There is a new show on the Cooking Channel called Kelsey's Basics! She is a young girl from Utah and I am super excited about it. She made this today on Studio 5 and it looked fabulous and super super easy!
SIMPLE TOMATO SAUCE
Yield: 4 cups
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped -or- 1 tablespoon dried basil
2 (28-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
In a large saucepan or skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft and golden brown. Add basil and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes with juices and bring to a boil, stirring often. Lower the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until sauce has thickened. With a potato masher, break up the tomatoes to achieve a sauce like consistency.
Season with salt and fresh ground pepper and serve.
Tomato sauce will last 1 week in the refrigerator and up to 6 months in the freezer.
VARIATIONS
Seasonal Vegetable Tomato Sauce: After cooking onion and garlic until soft, add ¾ cup seasonal vegetables to saucepan or skillet. Finish sauce as directed.
Creamy Tomato Sauce: Add ½ cup heavy cream to finish sauce.
Tomato Sauce with Italian Sausage: Before beginning sauce, brown ½ lb. sweet Italian sausage in heavy bottomed skillet. Remove, from skillet and set aside on a plate lined with paper towel. After finishing sauce, stir in cooked Italian sausage and continue warming for 2 minutes before serving.
