My’s Autumn Marinara Recipe

• 1 BIG ol’ sweet onion chopped

• 5-6 Organic fresh garlic cloves chopped

• 2 Organic carrots box grated

• 1 tsp Organic fennel seeds

• 1 tbsp (heaping) Fresh organic oregano chopped

• 1 Handful of fresh organic basil

• 1/2 tsp Cinnamon

• 1 tsp Dried organic parsley

• Freshly grated nutmeg (about 6 times back and forth on grater)

• 1 tbsp Sweetener like honey, maple syrup, agave, coconut sugar (I mostly use maple syrup)

• 1 28oz Can organic diced tomatoes (fire roasted or not … your call)

•1 /2 Can organic tomato paste

• 1 tsp Red pepper flakes

• 1/3 cup Cheap red wine

•EVOO

• 1/2 tsp Baja Gold salt

• 1 tsp Fresh ground pepper

•1 tub organic whole milk ricotta cheese

3-4 turns of your cast iron skillet with EVOO

Heat on medium. Add chopped onion, garlic, fennel seeds, cinnamon, nutmeg, oregano, parsley, red pepper flakes, maple syrup & carrots. Sweat and sauté till golden and caramelized but NOT brown. (browned garlic is nasty and turns sharp in flavor). Cook for about 5 minutes or so. Add tomatoes and tomato paste and wine. Stir and simmer for as long as you like (the longer the better as long as it’s not high heat & drying out)

If you like a smooth sauce, add it to a blender- I usually do, unless I’m feeling lazy and don’t want to clean the ninja. If you are NOT going to blend it, then pay attention to your chopping sizes at the start of the recipe.

Return blended sauce to original pan and heat on super low. Adjust your flavors now… does it need more salt? More syrup? I don’t use a lot of salt because the brand I use is potent AND my hubby has heart issues. You might feel the need to add more.

Once you’ve perfected the spices… dollop the ricotta on top, scattered all about and sprinkle pan with broken/ torn fresh basil leaves.

This sauce has a special warm, slightly sweet flavor that reminds me Thanksgiving. I make it year round and it’s great for lasagnas too. Definitely not your typical marinara flavor, but it’s now my all-time favorite. We usually add a protein like ground turkey or an ancestral blend and if I’m trying to pack more veg into the family’s face… I’ll finely chop up kale and toss that in. Mess around with it, you can’t really ruin it.

Xo