How to Make Store Bought Sauce Have a Homemade Taste

Quick, easy, and they'll never know you didn't slave away in the kitchen to make it for them. It's a fast healthy meal that can be prepared ahead of time, and is great at the last minute.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• 1 oz (1/2 of 1/4 cup) Olive Oil
• 2 tsp. Chopped Garlic
• 1/2 red onion diced
• 1/2 bell pepper diced
• 1/4-1/2 tsp. chili flakes
• 16-20 oz jar of pre-made pasta sauce
• 1 T. Dried Basil
• Splash of Balsamic Vinegar

1. Prepare your ingredients. Wash the vegetables, peel and chop the garlic. Cut Bell Peppers into 1/2" dice. Cut onions into 1/4" dice.
2. Make the special mix-in sauce. Sauteé garlic first with olive oil and chili flakes (optional) over high heat. Cook for 2 minutes, stir constantly.
3. Add diced onions. Sauteé for additional 2 minutes before adding peppers over medium heat stirring frequently.
4. Add the peppers, and cook for a final minute-and-a-half. Stirring once or twice over medium to low heat.
5. Turn up the flame to high, wait 30 seconds. Add a splash of balsamic vinegar to deglaze the pan. Stir and reduce over low heat.
6. Pour in the jarred sauce of your choosing, now that your sauce mixture is ready. Heat the sauce mixture by stirring in to the rest of the sauce. Mix in the herbs, and simmer for 8-10 minutes.
7. The choice is now yours. Either enjoy, or put away for a quick solution that is still healthy

Tips & Warnings

• Sauteé the chili flakes with the garlic for a truly robust spiciness.
• This mix has been found to be best for red sauce, or for a zesty pesto mix-in. See articles on pesto.
• Don't overheat the olive oil, it will destroy the healthy vitamins inside.
• Jarred sauces are already high in sodium. No additional salt should be necessary