The leaves are changing, the air is more crisp, that can only mean one thing. Fall is coming… GOT anyone? I love the season that spurs all things pumpkin, spiced and the heavy use of the color orange. What I really love most about the fall though is that I can cook again without dying of heat exhaustion. One of my favorite things to do is make sauce. Why sauce you ask? I’ll tell you. Sauce makes everything better. Everything.
I was feeling saucy on this fall inspired day (sorry, I had to), so I glanced around my kitchen and spied the bowl full of farm fresh tomatoes I recently acquired. Next to the bowl was my wonderfully fragrant basil plant. Which, I would like to add, I have been taking really good care of, surprisingly. My taste buds started to tingle. I knew exactly what I was going to make. Marinara. YUMMO!!
To kick your fall off right here is my super yummy, super easy marinara recipe.
Summer’s Marinara
2 lbs. of Fresh Tomatoes 
Sprigs of fresh Basil
Minced Garlic
Diced Yellow Onion
Olive Oil (about 3 to 4 tbs.)
Red Wine (about 1/4 cup)
Himalayan Salt
Cayenne Pepper
Black Pepper
Crushed Red Peppers
*I pretty much do everything by taste, so these are not exact measurements. I also like things spicy so I add a lot of heat to mine.
I put the olive oil in the pan over medium heat. Once oil heated up I threw in the onion. Sautéed them for a few minutes and then added the garlic. Once the garlic gets fragrant, about 3 minutes I then add the tomatoes, a pinch of salt and pepper and let the juices from the tomatoes come to a boil. When it reaches a boil I turn it down to low heat and let the sauce simmer until tomatoes get tender.
After about 20-30 minutes of simmering add the cayenne, salt, crushed red pepper, black pepper (to taste) and the wine. Let it simmer for another 20-30 minutes. around the last 10 minutes throw in the basil. I toss in full sprigs and let it wilt. I pull it out before I serve.
And that is it. Marinara is done. It is ready to be served over roasted veggies, egg whites, on toasted bread, zoodles, pretty much whatever you want. Or you can let it cool and freeze it.
Don’t forget to post your pics of your yummy marinara and tag Girls on Food and me, Summer on Instagram, twitter and Facebook.
