and then I fell in love....SK's tomato sauce with onion and butter

Oh, the butter.

Given my spotty blogging history of the past year or so, you might have thought that one of the reasons I didn't post much, specifically about food, was because I had fallen into the "tired mom trap" of cooking the same old easy dinners over and over.  I am here to tell you that is exactly what has happened.  For the most part, I DO stick to a rather uninspiring repertoire.  The only reason my SH hasn't mutinied is because he isn't particularly enamored with food in the first place, and as long as there is some sort of discernible protein, he'll be (mostly) satisfied.

It hasn't been all bolognese and chicken satay noodle salad, though.  As I started to get the hang of being a new mom, I did gradually try a few new dishes, and some of them have made their way into the  still predictable rotation, including this unbelievable pot of deliciousness, Deb's tomato sauce with onion and butter.

My dear sister-in-law H pointed me to the sauce, which Deb detailed on a post that I definitely remembered seeing, but passed by because I was a bit turned off by the idea of a halved onion being thrown in with the tomatoes.  I do not know why I had that ridiculous idea, because the onion adds a homey depth to the sauce, a sort of savory counterpart to the pleasantly acidic tang of the tomatoes.  What is so good about this sauce though, the thing that makes it transcendent, is, of course, the butter. Five whole tablespoons of it, almost an entire stick.  It melts into creamy swirls, which you can see in my garishly lit photo, softening and yet somehow brightening the taste of the tomatoes.  I pour scoopfuls over angel hair pasta and sprinkle with just a bit of grated mozzarella, though Deb is right-it probably doesn't need anything extra.

I should probably also mention, just in case it doesn't seem obvious, that this recipe is the EASIEST.  Three ingredients (not counting the pasta), all of which are pretty much pantry/fridge staples.  The sauce is equally delicious the next day, and as tempting to my little guy as to me.  I'm pretty sure it should be in your repertoire too.