Every village, town and city in Italy has their own version. Actually, every household has their own recipe. This is one of mine.

To my sister, if you’re reading this. . .yes, mine is better than yours.

Our sibling cooking rivalry will never end. But I do love her (just not her sauce.)

The Sexy, Sassy, Sauce Recipe

Ingredients:

Fresh Tomatoes  – So fresh, you’re going to want to smack them.

Yellow Zucchini - You can use green, if you can’t find yellow. I have a naughty thought concerning, zucchini, but I’m really trying to keep this post clean and serious. Just think of their shape. However, cucumbers are holding the title for naughty thoughts these days in our garden. Thanks to a conversation my husband and I had about cucumbers. We have a 14 incher at home. Cucumber that is. I’ll have to blog about our erotic garden one day.

Roasted Garlic - Garlic will dilate blood vessels and improve circulation throughout the nether regions. It can also be a weapon of mass destruction and destroy a kissing session. However, roasting garlic takes the sting out of its destructive properties.

Red Peppers 

Fresh Basil - Please do NOT use a dry herb.

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil 

Red Wine *Optional:  However, I do recommend drinking a glass while you’re cooking or reading this blog, it will enhance both experiences.

Milk - For the love of all that is good and Italian please, DO. NOT. EVER. put sugar in tomato sauce. I have no idea who started this rumor, but it must be stopped here and now. Add a little milk to the sauce to decrease the tomato’s acidity.

Kosher Salt

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 425.

Roast a head of garlic. When done, squeeze the roasted garlic in a bowl add some extra-virgin olive oil to the garlic, mix well and set aside.

Wash and dry vegetables (including the basil, dry each leaf after washing).

Chop the basil finely and set aside in a bowl. (I love a lot of basil, but you add as much as you like.)

Cut vegetables in bite size pieces.

Arrange the cut vegetables on a baking sheet.

Spray vegetables with olive oil and sprinkle some Kosher salt over vegetables.

Place the vegetables in the oven and let them roast for about 15 – 20 minutes (until all vegetables are roasted, but not charred).

Once vegetables are all roasted, take them out of the oven and put all the roasted tomatoes in a food processor, plus half the vegetables and whiz them until smooth.

Pour the tomato vegetable puree into a Crock Pot.

Add the rest of the vegetables plus the garlic and 1/2 the basil to the crock pot.

Add some milk (about 1/4 cup).

*Optional add 1/2 cup red dry wine – don’t use cooking wine, if it’s good enough to drink then it’s good enough to cook with.

Stir well.

Taste to see if you need more salt, if so, add more salt.

Cover and cook in Crock Pot on low for 6 – 8  hours.

Once it’s done, add the rest of the fresh basil and stir.

This sauce tastes better the second day, but still good same day.

About Selena Robins author of WHAT A GIRL WANTS:

Genre-defying, witty, humorous, suspenseful, romantic and sexy— words used to describe Selena’s novels. A self-professed foodie and chocolate guru, Selena loves to dance with her dog, sing into her hairbrush and write in her PJ's. In love with her family, friends, books, laughter, hockey, lively discussions and red wine (sometimes all at the same time). Selena is a dragon slayer who enjoys reading and writing sassy heroines and hot heroes (the ones your mamma warned you about, but secretly wished she’d dated a few in her life).