homemade spaghetti sauce Archives

Posted by 2 Sisters 2 Cities on January 6, 2012

Hello Readers,

I haven’t officially made any New Year’s Resolutions yet, but I know I want to make some changes in my life. I want to be healthier, more organized, and to do more with my free time, like blogging and cooking! I know I have made the same New Year’s Resolution each year, and some years I am really good with them, and some years I am not so good.

Instead of saying I want to “lose weight,” I am just going to try to be healthier. The reason for this is that I have struggled with my weight most of my life, and this isn’t something that is going to go away. I have gained and lost the same 20 pounds twice in the last three years. I am back to trying to lose it again, and truthfully I would like to lose another 20-30 on top of that, but I love food way too much to know that will never be sustainable. I went back to my Weight Watchers meetings this week. I stopped going during December because you can’t make twelve types of cookies and go sit at Weight Watchers and wonder why you are gaining weight. I am owning it- this cookie weight was hard earned! Haha- well anyways, I will be cooking healthier recipes for the next few months!

This week I have cooked meals every night for my boyfriend and me. I made grilled chicken with roasted garlic potatoes; Black Bean Burritos; pork tenderloin with rice; Sausage, Pepper, Onion, and Potato Bake; and pasta with red sauce and light garlic bread (I know you are thinking that this bowl does not look like a weight watchers serving of pasta, but it is! I measured it on a scale before I cooked it. I used Wegman’s Super Pasta which is whole wheat pasta with protein. I highly recommend!)

Quick Red Sauce

Ingredients:
1 tbsp of olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoons dried parsley

In a sauce pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Next add garlic and red pepper flakes, stir for about 1 minute until you can smell the garlic. Then stir in tomatoes and parsley flakes. Lower heat to medium low and allow sauce to come to a boil. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve with pasta.

Source– adapted from Fabulicious: Teresa’s Italian Family Cookbook by Teresa Giudice (from NJ Housewives)

*K’s tip- After cooking pasta, drain, and place pasta back in hot pot. Add some sauce and stir in with pasta. Stir in more sauce to your liking, allowing sauce and pasta to heat up together. Then serve as normal.

Light Garlic Bread

Finely mince a half of a clove of garlic and place in a small bowl. Add in 2 tablespoons of light butter (I used Land O’ Lakes Light Butter with Canola Oil) and a pinch of parsley, and stir together. Spread the butter mixture on to both sides of 3 slices of Italian bread (or any leftover bread that you have.) Place bread on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet and place in oven on broil. Watch the bread until it is toasted, then flip to toast other side. Make sure to watch carefully because it’s really easy to burn! My boyfriend knows all about my “broiling” skills :).

Enjoy!

-K

Posted by 2 Sisters 2 Cities on December 13, 2011

This giveaway is now closed- see below for our big winner! Please check back often for more giveaway contests from 2 Sisters 2 Cities.

We are pleased to announce our very first giveaway contest today! Red Pack tomatoes has offered us a great gift package to give to one of our readers. The gift pack includes two cans of Red Pack tomatoes- whole and crushed. In addition it has some great kitchen tools- a can opener, a pasta spoon, a pizza cutter, and a red spatula. Best of all, it comes in a jumbo-sized Red Pack storage tin and includes recipe ideas for the tomatoes! Check out the picture below of the prize pack:

In order to enter, please leave a comment below describing your favorite recipe to make with canned tomatoes? When I think of Red Pack tomatoes, I instantly think of spaghetti sauce with pasta on a cold night.

The Rules: One entry per person, U.S. residents only. Commenting will close on Friday, December 16th at 10:00 pm, EST. Entries that do not follow the entry requirements will not be considered. One winner will be chosen at random and announced next week. Void where prohibited.

The contest is now officially closed! Using random.org, we have picked our winner- comment #5.

Congratulations to “B” for winning the great Red Pack Tomato Gift Pack! Thank you to all our contest entrants for some fabulous recipe ideas for Red Pack canned tomatoes.

B	Submitted on 2011/12/16 at 12:47 pm JTizzle, that bisque sounds amazing, I love Romano cheese! I use Red Pack tomatos for when I cook my Mom’s recipe of Spaghetti Sauce with Sausage. I make 3 batches worth at a time and freeze most of it so I have supply for a few weeks. Yum.

-m

Posted by Keelin Hollenbeck on February 16, 2010

For Valentine’s Day I planned a special meal for my boyfriend and myself. I decided to make a meal my mom made a lot growing up because it was one of my Dad’s favorites. It’s called Steak Italiano, but I call it Italian steak and I made it with spaghetti and a homemade sauce (also my mom’s recipe). I was pretty proud of the end results, although the meat was a little touch because I cut the meat wrong (yes I do make mistakes!) I cut the London broil in slices horizontally when I was supposed to cut it diagonally. With London broil you need to be careful of how you cut it because it is such a touch cut of meat. So make sure you cut it on the diagonal!

Steak Italiano
1 (2-3 pound) London broil or top round steak
¼ cup of extra-virgin olive oil
5 or 6 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
¼ cup chopped green bell pepper
1 can (16 ounces) crushed tomatoes
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon oregano
Adolph’s Meat Tenderizer

Directions:
Tenderize meat with Adolph’s and garlic powder ( I did this for 3-4 hours before I started making it, but you could try tenderizing it even longer.)

In a large skillet, sauté garlic, pepper and basil in olive oil until tender. In the same pan, turn heat up to high and sear meat for 45 seconds on each side. Remove meat and place in glass baking dish. Set aside. Preheat oven to broil (place rack in center of the oven.)

Lower the same pan to low heat. Stir in tomatoes and half the Parmesan cheese. Add oregano and black pepper to taste. Simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour sauce mixture and remainder of cheese on the steak. Broil for 20 to 30 minutes , or until desired wellness is achieved. Do Not turn. Cut into ½ inch slices (DIAGONAL!) and serve with favorite pasta.

Mom ‘s Quick Tomato Sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
1-2 cloves minced garlic
1 small onion, chopped
1 28oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 15oz. Tomato sauce
½ tsp. Oregano
¼ tsp. Pepper
½ tsp. Parsley
¼ cup red wine

Directions:
Sauté garlic and onion with olive oil until golden. Add remaining ingredients. Blend thoroughly. Simmer 30 minutes, stirring often.

Enjoy!

-K