Zucchini Pasta Sauce

Many gardeners find themselves with an overabundance of zucchini at some point during the summer months.  Perhaps you are that home gardener or maybe you find yourself being the lucky recipient of a friend or neighbor's harvest who has a greener thumb than you.  For me, what comes out of my tiny garden depends on the year and what seems like pure luck to me.  If you somehow find yourself without a garden fresh zucchini it is also inexpensive and plentiful in the grocery stores at this time of year.
Combining a White Sauce with the typical Red, this recipe is a great way to use some garden produce up and is a delicious way to sneak a few healthy vegetables into the most reluctant veggie eater's diet. Besides serving up a portion of hidden vegetables here, I also like this recipe because it serves a lot of people without using a lot of meat.  I'm sure you could omit the meat completely if you are vegetarian and still partake of dairy or if your budget simply does not stretch far enough to allow you to use the meat you have in your pantry at the moment.  Either way, serve this with a spoonful (or two) of mozzarella or freshly grated Parmesan over a cup of Bowties or other favorite pasta.  Along with freshly baked bread sticks and a garden salad you've got a complete meal.  Serves 7 - 8.  Enjoy!

Red Sauce

1/2 lb. ground beef or Italian sausage
1 onion, chopped (or 3 Tbsp. dried onion)
5-6 garlic cloves
2 (15 oz.) cans diced tomatoes (Italian Style works nicely)
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 zucchini, chopped or shredded
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. baking soda (to neutralize acid)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Dried Parsley or Italian seasoning, to taste

In large saucepan, brown the meat.  Saute onions until tender once meat is cooked through.  Toss in garlic and lightly cook until fragrant.  Add the remaining Red Sauce ingredients and simmer on low with lid on for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally.  After one hour, vegetables should be tender.  You can use an immersion blender at this point if you intend to really disguise the vegetables or you can keep the texture of the sauce if you like.  Make the White Sauce and boil the noodles at some point while the Red Sauce is simmering.

White Sauce

1/4 c. butter (no substitutes)
1/4 c. flour
2  1/2 c. milk (try using powdered milk for at least half if you are trying to rotate it out of storage. Powdered milk incorporates nicely when you cook it on the stove top.)

In a medium saucepan melt butter over medium-low heat.  When melted, whisk in flour until combined.  Slowly add milk, whisking constantly until slightly thickened.

When Red Sauce is prepared stir in the White Sauce until combined.  Serve with a box of prepared Bowties or other favorite pasta and sprinkle with mozzarella or Parmesan.