Sauced

10:30 at night on what turned out to be a hectic day.  And instead of hitting my keyboard, I should be penning those final 30 or so graduation announcements.  Or slapping on the rest of the sample-color paint on the dining room wall . . . 'Interesting Aqua' from Sherwin-Williams.  With my mother-in-law here just weeks before my daughter's high school graduation and party, it is wise to harness her energy, coupled with her enthusiastic offers to execute any decorating and home projects I might have on my list, and get a few major chores out of the way.  Brighten up our abode.

Instead, sandwiched in-between my pondering of the turn of significant events in the lives of two very good friends which have shaped these past almost 24-hours, my train of thought returns again and again to the spaghetti sauce I simmered up with whatever I could find in the pantry, fridge, and contained within the terra cotta pots on my back porch.  My niece practically inhaled a hearty serving of the stuff ladled over penne pasta and pronounced that though she did not care for such sauces most of the time, mine was both delicious AND the best she had ever had in her 17 years.  Everyone else was also suitably respectful of its flavor as was evidenced by the empty plates which witnessed two servings cross their surfaces.

My habit is to invent and create in the kitchen; my other habit is to neglect copying the successes for future use!  To avoid that tragedy today, I thought posting it into perpetuity would ensure that it endured for a good long while?!

HEARTY MEAT AND RED WINE SAUCE


BROWN 1 LB. OF LAURA'S LEAN GROUND BEEF OR SIMILAR, DRAINING FAT.
SPRINKLE WITH 1/2 TSP OF GARLIC POWDER/SALT/ONION POWDER.  SET ASIDE.

IN A 3-QUART SAUCE PAN, SAUTE OVER MEDIUM HEAT:
2-3 TBSP OLIVE OIL
1/2 MEDIUM WHITE ONION, FINELY CHOPPED
4-7 MEDIUM CLOVES OF FRESH GARLIC
1/2 TSP. THYME

COOK UNTIL ALMOST TRANSLUCENT, ADDING GARLIC JUST BEFORE ONION APPEARS DONE.  TO THIS, ADD THE FOLLOWING:

1 15 OUNCE CAN TOMATO PUREE
2 SMALL CANS OF TOMATO SAUCE
1 SMALL CAN OF TOMATO PASTE
1 15 1/2OZ CAN OF MINI-DICED TOMATOES
1-2 TSP DRIED OREGANO
1/4 CUP CHOPPED FRESH BASIL
1/2 CUP CHOPPED FRESH ITALIAN PARSLEY
1 MINI-BOTTLE OF SHIRAZ RED WINE
1 8 OZ. CARTON OF CHICKEN STOCK

STIR AND SIMMER ON LOW HEAT.  PILE IN THE HAMBURGER, MIXING WELL. TASTE IT PERIODICALLY, SHARING CAREFUL SPOONFULS WITH THE CHILDREN OR, DIPPING THE 'TEST BREAD' FOR A VISCOSITY CHECK.

A FEW MINUTES BEFORE SERVING OVER PENNE PASTA OR SPAGHETTI OR WHATEVER, ADD 3/4 LARGE CAN OF LARGE RIPE OLIVES, SLICED, TO THE SIMMERING SAUCE.

THEN, ENJOY.  THE FLAVOR DEEPENS AND INTENSIFIES WHEN LEFT OVER NIGHT.