quick and easy.

So pasta.  the quick, easy, last minute meal that happens in this house at least once a week.  I know the adults will eat it, I KNOW the kids will eat it, and it doesn't take long to prepare.


Most of the time I use sauce out of a jar and add extra vegetables to it.  
Occasionally I offer pasta and forget that we don't have sauce!  That's where my wonderful sister-in-law's trick comes in.  I can't remember where she got this recipe, so I can't give it proper credit, sadly... but I've used it LOTS of times.  And it's REALLY GOOD.

quick 'n easy last-minute emergency pasta sauce


one can or jar stewed tomatoes
one can tomato paste
one can condensed tomato soup (yes, trust me)
any other chopped small pasta sauce vegetables or proteins you would like *optional*
(suggestions -mushrooms, onions, spinach is good, some people like carrots, ground meat or meat substitute, sausage, I've added broccoli on occasion cuz my kids love it)
basil to taste
oregano to taste
garlic to taste
bay leaves to taste
salt to taste


Mix it all up in a pot or deep pan and cook until hot and tomatoes are all mixed in well.  Simmer for a bit to let the spice flavours meld in.  If you're using ground meat, brown it first, pour out grease and add at the end.


That's it!  Really.   It takes almost the same amount of time as pasta sauce from a jar, and tastes awesome!
Sometimes its the little things in life.