Dinner tonight: Tomatoes from the trash

Did I ever tell you the story about the time I fed my kids a tomato out of the trash??  I learned a lesson and found a really yummy dinner in the process.

I was cleaning my kitchen in Juneau sometime this year, and came across two Roma tomatoes on the counter in a plastic bag.  One was really gross, and the other was perfectly fine.  The bad one wasn't touching the good one, but I decided that since I knew I wasn't going to use the good one, I would just throw them both away.  Darwin bought the tomatoes and he was gone on a trip somewhere, and I don't really care for tomatoes...so I justified my decision.  I was pretty sure I wouldn't use that tomato.

Several hours later, I decided to make dinner.  I pulled a jar of Ragu Cheesy! Roasted Garlic Sauce out of my pantry.  I think I bought it thinking it was Alfredo sauce.  I wanted to have Chicken Alfredo for dinner.  It wasn't Alfredo sauce, but it had a recipe on the back that called for chicken and noodles, so I decided to make that.  The only other ingredients were olive oil and A TOMATO!  I dug the tomato out of the trash (it was still in the plastic bag and still not touching the rotten tomato) and chopped it up and had it in the dinner.

That dinner is now one of my favorite dinners to make.  Everyone likes it and it is really easy and quick.  I also learned not to throw away perfectly good food, because you can't ever tell when you might need it!  haha!

Here is the recipe:

• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1-1/4 lbs.) cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 jar (1 lb.) Ragu ® Cheesy! Roasted Garlic Parmesan Sauce
• 1 small tomato, chopped
• 8 ounces rotelle, penne or gemelli pasta, cooked and drained

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat and lightly brown chicken. Stir in Roasted Garlic Parmesan Sauce and tomato.
2. Simmer covered, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked. Spoon chicken and sauce over hot rotelle and garnish, if desired, with crisp-cooked crumbled bacon and chopped fresh basil.

Preparation time: 20 Minute(s)
Cook time: 20 Minute(s)
Servings: 4