Squash, Spiders, and Spaghetti Sauce

Squash, Spiders, and Spaghetti Sauce

Here we are with Labor Day weekend already upon us.  It is hard to believe that it is now September.  Wasn’t the August weather lovely this year?  In general the temperatures were so pleasant. The cool nights made wonderful sleeping weather—the kind that makes it hard to get out of bed in the morning.  It was such a nice change of pace from the blazing hot and dry weather of June and July.  It will be interesting to see what kind of weather Fall and Winter will bring to us this year.

As we move into September our thoughts turn to Autumn, which means it will soon be pumpkin and winter squash season.  At market you will soon start seeing seasonal favorites like butternut and acorn squash as well as spaghetti squash and, of course, pumpkins.  I love to cook meals with these hearty foods so I look forward to getting out these recipes once again.

Another sure sign of fall are all of the spiders in my garden.  It is so pretty to see their dewy webs glinting in the sunlight in the mornings.  Since childhood I have been very wary of all sorts of spiders.  Those who know me best may say this is an understatement.  However, over the years circumstances have forced me to become more “spider friendly.”  For example, the last couple of years some sort of giant spider seems to have moved into our property; one that none of seem to remember being around before.  They are enormous.  There was one on our garage wall this summer whose body was literally as big as my thumb and legs formed a diameter of at least five inches. I wish I knew what kind it was.  When dealing with spiders like that, run of the mill sun spiders and wolf spiders seem okay.  I still cringe a little when I stick my hand through a web while picking tomatoes or lima beans, but I can move on with my work now instead of leaving the spot entirely.  I have definitely come a long way. 

Last year my friend Janelle Hubble shared with me a simple and delicious way to make spaghetti sauce.  I am calling it her “rustic” tomato sauce because it is so easy and contains so few ingredients.  When she told me how to do it, I was a little skeptical.  How could this sauce be good without doctoring it up with things such as garlic, oregano, and basil?  Trust me, though, this is one recipe that can stand on its own without adding to it.  I was amazed at how fabulous it tasted.  I made it all winter long using the tomatoes I had canned from last summer.  

Janelle’s Rustic Tomato Sauce

·         Two pounds of meaty sauce tomatoes such as Roma or San Marzano (when tomatoes are out of season, sub a 28 oz. can of tomatoes.)

·         5 Tablespoons butter

·         1 Onion, cut in half

·         Salt to taste

Remove skins from tomatoes by dipping in boiling water for 1 min, then dipping in cold water.  Skins will come off easily.  In a heavy saucepan add tomatoes, butter, and onion, bring to a boil then simmer until thick, about 45 minutes.  Stir occasionally, breaking up tomato chunks against side of pot.  Discard onion, add salt to taste, and serve over pasta.