Feeling Saucy

Ahhhhh, life got in the way of my big plans last night!! I'd intended to make a big pot of spaghetti sauce from scratch and eat a big salad and a plate of pasta...but that didn't happen. My yard was pretty gross after Sunday's flooding, so I spent 2 hours raking and bagging, then mowing. I couldn't start cooking til 7, and the chopping alone (I'll post the recipe) took FOREVER. Long story short - I played volleyball at 8:30, so all I could do was make the sauce and put it in the fridge for tonight's dinner. I cooked up a polish sausage quickly and ate it in the car. You know what, though? That was a better choice on a sports night. Too much food is NEVER a good thing when jumping up and down is involved. The only problem was that I got sort of hungry after the game, and when we went to the Office II...well, I had a couple bites of cheese fries. They're my ultimate weakness, and I couldn't resist a taste. Please don't revoke my locavore card!!!

Here's the sauce recipe, using my monster eggplant. I threw in oregano, basil, salt and pepper:

Emily's Super Eggplant Sauce

Prep Time: 15 MinutesCook Time: 30 Minutes
Ready In: 45 MinutesYields: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup olive oil
1 large eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 large green bell pepper,
chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28 ounce) can diced
tomatoes
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup water
1 (16 ounce) package

DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook eggplant, bell pepper, onion, and garlic until soft and tender, stirring often.

2. When done, transfer vegetables to a large stock pot. Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, and water. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve hot over pasta.