Recipe Hunting 101 - Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce

I think it is fitting for my last post of 2011 be a recpie from Pioneer Woman.  I discovered her website just this year in my quest to prepare a new recipe every week and I was simply hooked.  I also soon realized, you just can't go wrong with one of her recipes.  I have enjoyed each and everyone I have perpared this year, and trust me, I tried quite a few of them. 

I think it is also very fitting that I choose a recipe with heavy cream in it. It was only this year that I discovered how very lovely heavy cream is.  It is my favorite ingredient of 2010 and I believe my love affair will continue into 2011. 

Happy New Years! 

Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce - recipe modified from The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pound fettucine pasta
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
1/2 small onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 - 8oz cans tomato sauce
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for topping
dash of sugar, to taste
dash of salt, to taste
dash of pepper, to taste
dash of crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

Directions:
1.  Bring water to boil in large pot, add pasta and cook until al dente.  Drain and reserve 1 cup pasta water.
2.  In medium saucepot, heat olive oil and butter over medium heat.  Saute for about a minute, add tomato sauce, sugar, salt, red pepper flakes and pepper.  Taste the sauce, adjusting seasoning as needed.  Allow to simmer on low heat for 25-30 minutes until thickened. 
3.  Remove from heat, add heavy cream and cheese and mix. 
4.  Add pasta, stirring to coat.  If needed, add some of your reserve pasta water to loosen the sauce.  Serve and top with more parmesan cheese.