TWD: Focaccia Pizza with Tomato-Basil Topping

This week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe challenge was for Focaccia, a traditional flat Italian bread normally topped with a generous serving of olive oil, fresh herbs, and coarse salt. However, the uses for a fresh loaf of focaccia are endless - split a slice in half and fill it with your favorite sandwich ingredients, top it with a generous amount of cheese before baking to make an irresistible appetizer, or make a sweet focaccia topped with grapes, blueberries, or blackberries and some coarse lemon sugar.

I chose to try to turn this project into a meal for my family by making a focaccia pizza. My husband and son are pizza fiends and since we are once again giving up cheese during the fast-approaching Lenten season, I figured it would probably be kind to make them as many cheese filled, topped, stuffed, or sprinkled items as I can before the fasting begins.

I have made focaccia many, many times before and this dough was much more stiff than any recipe I have tried previously (the dough is practically pour-able in most other recipes). It really did remind me of more of a pizza dough than a focaccia. However, after a lot of hand kneading and a couple rises, the dough really did form a lot of the bubbles characteristic of a focaccia. The dough was pleasant to work with, not too sticky, and rose beautifully both inside and out of the fridge.

After a 24-hour rest in the fridge, I carefully spread the dough onto a baking sheet sprinkled with semolina and topped it with a quick tomato-basil topping along with some fresh mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. The bread/pizza monstrosity baked up beautifully in the oven and the aroma that filled the kitchen had my husband coming in from the study to check on the progress of the meal every few minutes (as I have mentioned before, he gets rather restless around feeding time).

 

The end result? It was delicious! It rose up pretty nicely for the most part. The edge pieces were rather thin, but that was probably my fault with stretching the dough too thin in those areas. However, this made a very tasty sheet pizza. My hubby and son devoured 3/4 of it in less than 20 minutes and were singing my praises. We'll see what they have to say about my cooking when they are eating nothing but lentil soup and quinoa salads during Lent.

I've included the recipe for the pizza topping below just in case anyone would like to try making it. It really does make a fabulous topping for pizza.

If you would like to try the focaccia recipe, head over to Sharmini's Blog.

Quick Tomato-Basil Pizza Topping
adapted from Cook's Country


1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon table salt
8 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (roughly 2 cups)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 cup basil leaves, chiffonade
Sea Salt for Sprinkling



Place tomatoes in a colander, and drain REALLY well.  In a medium bowl, combine drained tomatoes, oil, garlic, oregano, and salt and set aside. In a second bowl, combine mozzarella and Parmesan. Set aside. Sprinkle cheese mixture over the dough, leaving 1/2-inch border on all sides. Top with tomato mixture, and drizzle with olive oil and sea salt. Bake until well browned and bubbling. Slide pizza onto a wire rack, sprinkle with basil, and let cool for 5 minutes. Serve.

Butternut Squash and Roasted Garlic Pizza

We have been keeping busy around here and enjoying the wonderful Fall weather.  Fall has always been my favorite time of year.  I love the changing colors of the leaves, the many different varieties of squash that finally come into season, the smell of freshly baked apple pie, and all the cute little pumpkins that begin popping up on porches all over the neighborhood.  Not to mention, the Columbus Day Sales are awesome.  Matthew and I picked out some new kicks.

Harvest season is in full swing and all the local farms offer a variety of fun activities for adults and kids alike.  I took Matthew to one of my favorite local farms where they had an entire "Pumpkintown" mini-theme park set up for toddlers, complete with a wide variety of inflatable structures, a corn maze, a haunted house, and free piping hot apple cider.  At first, Matthew was very apprehensive about partaking in all the inflatable fun.  However, once I pushed him into the "pumpkin jump," he began to perk up.  Then I could not get him out when his time was up.  I had to crawl in there after him.  It is not easy to chase him around in an inflatable pumpkin that was not built to support your body weight.  I felt like the whole thing was going to collapse.

