#minced garlic

I started making my traditional Christmas lasagne so it'll be ready for Christmas. I started by making the marinara sauce. I use Cento tomatoes because they come from the very fertile San Marzano valley of Italy and they are the sweetest, most delightful tomatoes with which to make a sauce!! I use a lot of vegetables, too. I add onions, mushrooms, minced garlic, and green and red peppers. I always add Italian cheese rinds to my sauce because I love the flavor it imparts. This time I used parmesan reggiano and a little pecorino romano. I add bay leaves, basil, oregano, garlic powder (I love garlic), salt and pepper. Sometimes, I add other spices to my sauce, but these are the ones I use for lasagne.

First, I sauté the chopped onions. I use extra virgin olive oil to sauté everything because it's tasty and healthy. Once they're translucent, I add the mushrooms. I always make sure that they're dry so they'll brown nicely. I salt both of these veggies as they cook to release their natural juices, which makes the sauce so tasty!!

Then, I add the garlic. After it is cooked a bit, I add the peppers. I don't cook them very long because the garlic will become bitter and I want the peppers to retain their crunchy texture. I cook the peppers just long enough to bring out their beautiful colors. Then I mix it all together and add the spices. I sauté then for a minute and add the sauce and the cheese rinds.

~Creamy Gnocchi Chicken Soup~