Garden Vegetable Ragu

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1 Tablespoon Butter
• 1 whole Medium Onion
• Diced
• 2 whole Small Zucchini
• Trimmed And Sliced Into Half Moons
• 2 whole Small Yellow Squash
• Trimmed And Sliced Into Half Moons
• 1 whole Medium Carrot
• Peeled And Grated
• 2 cloves Garlic
• Minced Or Pressed Through A Garlic Press
• 1 can (28 Oz. Or Two 15 Oz.) Tomato Sauce
• 2 cans Diced Tomatoes (15 Oz. Cans)
• 1 cup Good Dry Red Wine (like Merlot)
• 1 teaspoon Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Dried Basil
• Or More To Taste
• 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
• Or More To Taste
• 1/2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning (or More To Taste)
• Kosher Salt And Black Pepper To Taste
• 1 cup Parmesan Cheese
• Divided
• Optional Add-ins Listed Below (Italian Sausage
• Sliced Mushrooms)

Instructions

1. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil and butter in a very large, deep skillet or a Dutch oven on medium heat.
2. Once hot and working in batches, saute the onions, zucchini and yellow squash until soft and slightly golden.
3. Remove to a bowl after each batch.
4. When done, add all the vegetables back into the skillet, including the carrot and the garlic.
5. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
6. Pour in the tomato sauce and the diced tomatoes.
7. Add in the cup of red wine.
8. Season the sauce with the sugar, dried herbs, a little salt, and a lot of black pepper.
9. Stir, cover and reduce heat to simmer for 35-40 minutes.
10. Lastly add the half cup of Parmesan (reserve the rest to garnish), taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
11. Serve over pasta or prepared spaghetti squash.
12. Optional Ingredients: 1/2 to 3/4 pound of Italian Sausage; for a spicy and meaty ragu.
13. If preparing this with the Italian sausage... Brown up the ground sausage, remove it from the pan, then saute the onions, squash etc in the sausage renderings, adding olive oil if needed.
14. 8 ounces of fresh mushrooms, which you will slice and saute with vegetables.
15. Parmesan Cheese Rind; just throw the cheese rind in while sauce simmers and remove it before serving.