Then we headed to a gigantic inflatable slide.  The kids were instructed to hold onto ropes and pull themselves up to the top.  The attendant thought Matthew was too little to climb up all by himself, but I insisted that he let him give it a shot.  I had taken Matthew to a mini rock climbing wall a few weeks previously and he did fantastically well.  He made it all the way to the top of the wall fairly easily.  Anyway, he was not afraid of climbing up to the top of this slide.  Slowly but surely, he gripped and pulled his way to the very top where he triumphantly sat, waving and smiling.  Obviously, he was very proud of his achievement.  

However, when it came time for him to come down the slide...he wasn't so sure.  He begged for me to come get him, but I told him that the only way he was coming down was via the slide.  He finally went for it.  You can almost see the terror on his face.  He was all smiles at the bottom.

I tried to get a few photos with the props they had scattered throughout the farm.  Matthew did not understand the concept...

...Finally I got him to smile and poke his head through by playing peek-a-boo.

Matthew's favorite part of the whole outing (besides eating popcorn and drinking cider) was the corn maze.  He was all about taking the lead through the maze.  Every time he led us to a dead end, he would cry "OH NO!" and then giggle, turn around, and try another route.  He was actually amazingly good at figuring his way through it.  He must have a built-in GPS (unlike both his Mother and his Father).

Afterwards, we had to make our way through the market and buy some fresh produce.  I got a little overly excited by the beautiful butternut squash they had for a mere $0.15/pound.  I ended up buying a bushel.  Which means that I came home with about 25 perfect butternut squashes.  Which means that I will be making a lot of recipes featuring butternut squash.

This pizza recipe was inspired by a couple of recipes that I have spotted throughout the web over the past couple of years.  I combined my favorite elements from a couple of them and came up with the result below.  It was a divine, delicious, and different pizza (don't you just love the alliteration?).  The sweetness from the butternut squash paired perfectly with the creamy, mild flavor of the roasted garlic white sauce.  The Parmesan added a wonderful salty element to the whole thing.  Next time, I will probably scatter some bacon pieces over the top (I adore the combination of butternut squash and crispy bacon).  This would also be wonderful with some toasted walnuts scattered on top as a garnish.  If you are not a fan of thyme, try using some fresh rosemary or sage.  Leave it out all together if you are skeptical...but this is one seriously tasty dish.

Even Matthew ate it.  Not that his opinion matters much...he also tried cat food for the first time yesterday and apparently found it quite tasty.

Butternut Squash and Roasted Garlic Pizza

For Sauce:
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
3/4 cup milk
6 tablespoons Parmesan
1-2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
Salt/Pepper

For the Pizza:
1 recipe of your favorite pizza dough
1-2 pounds Butternut Squash, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 head of garlic, papery skins removed from the outside and the top cut off
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
4-5 slices thick bacon, cooked and crumbled (optional)

1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan Cheese
1-2 cups mozzarella


To prepare the squash and garlic, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  On a baking sheet, toss the squash with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.  Place the garlic head on the sheet and drizzle some olive oil over the top.  Roast for 15-20 minutes, or until the squash is fork-tender. Remove the squash and continue roasting the garlic until it is soft and fragrant (about 10 minutes more).  When cool enough to handle, pop the softened garlic cloves out of their skins and mash into a paste with a fork.  Set aside while you prepare the white sauce.

Place a pizza stone in your oven and set the temperature for 500 degrees.  Let the oven preheat with the stone for at least 20 minutes before placing the assembled pizza inside to bake.

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium high heat in a small saucepan.  Add the flour and whisk continuously until golden brown and bubbly, about 1 minutes.  Slowly whisk in the milk in a steady stream.  Continue to whisk the mixture until it thickens to the consistency of heavy cream.  Remove from the heat and whisk in the cheese and thyme.  Whisk in half of the garlic mash.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To prepare the pizza, spread the white sauce over the top of your prepared pizza dough leaving a 1-inch border.  Scatter the red onion, bacon (if using), and butternut squash over the top.  Sprinkle with the cheeses.  Carefully slide the pizza onto the hot pizza stone and bake for 8-12 minutes (depending on your dough recipe) or until the cheese is melted and the crust has browned.  Let stand for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Strawberry Balsamic Bacon Pizza

Strawberry Balsamic Bacon Pizza.  A gorgeous homemade pizza crust is topped with roasted chicken, bacon, cheese, a spicy-sweet strawberry sauce, and...yep...strawberries.  Sounds weird, right?  But this is hands down my new favorite pizza recipe.

