Saucy

A few weeks ago I had some tomatoes in the basket that were looking like they needed to be used soon so I had the brilliant idea (just call me Blair from Facts of Life) to throw them in the crockpot and make some sauce. Hello crockpot roasted tomatoes...where have you been all of my life??? I just threw those bad boys in there with some garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper, and some Italian herbs and let them cook in their little hot tub for about 3 hours on low. I grabbed my immersion blender and whizzed those puppies up into the best sauce for pasta, pizza, you name it. I kept it simple for the girls pasta but added crushed red pepper for the grown ups. If you let it sit for a day or two in the fridge, the heat is perfect.

Tomato Sauce:
2 lbs organic vine ripe tomatoes (any will work)
4 cloves garlic, smashed
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
salt, pepper, Italian herbs, crushed red pepper to liking
Yield: 5 cups, this will depend on how juicy your tomatoes are

Wash tomatoes and put in pot with smashed garlic. Drizzle olive oil over top. Crank salt and pepper on top. Sprinkle herbs all over. You can add the crushed red pepper now but I usually wait until it is cooked, ladle out some for the kids, then add the heat. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours. They are ready when you can smash the tomatoes with a wooden spoon. It will take a bit longer if you tomatoes are not super ripe. Other add ins we used are mushrooms and peppers, I want to try using spinach in there too.

Smash with the spoon for a chunkier sauce, or use the immersion blender or food processor to puree. I like mine somewhere in the middle, a little chunky and a little smooth. Sort of how I like my men. Ahem, moving on...

Here they are in their little tomato hot tub:

And if you have a "dancing lid" like mine, use an elastic headband to keep the lid on tight. You don't want your crockpot having a party without you.

And the "smoosh with a wooded spoon phase":

And the finished product: