Spaghetti w/ tomato sauce, Pickled Vegetables, & Whole Wheat Rosemary Baguettes

Tomato Sauce

Caramelize yellow onion and garlic in olive oil, stir in tomato paste, add crushed red pepper, canned crushed tomato, salt and pepper. Bring to simmer, add lemon zest. Pour over cooked whole wheat spaghetti and garnish with basil, parmesan cheese, and more lemon zest.

Pickled Vegetables

from Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen

2 cups distilled white vinegar

2 tbsp. salt

2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4 x 1/4 x 2 inch strips (about 1 1/2 cups)

16 small pearl onions, peeled and cut in half (about 1 cup)

2 cups cauliflower florets (about half a small head)

2 medium celery stalks cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 cup)

1 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and sliced 1/3 inch thick (1 generous cup)

1.2 cup kalamata olives

3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Pour 3 quarts of water into a 5-quart pot, add vinegar and salt, and bring to a boil. Add the carrots and onions; cook 2 minutes. Add the cauliflower and celery; cook 2 minutes. Stir in the red pepper and continue cooking until all the vegetables are softened but still quite firm, about 1 minute. Drain the vegetables well and transfer them to a bowl large enough to hold them comfortably. Cool to room temperature.

When all the vegetables are cool, season them with salt, toss in the olives, and drizzle the olive oil over everything. Toss well and let marinate at least 1 hour at room temperature, or 1-2 days in the fridge, before serving.

**I added brocolli in with the cauliflower.