Paul was very excited when he heard I was making pizza for dinner, but his enthusiasm quickly turned into apprehension when I told him we were having a strawberry pizza.

"So...we're like having strawberry version of one of those dessert pizzas on the Pizza Hut buffet?" he asked, without even trying to hide his disappointment.

"Not at all - it has a bacon and chicken on it too!"

That made him perk up a little.  Everything is better with bacon.

We really did not know what to expect with this pizza.  But the combination sounded interesting enough that I definitely wanted to give it a try.  Instead of your normal tomato-based sauce, the sauce for this pizza is composed of balsamic reduction, strawberry jam, and Siracha sauce.  Once everything is mixed together, the taste is reminiscent of a barbecue and Teriyaki sauce hybrid.  Very unique!

This makes a beautiful looking pizza.  And the taste?  Unbelievable.  Sweet, tangy, salty, and just a little bit of residual heat from the Siracha sauce made this one nice party for the taste buds.  The chopped strawberries and cilantro on top add just a touch of freshness.  I really consider this the perfect gourmet pizza.

And Paul and Matthew loved it as well!!  Give this a try for a unique twist on pizza night!

Strawberry Balsamic Bacon Pizza
adapted slightly from Annie's Eats

For the dough:
1/2 cup warm water
2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
4 cups (22 ounces) bread flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 cups water, at room temperature
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

For the sauce:
1/2 cup good-quality strawberry jam
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1-2 teaspoons Siracha sauce

For the toppings:
1 cup shredded or diced cooked chicken
4-5 slices bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
4 oz. shredded mozzarella or provolone cheese
2 oz. shredded Parmesan cheese
2-3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
1/2 cup strawberries, hulled and diced

To make the dough, place the flour and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment and mix briefly to combine.  Mix the warm water and yeast in a small bowl until the yeast swells.  Add the oil and room-temperature water to the bowl with the yeast.  With the mixer set to low, slowly and steadily stream in the yeast mixture.  Once the dough comes together, turn off the mixer and switch to the dough hook.  Continue to knead the dough on medium speed for about 5 minutes or until the dough is smooth and no longer sticky.  Knead for about 30 seconds on a lightly floured countertop and form into a ball.  Place in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to coat.  Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and set aside for the dough to double in size, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

While the dough is rising, make the sauce.  Place the balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan and simmer over medium-high heat until reduced to about 2 tablespoons.  Alternatively, if you already have a bottle of balsamic reduction on hand, you can skip this step and just use 2 tablespoons of that in the sauce recipe.  Whisk together the reduced balsamic vinegar, the strawberry jam, and the Siracha sauce.  Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Once the dough has doubled, gently deflate and turn out onto a lightly floured countertop.  Divide the dough in half.  Let the dough rest at least 10 minutes but no more than 30.  (If you are planning on only making one pizza, wrap the dough ball you do not plan on using with plastic wrap and then place in a ziploc bag.  You can freeze the dough for up to 1-2 months).

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees with a pizza stone set on the middle rack for at least 20 minutes before baking.

Stretch/roll the dough into a 12-14 inch round pizza shape.  At this point, I usually like to place the pizza dough on a large sheet of parchment paper to help when transferring it to the pizza stone.  Spread the sauce over the entire surface, then sprinkle with the chicken, bacon, and sliced onion.  Cover with the cheeses.  Finish with the cilantro and chopped strawberries.

Using a large cutting board, transfer the pizza to the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are browned and the cheese is melted.  Remove from the oven and let stand about 5 minutes before slicing and serving.  Enjoy!

How to Trick Your Toddler Into Eating Vegetables

When Matthew first started eating solid foods, he was so adventurous. I was so proud of how he would try relatively everything we gave him to eat without complaint. However, for the last few months, getting him to eat anything new has been a major pain. Normally, if he does not recognize the food put in front of him, he will put up the biggest fuss and refuse to even taste it. This usually results in Paul holding Matthew's arms down while I shove a sample bite into his open, screaming mouth. After realizing that the food actually tastes good, he will then proceed to clean the rest of his plate happily while proclaiming: "MMMMMM!!!"

However, I have never successfully been able to get Matthew to eat vegetables. He will eat fruit like a monkey but the only vegetables he eats are carrots. Anything green is particularly offensive to him. Broccoli just plain freaks him out. When he first took a bite of broccoli, he immediately began spitting and gagging until every last bit of it had been regurgitated.

One of Matthew's favorite breakfast treats are smoothies. I normally will make him a smoothie a couple times each week. I decided to try to sneak a little spinach into his diet by adding it to the smoothie - you really can't taste the spinach at all once it is all blended together. However, the smoothie does turn a disturbing shade of green. Nevermind - Matthew has a bunch of drink cups that mask the color of the liquid inside! I poured a generous glassful, screwed the lid on tight, and handed it off to Matthew who was jumping in excited anticipation of his treat. I was just about to congratulate myself on being so clever when I saw Matthew take a big swig of his smoothie, convulse slightly as he swallowed it, and then glare at his cup suspiciously: "Heyyyy......!"

He immediately handed it back to me, wanting no more of the spinach smoothie.

After the failure of the spinach smoothie, I decided to try sneaking vegetables in by adding them to Matthew's favorite food of all time: pizza! I had seen a recipe for a Spinoccoli Pizza on one of the food blogs I read regularly that looked interesting. The pizza consists of a creamy garlic-paremsan sauce, tiny pieces of broccoli, torn spinach leaves, and a mixture of cheeses. It was worth a shot. Paul was super apprehensive about it. He kept stating that spinach had no place near a pizza.

Did the experiment work? Matthew loved this pizza. He ate so much of it for dinner. And then raided the fridge right before lunch the next day to pull out the Tupperware containing the leftovers. Ha!

And Paul loved it too.

Spinoccoli Pizza

adapted from Annie's Eats and Cook's Illustrated

For the crust:

3 cups (16 1/2 ounces) bread flour

2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon instant yeast

1 1/3 cups ice water

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

For the sauce:

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon flour

3/4 cup heavy cream

1 large clove garlic, smashed

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan

Salt and Pepper to taste

For the toppings:

1 cup packed spinach leaves, torn

2 cups very, very small broccoli florets

4 ounces shredded mozzarella

4 ounces shredded cheddar

To make the crust, combine the flour, sugar, and yeast in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to combine (about 2 seconds). With the machine running, slowly stream in the cold water through the feed tube until the dough comes together and no dry patches remain (about 10 seconds). Let dough rest for 10 minutes.

Add oil and salt to the dough and process until dough form a satiny, sticky ball that clears the sides of the work bowl. Remove dough and knead briefly on an oiled counter-top for about 30 seconds. Form into a tight ball and place in a lightly greased bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 24 hours and up to 3 days.

When ready to use the dough, remove from the refrigerator, divide in half, form each half into a smooth ball, and place on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Space the dough balls at least 3 inches apart. Cover with greased plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour before shaping. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 500 degrees with a rack placed in the upper third of the oven with a pizza stone in the center. While the oven is preheating and the dough is resting, prepare the sauce and toppings.

To make the sauce, melt the butter in the saucepan over medium high heat. Add the flour and whisk to combine until the mixture turns golden brown and bubbly, about 1 minute. Gradually add the heavy cream, whisking well to combine. Add the garlic clove and continue to cook and stir until the mixture is thick and bubbly. Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the cheese. Salt and Pepper the sauce to taste and set aside.

