There are days when a quick meal is the only way we’re going to eat at a decent hour in my house.  Okay… the truth of the matter is, quick meals tend to be a regular for us. I’m guessing that they’re a regular occurrence for a lot of you, too…  The beauty of a quick meal, is that it doesn’t have to feel like a quick meal… you can prepare a meal that has “I cooked over a hot stove all day”…written all over it, and walk away feeling pretty satisfied with minimal time and work.  This is definitely one of those meals, and this one is so simple…so quick and easy, especially for the hot summer months that are ahead, and especially because of the harvest of tomatoes that are soon to be overflowing your gardens!  

 

 

With the help of some of my favorite kitchen tools from Casabella, the meal comes together even easier than before!  There are a couple of reasons why I love the garlic slicer so much.  First,  it slices the garlic so perfectly thin that you get a delicious bite of garlic without it overtaking the tomatoes.  And, slicing garlic has never been easier, with the turn of a handle, a cup to catch it, and your hands stay garlic odor free! 

 

 

I’m loving the Clip ’n Strip Shears, from snipping the basil from the garden straight to the kitchen.  They have a comfortable grip, they’re super sharp, and they have the coolest herb stripper that is built right into the handle!  It is perfect for smaller leave herbs, such as thyme or tarragon. It takes no time to chiffonade the basil!

 

 

A few slices of bacon fried crisp, sautéed garlic..and tomatoes cooked for about two minutes…all tossed with fresh fettuccine and topped with chopped basil.  Serving the pasta with the Grab ’n Scoop pasta keeps the pasta from slipping with it’s claw like scoop and holds it into place with the smaller attached scoop!  The perfect meal for a busy day. Quick and easy…and delicious. It just doesn’t get better than that!

 

 

Fresh Tomato Sauce (serves 2)
• 6 slices bacon, chopped
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 small onion, chopped (about 2/3 cup)
• 2 large cloves garlic, sliced thin with the Casabella Garlic Slicer
• 2 large tomatoes, roughly chopped (about 2 cups)
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
• 1/4 cup Chiffonade of basil, snipped with Casabella’s Clip ’n Strip Shears
• One package of fresh pasta from your grocery store

 

 

In a large frying pan, cook the bacon until crisp.  Remove from pan, and let drain on a paper towel lined plate.  Leave the bacon grease in the pan (don’t worry, there won’t be much grease).  Bring a pot of water to boil.  Add the butter to the bacon grease over medium heat, and let melt.  Add the onions, and sauté until translucent.  Add the garlic cloves and sauté for about two minutes.  Add the tomatoes, sugar, salt, black pepper, and crushed pepper, and simmer for about five minutes.

 

 

While the sauce is simmering, add the fresh pasta to the boiling pot of water, and cook according to the directions.  When the sauce is ready and the pasta is fully cooked, using the Grab ’n Scoop pasta tongs, add the pasta and about 1/4 cup of the pasta water to the pan of tomato sauce, and toss until the pasta and sauce are fully mixed.  Add the basil and bacon, and toss.

 

 

Serve immediately and enjoy!

 

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