Summertime can be a hard time of the year to take the time and cook a meal. Our lives seem to speed up, the weather is amazing outside, and we just don't want to take the time to cook. 

Enter Pop & Cook. They have sell various herbs that have been flash frozen, cutting out a chunk of the preparation time it takes to cook a meal. You are able to dive right into your recipe with little-to-no prep. Talk about a time saver.

One of my favorite ways to use Pop & Cook is for my sister, Gaby's pasta sauce recipe, especially since they have garlic and onions already prepped and frozen, ready to be popped into your dish.  

Pasta Sauce Recipe

1 Garlic Clove or 1 Garlic Cube from Pop & Cook

1 Onion or 1 Onion Cube from Pop & Cook 

1 Can of Tomato Sauce

1 Can of Diced Tomatoes 

1 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Oregano 

1 TBSP Basil

1/2 tsp Black Pepper

Our recipe is rather basic and can be easily adapted and changed to fit your personal taste. In fact, the measurements for the herbs are just guesses, as I've never measured them out. So just start with a small amount, as you can always add-in, but you can't take it away.  

Sauté the garlic & onions in your pan with some olive oil until caramelized. Since I used the frozen cubes from Pop & Cook, I was able to skip this step by just popping them into a hot pan -- no olive oil needed. Once they are done caramelizing [10-15 minutes], add your cans of diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. Stir. Throw in your herbs and spices to taste. Simmer for at least an hour before serving. If you want your sauce to be less thick, add another can of tomato sauce. The recipe will serve about four people.   

You can find Pop & Cook in the freezer aisle at your local Walmart near the frozen vegetables.