After the dough has rested one hour, flatten one dough ball into a 8-inch circle. Continue to pull/stretch the dough into a 12-inch round. Transfer the dough at this point to a sheet of parchment and continue to carefully stretch into a 13-inch round. Top with half the white sauce, leaving a 1-inch border. Top with half the torn spinach leaves and broccoli pieces. Sprinkle with half the cheeses. Using a large cutting board, carefully slide the pizza onto the preheated pizza stone and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the crust is browned.

Repeat with the second ball of dough and the remaining sauce and toppings. Enjoy!!

Pizza for Breakfast?!?!

During the week, our breakfasts are really boring.

Usually, we eat cheerios or oatmeal. If we're feeling really adventurous, we might slice a banana into our cheerios. Paul usually gulps his bowl while running out the door on his way to work; I normally stand at the sink eating as fast I can before Matthew can barrage me with yet another list of needs and demands.

However, we always have a special breakfast on Sunday mornings. I'm normally in charge of cooking while Paul whips up a nice batch of espresso to enjoy with our meal. This is high entertainment for Matthew - a super fancy coffeemaker!!

Last Sunday, we made a breakfast pizza inspired by a recipe seen on the Smitten Kitchen website. We pretty much did not follow the recipe at all - we used our own dough recipe (I had a half batch frozen from a previous meal), italian sausage instead of bacon, thinly sliced red onion, a handful of chopped parsley, and a mix of cheeses that we had in our fridge.

It was delicious. The runny egg provides a wonderful sauce that melds perfectly with the classic flavor combination of meat, cheese, and bread. If you do not like your eggs runny, you could definitely bake the pizza for a bit longer to ensure that the yolk is firm. Paul was in heaven. He immediately helped himself to half the pizza and doused it generously with some Frank's Red Hot Sauce. He has already requested that we make it for Easter morning. Too bad we already have something else planned.

Mr. Matthew even had a slice. Only he picked off the sausage and cheese and ate both the crust and the egg. As alluded to before, he is not yet a voracious carnivore like his father. He prefers carbohydrates like his mother.

Next time we make this, I plan to prepare the bacon and chive variation with perhaps some cheddar cheese.

Breakfast Pizza

from an idea seen on the Smitten Kitchen Blog

For the dough (enough for 2 large pizzas):

1/2 cup warm water

1 envelope instant yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)

1 1/4 cup water, at room temperature

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 cups bread flour

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

In a 2 cup liquid measuring cup, measure the warm water. Sprinkle with yeast and let stand for 5 minutes or until the yeast dissolves and swells. Add to the room temperature water and olive oil and stir to combine.

Place the flour and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and briefly mix with the paddle attachment to combine. With the mixer on low, stream in the wet ingredients. Once the dough comes together, switch to the dough hook and knead for 5 additional minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic. Form the dough into a ball and place in a large, oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 1/2 - 2 hours.

Once doubled, gently press the dough down to deflate. Divide into two pieces. At this point, the dough can be double-wrapped in greased plastic wrap, placed in a ziploc bag, and frozen for up to 6 months. To thaw, simply allow the dough to defrost in the fridge for 12-18 hours before you plan to use it.

If using the dough immediately, proceed with the rest of the recipe.

For the toppings:

2 large hot Italian sausage links, casings removed and cooked/crumbled

2 oz. shredded Parmesan

4-6 oz. shredded Mozzarella

1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

4 large eggs

Handful of fresh parsley, chopped fine

Preheat the oven with a pizza stone on the middle rack to 500 degrees for 30 minutes before baking.

Gently roll/stretch the dough into a rough 12-inch circle. Scatter some cheese, sausage, and onion across the surface, ending with a generous portion of cheese. Make four little pits in the toppings for the eggs. Carefully crack an egg into each pit. Transfer the pizza to the hot preheated stone and bake for 10 minutes, or until the crust is browning on the edges and the eggs are cooked to your liking.

