Quick, Creative Cooking

Quick, easy meals are a necessity for college students. So this week I have decided to bestow upon you one of my favorite, original recipes. This recipe takes about 20 minutes to prepare and then an additional 40 min-2 hours to cook. It yields at LEAST 30 servings and costs less than 10 dollars.
Low fat Creamy Tomato Sauce:
Ingredients:
6 lbs canned crushed tomatoes (6 lb cans available at Sam's Club and Costco for $2)
2 cups fat free plain yogurt (for creamy texture and flavor)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 lemon
at least 5 cloves of garlic
Fresh Basil, Rosemary and Oregano (it is just as cheap to buy a potted plant as it is to buy pre-packaged fresh herbs from publix)
1 teaspoon of salt
t teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 medium sized onion (optional)
Some chopped mushrooms (optional)
3 bay leaves

You will need a large pot, a sharp knife, a cutting board, a large spoon or ladle and a grater

Directions:
Grease the pot and grill onions until caramelized (skip this step if you don't have/don't want onions)
Chop or press Garlic and add to the pot
Pour in the olive oil and turn the heat on to medium/low
When the Garlic starts to sizzle, pour in the crushed tomatoes quickly so the garlic doesn't burn.
Stir well and then add the yogurt and stir again. Add as much yogurt as you want to achieve the desired color and consistency
Add the mushrooms
Squeeze in the half lemon and grate some of the lemon peel
Chop the fresh herbs and add them.
Add the bay leaves
Leave on low and let simmer for 40 minutes- 2 hours.
At the end you may want to add more of any of the ingredients for taste.

All of the ingredient quantities are estimated because I always just add to taste. This sauce is very healthy and everyone I've served it to says it tastes amazing. You can freeze most of it so that it keeps for at least six months. What you put in the fridge will stay good for about three weeks.
I like to serve it over whole wheat pasta, and some turkey or other sausage bits or textured vegetable protein makes a great addition. Top it with parmasan, pecorino romano or mozzerella cheese.

Enjoy!
-Beatrice