How to Make a Pasta Dinner Basket

This basket is a great gift for a host or hostess, for an aspiring cook, or simply for anyone who loves good food.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Tomato Sauce:
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 can whole Italian plum tomatoes
• 3 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 large glass jar with lid
• Basket:
• 1 large circular basket
• 1 colander
• 6 cloth napkins
• 1 wooden spoon
• 1 wooden pasta measurer
• 1 bag corkscrew pasta
• 1 bag breadsticks
• 1 wedge Parmesan cheese
• 1 head of garlic
• 1 jar of oregano
• 1 bottle of olive oil
• 1 wooden pasta fork
• decorative ribbon

1. To make the tomato sauce, mince garlic cloves and finely chop the onion. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes.

2. Add whole plum tomatoes with liquid to the skillet, breaking up the tomatoes with a spoon. Add parsley, basil, and oregano to the tomatoes; allow the mixture to simmer.

3. Reduce the heat to medium-low; cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 20-25 minutes.

4. Remove the tomato sauce from heat and stir in Parmesan. Allow the sauce to cool completely. Pour the sauce into an airtight jar and top with a secure lid.

5. To assemble the basket, gather a circular box and all the items to fill it. Usin a kitchen funnel, transfer the dried oregano into a decorative jar with a cork top.

6. Arrange the taller items, such as the napking, wooden spoon, and pasta, against the colander. Fit the remaining items, such as the jar of sauce, in front.

7. Tie a ribbon around the gift basket. Place the pasta fork under the ribbon and tie a bow.

8. 

   Using the provided template, enlarge it and trace it onto red construction paper twice. Cut them out and use one as a gift tag. Write the recipe for the tomato sauce on the other and tuck into the basket.

Tips & Warnings

• Create and easy pizza using the sauce and Italian bread as the "crust". Slice the bread horizontally, then in half crosswise to form 4 slices. Spread the sauce, shredded cheese, and other favorite toppings on top. Bake on a baking sheet in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F until the cheese is bubbly, about 10 minutes.
• To just gift the sauce, pour into a jar, tie with a bow, and attach packets of dried herbs.
• To change this into a Mother's Day gift, use a large, decorative pasta bowl in lieu of a box.
• Refrigerate the sauce in an airtight plastic container or jar for up to 1 week.
• To freeze, prepare the sauce as the recipe directs and cool completely. Freeze it in an airtaight plastic container for up to 2 months.