Remove from the oven and let stand for a few minutes before slicing. Sprinkle with fresh parsley right before serving.

Pizza Bites: Perfect Football Party Appetizers

We made these little greasy bites of heaven for a recent football game-watch at our home. We shall not speak of any specifics of the game itself, but lets just say that Paul was in a horrible, foul mood during the whole party and immediately sulked his away upstairs to sleep off his frustration after the whole thing was over and done with. Our Irish love to frustrate their loyal fans.

Here are the two men of the household lazily awaiting the arrival of their pizza bites while totally mesmerized by the television screen. In case you were wondering, Matthew is holding a garlic press in his left hand. At least it's not a paring knife or a box cutter.

These were a breeze to make and super fun too! I already had a few balls of homemade pizza dough in the freezer, along with a jar of homemade pizza sauce. I just let them thaw in the refrigerator overnight so they were ready for assembly! This probably took less than 10 minutes to throw together and they were instantly devoured. Matthew loved eating them as well - once they had cooled down a bit!

For the filling, we just stuck with a basic pepperoni and cheese combination this time around, but you could certainly do whatever suits your fancy! Next time, I plan on doing a Hawaiian Pizza variation with ham, pineapple, and mozzarella. Paul is already making plans to fill a pan with BBQ chicken, bacon, and Jack cheese.

Gooey Pizza Bites

inspired by Chaos in the Kitchen

1 batch pizza dough (enough for 2 medium pizzas)

8 oz. block Mozzarella cheese, cubed into 40 pieces

8 oz. sliced pepperoni

Olive Oil (for brushing)

Parmesan Cheese/Italian Seasoning (for sprinkling)

Pizza Sauce, warmed (for serving)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease two cake or pie pans and set aside.

Divide the dough into 40 pieces (I usually eyeball this...but you could most certainly be a little more scientific about it!). Working with one piece at a time, layer a couple pieces of pepperoni and a cube of cheese onto the piece of dough.

Gather and pull the dough up and around the filling and pinch to close. It does not have to look perfect, but should be well sealed so the filling does not leak out into the pan while baking.

Place each ball seam-side down in a prepared pan. Repeat until all the dough has been used and both pans have been filled with about 20 filled dough balls each. Brush the tops of the rolls with some olive oil and sprinkle liberally with Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning. Paul and I actually ended up sprinkling our rolls with a dried dipping oil blend that we had purchased at a specialty food shop a couple years ago. It was a great way to use it up!

Slide the pans into the oven and bake for 20 minutes or so. When finished, the rolls should be a golden brown.

Remove from the oven and let stand for 1 minutes. Loosen the sides and bottom with a metal spatula and carefully lift the whole bat with a wide spatula and transfer to a serving plate.

Serve with warm pizza sauce for dunking!

Heck, while we're at it...here's an awesome and easy pizza sauce recipe. It's the only one we ever use! I am not entirely certain where the original recipe came from, but this is a modified version of one we have been playing around with ever since we were first married.

Our Favorite Pizza Sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large tablespoon chopped garlic (not minced)

1/2 heaping teaspoon dried basil

1/4 heaping teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Dash of red pepper flakes

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

Before beginning, measure all the seasonings into a small ramekin or prep bowl.

In a medium saucepan, heat and stir the olive oil and garlic over medium heat until the oil begins to sizzle and the garlic becomes very fragrant (be very careful not to burn the garlic!). Dump all the spices in with the oil and garlic and continue to stir for about 30 seconds. Pour in the tomatoes (carefully!) and give them a good stir. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and let the sauce simmer for about 20-30 minutes, or until it has thickened. Be sure to stir every once in a while to ensure that nothing is sticking to the bottom of your pan. And I apologize if your stove-top receives an occasional sprinkling of tomato juice.

Once thickened, the sauce is ready to use in your favorite recipes. If you plan on freezing or refrigerating the sauce for later time, be sure to completely cool the sauce to room temperature first. Otherwise, the sauce may take on a sour taste.