Homemade Tomato Sauce

There is pasta under there somewhere!

To go with the best meatballs I've ever had, I sought out a recipe for a good homemade sauce. And sure enough, while perusing one of the blogs I frequent for recipes, I came across a simple sauce that sounded delicious! I made some adjustments, and here's what I came up with. The butter adds a real smooth-ness to the sauce, and the combination of onion flavoring (without the chunks) adds a sweetness to the tomatoes. Add a little salt, garlic and thyme, and ta-da!


Ingredients
5 tbsp. butter
28 oz. can whole peeled tomatoes
1 onion
3 cloves garlic
4 sprigs fresh thyme
Salt


Directions
1. In a medium pot or large skillet, melt the butter.
2. Add the can of tomatoes and begin to break them apart with the edge of a wooden spoon.

3. Cut the onion in half and remove the skin, keeping the root-end in tact so the onion layers do not separate and start to hide out in your sauce. Nestle the onion halves into the sauce.
4. Mince the garlic cloves very finely and do a quick chop of the thyme leaves. Add to the sauce.

5. Mix the ingredients around to incorporate, and cover with a lid.
6. Bring the pot to a simmer and reduce the heat to maintain a simmer for 45 minutes.
7. Occasionally, remove the lid and continue to break apart the tomatoes with your spoon. As they cook down, this will become easier and easier.

8. After 45 minutes, remove from heat and discard the onions. Salt to taste. Serve over pasta or in stuffed bell peppers...or anything else you'd like!

*Note: I would double this recipe for even one pound of pasta, though I love sauce so this may be why it wasn't enough for me. I've even tripled it and will probably considered doing that every time going forward. It will keep really well in the freezer. Go through the "hassle" (I use this term loosely because this sauce is really easy) once, and let it last awhile!