Simple Series- Tomato Sauce

I hardly ever make the same recipe twice. I am always looking for something new, exciting, or challenging. Sometimes though, I wish that I had some simple, fresh recipes in my back pocket. That's what this series is about- getting back to the easy basics. This personal collection of recipes will be ones that can be made without exact measurements and can be added to and subtracted from with ease. Here is my first effort- Hope you enjoy! 

Easiest Tomato Sauce 

This recipe is perfect and simple. Feel free to add more or less of these ingredients, this recipe is so flexible!! 

Ingredients 

Olive oil 

28 oz San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes 

3 cloves garlic, minced 

1/2 onion, chopped (I chose white because its what I had on hand) 

1/2 to 2/3 cup of broth or wine (whatever kind you have on hand- I really think you will be fine no matter what!)

Sea salt

Pepper 

Herbs, if desired

Directions 

1. Heat one tbsp. oil on medium-high heat in a medium saucepan. Add onion, and allow to soften and caramelize- approximately 4 minutes. I added a little more oil in the middle of this process because the onions started to look a little dry. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

2. Add garlic and cook until fragrant- about one minute. 

3. Deglaze pan with broth or wine, and cook liquid down for a couple of minutes. 

4. Add can of tomatoes and juice. With a spatula crush the tomatoes in the pan, into smaller pieces. Bring heat down to low-medium, and simmer for a few minutes. 

(This pic looks gross- but it smelled so good at this point!!) 

5. At this step you could add chopped fresh herbs like oregano or basil, or even browned Italian sausage or beef. 

Isn't this the easiest recipe? I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! 

(The easiest tomato sauce with Italian sausage on angel hair pasta. It was sooo good, so simple, and done in the time it took for the pasta to cook!) 

Review: HG Sply Co.

Lowest Greenville's newest addition to its burgeoning restaurant scene hits all the trendy high points- paleo based menu, repurposed wood for tables, subway tiles around the bar, jar candle holders, local produce and beer, etc. the list goes on. The crowd last night was a mix- groups of dudes (who i guess came to get their protein on) and couples in their late twenties to mid thirties. It's a cool place to go that's not in uptown and without the uptown crowd. 

The menu is simple- appetizers that range from pork belly to tacos, a few salad options, sandwiches and burgers, a build your own bowl section (for a reasonable $13), and then about 7 entree options including lamb shank, steak, chicken, fish, and then lots of side options. 

We started with the Founders Trio Appetizer, named after the three business partners who own the restaurant. It consisted of three tacos- one pork, one chicken, one brisket. Soooooo good- especially the brisket one- I could have eaten about 6 of those! 

    (my half-eaten brisket taco- I was too   

       hungry to wait to take the picture)

I was really torn between the lamb shank and the HG BLT, but I ended up landing on the BLT because it sounded so interesting- arugula, fried egg, pork belly (hello!!!) and tomatoes. The bread was interesting- some type of multi grain that was very toasted and kind of got in the way of me eating my meat infested sandwich. Beyond the bread- it was really really good!  (Ps it's kind of messy- don't order this on a first through fifth date.)

   (HG BLT-pork belly, tomato, arugula,       

             and fried egg sandwich) 

The husband ordered a chicken sandwich- topped with avocado and sandwiched with the weird bread. It was ok- it felt like a usual chicken sandwich to me but T thought it was a little above that. Both sandwich came with shoestring French fries (also trendy), which were so tiny and crispy I felt like I was eating the tiny chip crumbs at the end of a bag when you know you should throw it away but you are going after every carby crumb. 

We were so full (the sandwiches were pretty big- especially mine) we couldn't bring ourselves to order dessert. So sad. 

Overall it gets a 8 out of ten- the atmosphere was cool, the food really good (but not fall out of your seat amazing) and there is a really fun, laid back rooftop.  I'm excited that we have another solid option on lower greenville! I love my 'hood.....

Review:Pho is for Lovers- Perfect for a Rainy Day

Before it gets extra miserable concerning the heat index, I made it a priority to try Pho is for Lovers. This hard to miss shop, tucked in a standard shopping center across from the PetSmart on Greenville Ave., will surprise you. The atmosphere consists of simple white walls and just a handful of tables. The menu is fairly simple itself, offering mostly bahn mi sandwiches and pho. 

I split the bahn mi with my friend Ryan, my usual weeknight restaurant partner in crime. We opted for the deli meat bahn mi- mistake. Nothing great about this version of the sandwhich. I should have known better. 

BUT the pho was amazing. The broth was very flavorful, keeping afloat the noodles, fresh veggies, and yummy beefy meatballs, which was perfectly meaty and a little fatty. 

(The beef pho I ordered, sorry it's a tiny bit blurry!) 

(I'm sure their other bahn mi sandwiches are fine- the deli meat one is just not worth it.) 

In addition to a bowl of pho as big as your face, you get a tiny plate of extras- jalapeño, lime, and basil. They were the perfect additions to the pho. I of course added all of them, and some sriracha. 

(Yummy extras for your bowl of pho.) 

This place would be THE perfect place for a bowl of hot, hearty soup on a rainy day. When it's not a hundred degrees outside. Hot weather and soup just don't mix people. Come mid- November, you need to get your pho on at this place!