Easy Homemade Tomato Sauce for Pasta

Do you make your own Tomato Sauce?  I never used to, as it is cheap and easy to just buy a jar.  But Homemade Tomato Sauce is beyond easy, and, it feels good to make it.  Easy Homemade Tomato Sauce.  No joke.  It’s true.  And kids love it.

Speaking of kids, I don’t think any child fully realizes the meaning of Mother’s Day until they actually PRODUCE a child.

Kid’s ain’t no joke.

They are always needing something. Snot wiped. Teeth brushed. A ride. A bath. A swingset, a pony, a ball glove, a swimming pool shaped like a turtle. It’s exhausting.

Luckily, they also need things like monster hugs and pillow fights. They need you to watch them when they pedal their bike successfully for the first time. They need to tell you they love you, hundreds of times in sleepy little voices. They need carried from your bed to theirs.

I tell you, the carrying part is just about the best part of my day.

Another thing about having a child of my own is that I enjoy teaching him to cook. He’s a pasta fiend – I swear, he could eat it for every meal, should I allow it…so I’ve been teaching him to help make it.

Therefore, when my friends at KitchenAid reached out to me, asking if I would be willing to make a little Mother’s Day inspired dish with one of their pink products, I of course said yes. I adore KitchenAid and their incredible efforts to support breast cancer research, and loving their wonderful products is just as easy.

Because I wanted Seven’s help in making a recipe for Mother’s Day – I went with his favorite – fettuccini. We made our noodles from scratch using the pasta roller attachment for our pink KitchenAid mixer (I’ll do a whole separate post on that, so you can see how fantastically simple THAT is) and we made a homemade red sauce using the pink blender.

Personally, I am in love with the Raspberry Ice colored products, though I know some of you like the baby pink. But this year they are offering a new Cranberry color as well to support breast cancer research, so you should definitely check that color out!

Back to that pasta sauce…

It couldn’t be easier.

We use 2 cans of diced tomatoes, but you could certainly use fresh tomatoes if you like. I just find it’s easier to have cans of tomatoes on hand versus fresh, especially in the months when really good, fresh tomatoes aren’t available. A sautéed sweet onion, some garlic, a few herbs – then a quick spin in the blender – you have an incredible sauce that both the kids AND mom will appreciate.

So, this year, maybe gather your own kids in the kitchen for a pasta party. Be their mom. Enjoy it while you can, while they are eager to be by your side and learning from you. Or, maybe go cook with your own mom, and finally listen to her. She has so many things to say, and darn it – you owe her.

We all do.

Happy Mother’s Day! (I love you, Mom! And Seven!)

Homemade Pasta Sauce with Garlic, Herbs and Onions

serves 6

Ingredients

• 1 sweet onion, diced
• 5 tablespoons butter, divided
• 2 15 ounce cans diced tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon wet minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Sautee the onions in 2 tablespoons of butter with a pinch of salt. Remove from heat once translucent and fragrant.
2. In a separate pot, combine tomatoes, butter, sugar, garlic, herbs, salt and pepper. Stir over medium heat. Once onions are done, add them to the tomato mixture. Continue to cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Remove from heat and allow to cool a bit before adding to blender. Using the Chop setting on the blender, blend the pasta sauce to desired consistency. Serve with 1 pound of prepared pasta.

KitchenAid

A little more than 10 years ago, KitchenAid released their first pink product in an effort to raise money to support cancer research. Since that day, more than $9 million has been raised through its Cook for the Cure^® program benefitting Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Wow. Nine Million Dollars. That’s amazing on a lot of levels.

For the past few years I have been participating with their Cooks for the Cure campaign every July, as well as their Pass the Plate program.

Since the introduction of its legendary stand mixer in 1919 and first dishwasher in 1949, KitchenAid has built on the legacy of these icons to create a complete line of products designed for cooks. Today, the KitchenAid brand offers virtually every essential for the well-equipped kitchen with a collection that includes everything from countertop appliances to cookware, ranges to refrigerators, and whisks to wine cellars. To learn why chefs choose KitchenAid for their homes more than any other brand, visit KitchenAid.com or join them on Facebook and Twitter.

Disclaimer: As I mentioned above, I was offered a pink product from KitchenAid for use in creating this recipe. All thoughts and opinions are my own.