Ingredients:

tomatoes olive oil garlic basil heavy cream red bell pepper salt and pepper sugar

Creamy Marinara
with Fresh Basil and Frozen Fresh Tomatoes
As seen on the Sonoran Living program.

Did you know that it was in 1887 when tomatoes, a “fruit” became officially know as a “vegetable”. It was actually decided by the Supreme Court and it was all about taxes.

The French called them “Love Apples” and the Germans revered them as “apples of Paradise”. By the late 1800’s the tomato was in such demand, every one grew them in their kitchen gardens.

You may consider planting a garden if for no other reason that there is nothing like a vine-ripened, home grown tomato!

Oops! Don’t know how to grow a garden??? Check into my gardening classes on my web site!

As gardens go, however, it is often feast or famine, and sometimes you have even more tomatoes than you can eat! So, let me tell you a simple way to freeze your tomato bounty and how then how to use those frozen tomatoes later to remind you of your garden rewards of the past.
Tomato Freezing/Using Directions

First, pick those juicy tomatoes, make sure they are clean and dry, then pop them in a Ziploc bag, single layer. Label your bag with date and put flat into freezer.
When you are ready to use, just take out as many as you need and run them under hot water (or put then in a bowl of hot water) and after a minute or two the skins will peel right off. Just chop and use! Easy!
Use these instead of canned tomatoes.

Tomatoes are high in Lycopene, a cancer fighting antioxidant. Also high in Vitamin C and beta carotene which protect you from free radicals (pre-mature aging). It is wise to eat lots of tomatoes!

Basil brings thoughts of happiness and a clear mind. It also is a germ fighter!

Ingredients:
serves 8-10 people:

4-5	large tomatoes, fresh frozen, skinned and chopped up (keep the juice!)
1 tbl	olive oil, good quality and organic if possible
3 cloves	fresh garlic, minced
1/4 cup	fresh chopped basil (use a variety of flavored basils, especially lemon if you have it)
2-3 Tbl	heavy cream
to taste	salt and pepper (also, may need a pinch of sugar if too acidic)
optional	chopped roasted red bell peppers

Method:

In a hot sauce pan or small wok, put in olive oil and fresh garlic. Stir and cook for a minute or two. Then add the tomatoes with their juice. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Then add the cream, basil, salt and pepper (and roasted peppers if using). Stir and bring to a simmer them turn off heat. It’s ready!
Serve over Pasta, garnish with parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves.
Also great over baked halibut, grilled shrimp, chicken or grilled vegetables.
This sauce can be used in a variety of ways.. let your imagination soar!