Quick Tomato-Herb Pasta Sauce

Here's a homemade marinara-style sauce to make when you're in too much of a hurry to deal fresh tomatoes, but want something with a more homemade flavor than jarred marinara sauce. Combining canned (preferably organic) tomato products with fresh and dried herbs does the trick very well.

Serves: 4 to 6, with pasta

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
14- to 16 ounce can diced tomatoes (try Italian-styleor fire-roasted)
14- to 16-ounce can crushed or pureed tomatoes
¼ cup minced fresh parsley
Minced fresh basil to taste, optional
2 teaspoons Italian herb seasoning blend (such as Mrs. Dash or Frontier)
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the garlic and sauté over low heat until golden.

Add all the remaining ingredients, stir together, and cover. Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally and leaving the cover on slightly ajar so that the steam can escape. Serve hot over pasta.

Variations:
Add approximately 2 cups of sautéed vegetables, such as eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms, or a combination; or 2 cups of steamed, chopped broccoli.