Mushroom Marinara
From: Margaret Clayton

I rarely cook with actual recipes, so this will be general, more so because I made it up.

A few weeks ago I decided that I really needed to learn to like mushrooms.
I picked up some portabellas and some shitakes at the grocery store, and set to work.
My friends and I were so pleased with the creation that I thought I'd share:

• 3 portabella tops
• 2 big handfuls of shitakes
• 1 jar of your favorite plain pasta sauce
• any seasonings you anticipate will be good with this (I didn't add any)
• 1/4 to 1/2 bottle red wine
• a little bit of olive oil
• freshly grated romano or asiago (or parmesan if you're not that exciting)
• 1 can chopped tomatoes (I use the Muir Glen organic with italian herbs)

Finely chop the garlic, sautee in about 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large pan.
When it has diffused most of its flavor, but before it starts to turn brown, add in the mushrooms.
Stir CONSTANTLY or else they will burn.

Keep the heat up pretty high--med-med/high.
When the mushrooms have absorbed all the garlic oil, add in about a half cup of the red wine.

Keep cooking the mushrooms, stiring constantly and adding wine when they soak up the previous addition, until they are just about thoroughly cooked.
Then add the pasta sauce and canned tomatoes.
Add the rest of the red wine to taste (but make it strong).
Cook for about half an hour, more or less is fine, too.
Here's the key: Turn the heat off and let it sit uncovered for 5-10 minutes so that it thickens a little bit, stirring occasionally, before you are ready to serve it.
If you don't, it will be chunky and runny--yuck!
Serve over shaped pasta--rotini or penne with the romano.
Savor the mushrooms; they are divine.