VERY simple tomato sauce (friend Bill gave me this one, he is an amazing cook, but most of all, his mantra is simplicity):
Take 8 or so cans (the small ones) of the diced tomatoes (I used the italian herb ones, he often uses the plain), and open them up. Use a large, stainless cooking pot, and start out your burner on medium-high.
First of all, though you will dice up an onion or two, depending on your taste for onion. Finely mince three or four cloves of garlic, and saute the onions first in a dab of olive oil til they begin to get clear, then add the garlic and stir around a bit, til they are heated through (don't brown them).
Put in the cans of tomatoes and heat it up til it's almost boiling, then turn it down to simmer, stirring occasionally for a half-hour on up to a few hours.
I would think if you wanted to add vegetables, you could, just dice them and saute them in with the onions. You could conceivably puree this sauce to make it smoother, but I like the chunks of veggie and tomato.
Last time I made it, I floated some of those already-prepared meatballs in it and some whole, cleaned small crimini mushrooms, then brought them to a boil and served with cheese ravioli.
Sprinkle on some shredded parmesan reggiano and it's reallllly good. Simply so. I make enough to refrigerate and use for about two to three meals. That same amount would probably last just you, hub and Nathan for three meals or more.
Plus, even those here who are good / talented cooks probably have less time to be in the kitchen given the time of year (so nice to be outside enjoying our horses!).
