Basic camping marinara sauce

Yesterday, we had our family reunion picnic, also known as FronaFest. This year, we've had a cooler than usual summer, and yet, our picnic ended up on the hottest, most humid day of the year.  Phew.

I had a chance to talk to many loyal readers at the picnic. I also had time to tease Aunt Ginny, a favorite pastime of mine. Since I didn’t cook yesterday (other than grilling sausages and burgers), here’s a marinara recipe, that I make often, while I’m camping in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Also, since I’m in a mood to mock Aunt Ginny a little, here’s an old Ginny story.

When Aunt Ginny was but a youth, I was out in my boat, fishing in the middle of North Lake, on the edge of the deep hole. Usually that is a productive spot for big bluegills. Aunt Ginny and a couple of her friends paddled out in inner tubes. Aunt Ginny left her tube with her friends, dog-paddled over to my boat, and asked if she was disturbing my fishing. I said “No, not at all. Here hold this.” I then handed her the anchor. Unwisely, she just reached up and took it from me.

The last expression on her face before she went under was a look that said “Oh crap!” She road the anchor all the way to the bottom of the lake, and then came up sputtering. Not only was I a good big brother teaching her not to grab anchors while she’s swimming, today I'm also a good brother again, as I relay the story for all to enjoy.

Olive oil

4 cloves of garlic

2 medium onions, chopped fine

1 medium carrot, grated

1 tsp. thyme

1 tsp. basil

1/2 tsp. marjoram

Cajun seasoning

1 28 oz. can of whole tomatoes

1 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes

1/2 cup white wine

1 tbs. butter

1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley

Preparation

Heat a pot, big enough to make spaghetti sauce in. Add enough olive oil to coat the bottom. Now add the onion, garlic and grated carrot. Cook gently for about five minutes, but don’t let the onion or garlic brown. You want them to just clarify.

Add the thyme, basil, marjoram and a good sprinkling of cajun seasoning. Add the whole tomatoes and break them up with a knife and fork. Stir and cook for about five minutes. Add the white wine and the can of crushed tomatoes. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer for about twenty minutes or so (or set it over the campfire, off to the side. Stir often.

Taste the sauce and adjust for salt and pepper. If you want, add a little Tabasco too. Add the parsley and the butter. Take the sauce off the heat and stir until the butter is melted and blended in. 

Serving

Place a pile of spaghetti on a plate. Cover with the sauce. Now sprinkle lots of grated parmesan over it. When we were camping over the 4th, we served this with rack of lamb, pork chops with gravy, seared broccoli, and garlic breadsticks.