God is the Sauce of Life!

GOD IS THE SOURCE OF ALL

"God makes things  through the direct act of becoming the things which It creates. This is what we do, for our thought becomes the thing thought of. The thought and the thing are one reality." Ernest Holmes (Science of Mind)

Dear Ones:

Welcome to my Divinely Intuited Cooking Blog calling out the Divine Cook in each and every one of us. You now have my JJM's Kick Ass Chicken Soup recipe. If you do not have it, please write me and I'll make sure you get a copy.

Today we are moving onto my Basic Tomato Sauce. I'm starting with this story so you can tune into your Divine senses.

MY GRANDMA COOKS WITH GOD

a story by Rita Andriello

I love to cook with Grandma, especially when we she makes tomato sauce. She makes the best tomato sauce. It's sweet and salty and taste good on spaghetti.

"Grandma," I asked one day, "Can you teach me how to make tomato sauce?

"It's easy, child," she said. "Just cook with God."

I didn't understand what she is saying, so I asked, "How do I cook with God. God is in heaven."

"Yes, God is in Heaven," said Grandma, "and Heaven is inside you. It is that feeling inside you that makes you want to do good things and tells you just how to do things the perfect way."

"How can God and Heaven be inside me?" I asked.  "God made the Earth and all the trees and the ocean."

"Yes, that is true, but God is the Earth and the trees and the ocean! God is all the things it makes. God is you!" she said, as she put a little more seasoning in the sauce.

"God is inside everything! Even in that sauce?" I asked.

"Yes," she answered, "Even in this sauce because I made it, and because God is in the tomatoes and all the seasonings. God is in everything!"

"Where is God inside me?" I asked.

"Look in the mirror! You'll find God!" she said, and she kept stirring her sauce.

I tried to look real hard in the mirror. "I don't see God," I said.

"I do," said Grandma. "I see you and God is you!" Grandma gave me a big smile. "And God is me, too!" she added with another smile. Then, she lifted the spoon to my mouth so I could taste the sauce. 

"Mmmm! It is delicious Grandma!" I shouted.

"God makes everything delicious!" she said with a smile, and then she put in a little more salt and pepper. "You, see, God knows just what to do and so do you," she said. "What do you want to do right now?"

"I want to give you a big hug, Grandma, because I love you so much."

"Yes, God is love," she said. "What else do you want to do?"

"I am happy when I am here with you cooking this delicious sauce!" I said.

"Yes, God is joy and happiness!" she smiled. "What else?"

"I want to tell you that you are the best tomato sauce maker in the world!" I shouted.

"Yes, God is perfect! And so are you and so am I!" she said.

"Grandma," I said, "I want to cook with God like you. Will I be able to make sauce as delicious as yours?"

"You will make your own special sauce, because you see, God is different in everyone." she said. "Just follow this recipe. Use your love in everything you do and always follow your heart. That is the ingredient and the recipe. You cannot fail."

"Yes, I can do it. I can make my own tomato sauce, but for now let's have some of yours, please!" I said with a smile.

And Grandma boiled some spaghetti and puts some sauce and cheese on it. We said a blessing and we had a delicious lunch!

And now every time, I wonder what to do, or how to do something, I think what would God do? What would love do? What would Grandma do? What would I do? I know I am cooking with God. God is me!

My Granddaughter Jade eating my Divinely Intuited Pancakes

Once upon a Sunday morning on an island called Long Island in the State of New York, Rita learned to make Nonna's Tomato Sauce...

There are two Sunday traditions in an Italian American home: one is that you go to Sunday Mass and the other is that no later than 2PM you must sit down to Sunday dinner which must include pasta with THE SAUCE.

My Italian Nonna lived with us when I was a little girl and rose very, very early on Sunday mornings to cook THE SAUCE. Her tomato sauce had pork and beef in it and it cooked all morning.

This recipe that I am sharing with you is basic marinara sauce. Marinara comes from a word meaning "the sea," but this sauce does not have any fish in it or meat. It doesn't take all morning to cook either. This sauce can be cooked slowly in about an hour and one half.

This is what you will need:

• 4 1 lb cans of whole Roma/Italian/Plum tomatoes crushed in the blender 

Make sure they are Roma/Italian/Plum tomatoes. They make the best sauce because they have less water in them and they are sweet. I like the type I get at Trader Joe's. Authentic Italian Nonna's swear by Marzano tomatoes. They come from a town in Italy called San Marzano that swears their tomatoes are the only Truth. Well, as we know, it is done unto you as you believe, so I am not going to argue with them.

• Garlic (Use as much as you like. I like a lot so I use about 5 cloves.)

• Fresh Basil (If you don't have fresh, you may use the dried type.)

• Salt (How much? You decide by tasting.)

• Oregano (I sprinkle a generous amount that lightly blankets the top of the sauce.)

• Olive Oil (You'll see below.)

Now here's what to do:

• First of all tune into your Divine Senses and know...What all Nonna's know, you also know. Why? Because you are one with the One Nonna and that One Nonna is intuiting through you. Breathe that in and now you are ready to start...

• Chop your garlic.
• Cover the bottom of the pan with olive oil.
• Saute the garlic until it is pearly white (I leave it in the sauce. Some people take it out. Why? I don't know.)
• Add your tomatoes and stir.
• Add your basil and stir.
• Cover the top with a light blanket of oregano and stir again.
• Bring the heat up until it starts to bubble a little, then turn your heat to low and let it simmer. That's pretty much it, besides stirring now and then, and of course tasting with your Divine taste buds.
• Add whatever you think it still needs, salt, etc. Some people like to add sugar to cut the acid. I don't, although sometimes I'll chop up a carrot and throw it in.

Serve THE SAUCE over what ever you want: pasta, chicken, rice, pizza. I sometimes just drink it if I really need a fix of sauce. Really! 

So now you know how to make a basic tomato sauce.  We'll be using this sauce in other recipes, so make sure to keep the recipe. Also, it tastes better the second day, the third and even the forth. It will stay good for about 5 days in your fridge. If you are not going to use it, freeze it.
love,
Rita

PS: I'd love to hear from you. Let me know how this recipe worked for you, and if you found something new and exciting to add to it.  

Affirm:
I am in-tuned with the Divine Cook within me.
Everything I cook is delicious!

My son Kenny and I tuning into our Divine taste buds!

Don't ever say you can't cook again!
Call or write Rita about
ONE POT! ONE POWER! COOKING...
an easy way to learn to cook quick, healthy meals.
323-969-4761
younmeprods@sbcglobal.net