Fresh Garden Tomato Sauce

Unlike last year, I actually have a great crop of tomatoes! So . . . time to make some sauce!

Ingredients

10 ripe tomatoes

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

1 onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped (I used 1/2 cup of grated zucchini this time)

2 carrots, grated

4 - 6 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/4 cup Burgundy wine

1 bay leaf

2 stalks celery

2 tablespoons tomato paste

Directions

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Have ready a large bowl of iced water. Plunge whole tomatoes in boiling water until skin starts to peel, 1 minute. Remove with slotted spoon and place in ice bath. Let rest until cool enough to handle, then remove peel and squeeze out seeds. Chop 8 tomatoes and puree in blender or food processor. Chop remaining two tomatoes and set aside.

In a frying pan over medium heat, cook onion, bell pepper, carrot and garlic in oil and butter until onion starts to soften, 5 minutes. Pour in pureed tomatoes.

Transfer mixture into a slow cooker. Stir in chopped tomato, basil, Italian seasoning and wine. Place bay leaf and whole celery stalks in pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 2 hours. Stir in tomato paste and simmer an additional 2 - 4 hours. Discard bay leaf and celery and serve.