Marinara Sauce

INGREDIENTS

• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion chopped
• 9 cloves garlic minced
• 15 fresh tomatoes puréed 
• 6 Tbsp fresh basil finely chopped
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar 
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp ground chipotle chili pepper
• 9 sprigs of parsley chopped

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat, sauté onion for 2-3 minutes.  Add garlic cook an additional 2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and reduce heat to a simmer until desired consistency is achieved. Adjust seasoning to taste.

(Yummy! I went Vegan for dinner. I put the sauce on my zoodles and topped it with sautéed mushrooms. Everyone else spread it over traditional spaghetti and chicken Parmesan. The key element was my delicious garden fresh tomatoes.)

Cream Pies... (Chocolate & Lemon)

• 1 - 3.4 oz Package of Instant Pudding (Chocolate or Lemon)
• 3/4 Cup Evaporated Milk
• 2 - 8 oz Packages of softened Cream Cheese
• 8 oz Cool Whip
• 1 Cooked Pie Crust of your choice (cookie, shortbread or cooked pastry)

Mix pudding and evaporated milk with an electric mixer. (it will be thick.)  Add cream cheese and cool whip.  Beat until fluffy and well mixed. 

For LEMON PIE - Add to creamy mixture:  3/4 Cup thawed Lemonade Concentrate, 1 Tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice and optional lemon zest to taste. Mix well.

Fold filling into prepared pie crust and chill for 2-4 hours.  Garnish as desired. 

(I wanted a fluffy, creamy pie... so SURPRISE!  I read some recipes. :) This is a combination of several.  It turned out deliciously perfect for a 4th of July Celebration!)