Artichoke Pasta Sauce

This is my own varient where I use the slow cooker. It's SO tasty and easy and goes amazing with any kind of pasta.

Ingredients:

3 14oz cans diced tomatoes (with or without basil, oregano, and garlic)
2 14oz cans artichoke hearts drained and quartered
4-6 cloves garlic (minced)
1/2 cup whipping cream
Italian seasonings (basil, oregano, parsley ect) and salt and pepper to taste
a drizzle of olive oil

Add oil and garlic to the slow cooker (on high) and stir until heated. Add two cans of tomatoes (drained), the remaining can (undrained), the artichoke hearts, and the seasonings/ s+p.

Cover and cook on low (6-8 hrs) or high (3-4 hrs).

Stir in whipping cream and let heat through.

While it's heating, cook pasta, then dish up. It goes really well with a little parm on top! :)

Artichoke Pasta Sauce

Courtesy of Melissa Dodge

This is my own variant where I use the slow cooker. It's SO tasty and easy and goes amazing with any kind of pasta.

Ingredients:

3 14oz cans diced tomatoes (with or without basil, oregano, and garlic)
2 14oz cans artichoke hearts drained and quartered
4-6 cloves garlic (minced)
1/2 cup whipping cream
Italian seasonings (basil, oregano, parsley ect) and salt and pepper to taste
a drizzle of olive oil

Directions:

Add oil and garlic to the slow cooker (on high) and stir until heated. Add two cans of tomatoes (drained), the remaining can (undrained), the artichoke hearts, and the seasonings/ s+p.

Cover and cook on low (6-8 hrs) or high (3-4 hrs).

Stir in whipping cream and let heat through.

While it's heating, cook pasta, then dish up. It goes really well with a little parm on top! :)

Pasta Sauce

Ingredients:

Sweet (or what ever kind) sausage (if desired)
Meatballs (if desired)

3 cans tomato puree
1 1/2 cans water

1/2 cup sugar, level
1 1/2 tbsp garlic powder, rounded
1 tsp oregano, rounded
1 tbsp parsley, rounded
1 1/2 tbsp onion powder, rounded
1 tsp sweet basil, rounded
1 tsp salt, level
4 tbsp Parmesan cheese, rounded
4 large bay leaves

Directions:

Empty the 3 cans of tomato puree into a large stock pot. Use 1 can to add an additional 1 1/2 cans of water. Bring to a boil.

While you wait for the sauce to boil add all DRY ingredients EXCEPT SUGAR!! Stir with wooden spoon to combine all dry ingredients.

Once sauce comes to a rolling boil add sugar and stir well.

Cut up cook and add sausage at this point if desired.

Turn down heat to LOW and simmer for 3 to 4 hours. Put the pot lid on at an angle so steam can escape. Sauce will cook down and thicken.

Makes A LOT of sauce. We've never measured how much. We have a family of 7 and this sauce can see us through at least 4 meals. We eat a lot of pasta :)

After sauce is done cooking, let it cool down with the lid on. Place in refrigerator for up to 10 days. After 10 days it starts to turn acidic and isn't good any more. Can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Pesto Sauce

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh or 1 cup dried basil
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup toasted nuts (pine, walnut or almond)
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

I use a very small 2 cup food processor to make this.

Put the toasted nuts in the food processor and process until finely ground. Add the basil, Parmesan cheese and garlic and process again until the basil is ground down. Slowly add the oil and process until a thick paste forms. If the pesto feels like it needs a little more oil add at 1 tbsp at a time until it is the consistency you like.

Store in a jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.