Creamy Red Pepper and Tomato Sauce

A nice blend of tangy and creamy, this sauce will liven up your favorite pasta!

Ingredients:

4 cups chopped red bell pepper
2/3 cup chopped white onion
One 14 ounce can diced tomatoes
4 cloves garlic, chopped
4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
½ cup fat free half and half (*use a gluten-free brand such as Darigold if you are on a gluten free diet)
ICB or 2 teaspoons olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt (optional)

Directions:

Spray a large pan with ICB (or coat with 1 teaspoon olive oil), add the onions, garlic and peppers and sauté on medium heat for 7-10 minutes until soft and browned. Then add the tomatoes to the pan and heat for another 3-5 minutes, turn of f heat, add the fresh basil and set aside to cool a bit. \
Carefully transfer the cooled tomato/pepper mixture from the pot into a blender. If you have a smaller blender only add one fourth to half of the mixture at a time (you can put the other half in a large bowl until ready to blend). Blend on low speed for about a minute, until a smooth consistency is reached.

A note about blending hot liquids: In order to be safe, it is recommended when you blend hot liquids that you never fill the jar more than half full, that you put the lid on and then cover it with a dry towel and hold it down by hand. Or instead, cover with the top, but leave out the center plastic covering, place a kitchen towel on top which will allow air to escape more gently Also, use as slow a speed as possible. NEVER blend hot liquids fully covered and at high-initial speed...you're just inviting burns as the hot liquid quickly blends, heats up the air above it, and causes an explosion through the blender top

Put the blended mixture back in the pan, add the fat free half and half and simmer for 5 minutes on low heat.

Makes 4 cups, eight servings
Serving size: ½ cup Calories 70 Protein 2 g Carb 12 g Fiber 2 g Sugars 7 g Fat 1.5 g Saturated fat <1 g Sodium 140 mg