Fresh Tomato, Garlic, and Basil Pasta Sauce

If you’re looking for a simple and healthy pasta sauce, give this a try…

The other day I revisited one of my FAVORITE stores in Iowa City. It’s called The Outlet. It’s Restaurant Quality Foods…but it’s open to the public as well. (It’s part of US Foods)

You never know what you’ll find in the fresh food cases. If restaurants don’t order enough product, they will sell the left overs to the public…and I am one of the first to get there. It’s HIGH QUALITY restaurant food. Some days you might find HUGE bags of fresh spinach for $1…or Free Range eggs for $1.69 per doz. Or rib eye steaks, or Key Lime juice. It’s always fun to see what’s there. And the other day it was a large tray of finely diced fresh tomatoes for $1! So a fresh pasta sauce began to simmer in my mind…using what I had on hand.

I pan seared and cooked several chicken breasts in a large skillet. I removed the chicken and set aside. In the same skillet I added about 4 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and about 4-5 minced garlic cloves. I cooked until the garlic softened and I added the large tray (probably about 6-8 cups) of diced fresh tomatoes, and about a teaspoon of dried basil and some salt and pepper. I simmered this sauce while my pasta cooked. (Don’t overcook your pasta!) Then I combined the pasta with the sauce (not too much sauce) and tossed to coat. I added some Parmesan cheese and shredded fresh basil and another drizzle of EVOO…and here is the result…

I added a huge salad and a glass of Cabernet…and Bon Appetit!

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