> wrote in message
ups.com...
> Hi everyone,
> I'm embarassed to even be here because I'm a terrible cook. I mean I
> can follow a recipe but it doesn't always taste good. I can't play
> around with recipes on my own and improve them. And yes I like to eat
> so I don't know what's wrong with me. But I bought some really nice hot
> Italian sausage at Bristol Farms market and I have some simple recipes
> from Barila and was wondering if there was some way to jazz up a
> pre-made pasta sauce to make it taste better. One of the recipes uses
> fresh basil but that's about it. Any ideas welcomed...TIA

Hmmmm,

Interesting, lets see If you want to "jazz up" a bottled sauce several things
come to mind:

1. Start by heating some olive oil in a pan.
2. To the pan you can add:

Minced garlic
Minced onion
fresh or dried:
Oregano
Basil
Bay leaf
Italian herb mix
Dried red pepper flakes (careful if you're using hot sausages)

Sauté some or all of the above until the onion/garlic are soft. The add the
commercial sauce.

You can also "empty' one of the sausages and brown the meat then add the
garlic/onion and herbs.

If the sauce is too thin add a small can of tomato paste and some red wine to
thin the sauce to the consistency you want.

As always adjust the salt and pepper

Dimitri