Welcome to The Capable Kitchen! I am very honored to have you as a guest. Five years ago I knew nothing about budgeting: I spent money when I wanted to, on what I wanted to, without considering the impact it had on my wallet. It wasn't until my husband lost his job that I realized how careless I had been with my/our money. The next few months were a learning experience for me - and it wasn't easy! I had to learn to budget, budget, budget! One of the biggest budget changes I had to make was with groceries: I struggled with feeding a family of six delicious meals without breaking my budget. But the more I learned to budget, the better I felt about it: I became EXCITED about making delicious meals under my budget. I found myself telling my husband, "Do you know how much this meal cost? Only $7!" Looking back I now realize that learning to budget EMPOWERED me. Looking at the present, I am astounded to find that even with a $25,000/year decrease in income and an addition to the family, I now have more money in savings than I did when my husband had his job: consider that! The Capable Kitchen is about just that: capabilities! So I hope you enjoy the recipes I've listed here. You might not find recipes that include crab or caviar, but what you might find is much more than you expected: power in the kitchen!

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

A Quick Sweet Tomato Sauce

Double or triple this recipe (like I do) to make large batches to freeze for use later on. This recipe yields approximately three cups - enough for about one pound of pasta.It's a fresh tomato sauce so don't expect the processed flavor of canned spaghetti sauce. It's also a "quick" version of tomato sauce so it doesn't necessarily beat the kind that simmers all day. It's, as I like to say, a happy medium - and is a go-to recipe for a busy mother like myself.

1 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes, with juices - $1.20
1 small can of tomato paste - $0.99
1 tbs minced garlic - miniscule if on hand or $2.99 for a jar which equals about $0.40 a serving
2 tbs sugar - miniscule if on hand or $0.99 for a small container
1 tsp oil

1) Heat oil in saucepan and add garlic. Saute until slightly browned.
2) Add crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. Bring to a boil.
3) Reduce heat and simmer. Once simmering, add sugar. Continue simmering for approximately 1 1/2 hours or until thickness is as desired (the longer you simmer, the thicker it will be).
4) Serve and enjoy...or freeze!

Alternate: If you prefer a more herb-ish taste, add a tablespoon of finely chopped fresh basil when simmering and less sugar. If you prefer a sweeter tasting sauce (like me!), increase the sugar to taste.
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