Category Archives: pasta sauce
twenty minute meal: penne rigate with fresh tomatoes and pesto
- 2 ripe large tomatoes, quickly chopped
- 2 tbs or so homemade pesto sauce (from a few nights ago)-see recipe
- or, 2 tbs arugula-hazelnut pesto-see recipe
- about 2 cups dry penne rigate (or whole wheat / brown rice penne)
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- a touch of sea salt & cracked pepper
- parmesan cheese (optional)
- 20 minutes (as long as you have ready made pesto in your refrigerator- which you really should)
you’ve got dinner!
a quick meal for the kids {and adults}: pinwheel pasta with tomato basil sauce & baby kale salad
the visiting kids {and accompanying adults} came home famished from the amusement park a couple of nights ago (don’t you love summer)? there was very little time to prepare a meal, so i made a quick and easy tomato basil sauce and served it with pinwheel pasta and a baby kale salad. within minutes the big bowl of pasta was empty, and i was feeling quite appreciated!
easy tomato basil sauce:
- 1 large onion, minced (cubed in small sized pieces)
- 2 cloves of garlic, crushed & minced
- 2 cups stewed chopped tomatoes in a jar-i use the parmalat brand (or ripe roma tomatoes, cubed)
- extra virgin olive oil
- sea salt, pepper (i use red pepper flakes) to taste
- 1 large bunch fresh basil
- 1 small bunch fresh or dried oregano
- freshly grated parmesan cheese
heat about 1-2 tbs olive oil in a saucepan, then add onions and garlic and sautee until just golden brown. add the tomatoes, sea salt, pepper, and oregano and simmer for about 10 minutes.
add the basil, stir, and simmer another 5-10 minutes. add another dash of olive oil and a few fresh basil leave just prior to serving.
add to the cooked (al dente) & drained hot pasta, mix well and serve piping hot sprinkled with good freshly grated parmesan cheese. you will have happy kids. and adults.
baby kale salad:
- fresh organic baby kale
- thinly sliced cabbage
- fresh organic cilantro leaves
- cubed ripe roma or whole baby tomatoes
- shallot vinaigrette-see recipe
orecchiette with (lemony) walnut pesto and roasted butternut squash