Tomatoes, Mushrooms, and Onions

This is a combination that has so many uses...and I'm sure your creative mind will come up with lots of your own! This may seem like sooo much in your skillet, but it cooks down.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Yields: 2 cups

Ingredients

• 5  medium  firm tomatoes (I like beef)
• 20  white button mushrooms, stems removed (*)
• 1  large  white onion (extra large)
• 6  green onions, white and green parts
• 4 -5  fresh basil leaves
• 1⁄4 cup water
• 2  tablespoons tomato puree, level measurement
•  garlic, minced (optional)
• 1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper, fresh ground (**)
•  salt (optional)
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons olive oil (I like grapeseed also)
•  Mrs. Dash seasoning mix (optional)

Directions

1. Cut onion into large dice.
2. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. When oil starts to sizzle, add onions.
3. Cook until edges start to brown. Stir frequently.
4. While onion cooks, cut tomatoes and mushrooms into large dice. Cut green onions into small dice.
5. Rough chop basil and then bruise slightly.
6. When onion is ready, add rest of vegetables.
7. Combine well and lower heat to medium.
8. Cook 5 minutes, stir occasionally.
9. Add water, puree, garlic, pepper and salt (or Mrs. Dash).
10. