Marinara Sauce

This is a nice, fresh sauce that tastes yummy with your favourite pasta!

~ 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
~ 2 small onions, finely chopped
~ 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
~ 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
~ 2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
~ 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
~ 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
~ 2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
~ 2 dried bay leaves

In a large casserole pot, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the onions and garlic and saute until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the celery, carrots, and 1/2 teaspoon of each salt and pepper.

Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and bay leaves, and simmer uncovered over low heat until the sauce thickens, about 1 hour. Remove and discard the bay leaf.

Season the sauce with more salt and pepper, to taste. (The sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cool, then cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat before using.)

~ From Giada de Laurentiis

Bellini Bar

Me, my sis and two of my girl cousins got together Saturday night for a girls' night. We made these yummy bellini's!!

~ 2 cups sugar
~ 1 cup water
~ 1 (16-ounce) bag frozen peaches, thawed
~ 1 teaspoon grated orange peel
~ 1 (16-ounce) bag frozen strawberries, thawed
~ 1 (16-ounce) bag frozen blueberries or blackberries, thawed
~ 4 to 6 (750-ml) bottles Prosecco or other sparkling wine, chilled
~ Fresh strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries, for garnish
~ Orange peel twists, for garnish

Puree the peaches and orange peel in a blender with 1/2 cup of the sugar syrup until
smooth. Strain through a fine-meshed strainer and into a bowl. Cover and refrigerate. In a
clean blender puree the strawberries with 1/3 cup of the sugar syrup until smooth. Strain
through a clean fine-meshed strainer and into another bowl. Discard the seeds. Puree the
blueberries in a clean blender with 1/3 cup of the sugar syrup until smooth. Strain
through a clean fine-meshed strainer and into a third bowl. Discard the seeds and solids.
Pour each of the purees into clear glass bowls or small pitchers.

For each serving, pour 2 to 4 tablespoons of the desired fruit puree into a Champagne
flute. Slowly pour enough Prosecco into the flute to fill. Gently stir to blend. Garnish
with the whole berries, as desired, and serve.

Do-Ahead Tip: The fruit purees can each be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately and
refrigerate.

~ Courtesy of Giada DeLaurentiis