Ryan's Famous (in this house) Red Sauce

Okay, earlier in the week we talked about making fresh pasta and NOW we're going to talk about pasta sauce. There are three things that Ryan makes really well: stir-fry (especially when you have a cold and need something spicy, like I did this week), orecchiette with broccoli and sausage, and this red sauce. He invented it this year for his pre-game meals. Every game day, Ryan goes into the kitchen at noon sharp and whips up this delicious creation.. And, like I mentioned last time, we ate this sauce on top of spaghetti every other day when we were snowed in at the end of Christmas and couldn't get to the store or turn on the heat.

It is so, so warming. So! Today Ryan has given me permission (sort of) to share his recipe. If you're cold too, here's what you need: a can of finely diced tomatoes, a few cloves of garlic, a cheese that melts easily and is mild - he uses a creamy Swiss most of the time - a little bit of cream and spices like chili flakes and oregano.

Pour about 1 tablespoon of olive oil into a sauce pan and add the diced garlic. Cook on medium heat for a few minutes and then add the canned tomatoes. Add the spices (really whichever ones you want, but we like spice in this house, hence the chili flakes). Pour in a bit of cream - you don't need much, maybe a tablespoon or two. Cut the cheese up into small pieces so that it melts easier. You should have about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of cheese total. Add that into the bubbling sauce and it will melt, but make sure you stir it so that it breaks up and doesn't clump together.

 For protein, Ryan either adds in chicken or sausage, and my favorite way to eat it is over spaghetti, so I always request that. Delicious. And so easy! Ryan - thanks for sharing your secret recipe even though you didn't really want to and also thanks for feeding me lunch today.