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I was completely delighted recently to get the opportunity to sample some tasty products from Tuttorusso. They offer a wide variety of canned tomatoes, which isn’t something I typically use. Let me tell you a bit about my experience.

Last weekend my family had their hearts set on an Italian meal. When it comes to red sauces, I hit both ends of the spectrum. I’m either going full out homemade with my godmother’s family recipe or go with whichever jar is on sale in the grocery store.

My godmother’s recipe is heavily guarded and was literally a wedding present. While I’d love to share it, I promised I’d keep it safe. What I will reveal is that it’s got depth. It’s obviously tomato-based, but has cooking wine in it, along with other bold ingredients. It takes hours to simmer and is delicious. It’s also a ridiculous amount of work! To make it worth it, you’ve got to make a big batch that will last for many meals. The prep, which includes cutting pounds of fresh tomatoes, and clean up is substantial and not often feasible.

The jar is the other extreme. There are none that I consider better than “good enough.” The majority of them are full of salt, sugar, and other unrecognizable ingredients. They’re okay, but not great.

I decided to go up the middle and trying out the Tuttorosso® Tomato Puree and Tuttorosso® Diced Tomatoes In Rich Tomato Juice in their Pasta Arrabiata recipe. My only modification was longer cooking time so I could put the Italian sausage I prepared on the grill in and have it soak up some flavor.

The sauce was DELICIOUS! The tomato products were bright and flavorful. They really highlighted the natural flavor of the tomatoes and weren’t overly seasoned, salty, or sweet. We really enjoyed it and I’m certain I’ll make it again. In fact, I think this sauce has upped the standard for me. No more “good enough” jar sauce. The prep time was minimal and the flavor was worth a few minutes of work!

The other recipe I prepared with the Tuttorosso tomato products was a southern favorite – pulled pork.  Better yet, it was prepared in the slow cooker.

I don’t know if your family is like mine, but our weeknights are busy. After-school hours are filled with home, sports, and other commitments. We try to take time to sit down together for dinner, but, while I hate to admit this, sometimes it’s hard. When I don’t have to spend a ton of time making the meal, our odds of enjoying some family time are dramatically better.

The Slow Cooker Pulled Pork required only a spice rub, which was put on the pork the night before, and a can of the Tuttorosso® Crushed Tomatoes With Basil No Salt Added when you’re ready to put it in the crock pot. Eight hours later, after several hours of mouth-watering smells, you’re ready to go. All I did was split some buns, put out prepared cole slaw, and served raw veggies and dip. It was so simple.

Other pulled pork recipes I made included bottled barbecue sauce. Much like jarred pasta sauce, that had tons of salt and sugar. While both ingredients were in the spice rub for this recipe, they were minimal. The tomatoes, which created the sauce, had no salt. Trust me, it wasn’t missed. The tomatoes brought out the flavor in the pork and added great moisture to the meat. It was gobbled up!

Enter to win!

I’m sharing these recipes and my experience because I’m hoping you’ll both try the fantastic products from Tuttorosso, as well as enter their “Celebrate your tradition” contest. All you have to do is “like” their Facebook page and tell them about special family traditions you have in the kitchen. The winner will receive a $250 prize pack that includes a serving plate, sauce ladle, pasta pot set and heirloom wooden spoon, plus $300 to a dinner celebration of the winner’s choosing!

The contest runs through May 7, 2014 and each entrant will receive a meal-occasion themed digital recipe flipbook with a $1.00/4 coupon, recipes, and cooking tips.

Thank you to Tuttorosso for the opportunity to try and write about your products. I’ve been missing out!

Want to read more? Check out the latest on the Myrtle Beach for Families blog.