Roasted Tomato Sauce with Green Beans and Bacon

A hearty pasta sauce with ingredients from the freezer. This makes enough for 2 pounds of pasta, so if you're not feeding a crowd you can freeze half for another meal.

If you need to peel frozen whole tomatoes, just run them under warm water and slip off the skins.

5 lbs whole tomatoes, cored and peeled (frozen is fine)
6-8 strips bacon, uncooked
1 large onion, chopped
1 lb green beans (frozen is fine, but thaw first)
Salt and pepper to taste
Pinch of dried basil

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spread the tomatoes in a roasting dish, then roasted for 30-40 minutes. Remove from the oven and drain in a colander, reserving the liquid.

While the tomatoes roast, fry the bacon in a Dutch oven. When it is done, drain on paper towels and pour off most but not all of the fat from the pot. Add the onions and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes, until nicely soft. Add the green beans and cook, stirring frequently, until tender.

Add the tomatoes to the Dutch oven and mix well. Add in a little of the reserved liquid at a time until the sauce reaches a nice consistency (you won't need all the liquid). Finely chop the bacon and add it to the sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste, plus a pinch of dried basil. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Makes 2-3 quarts.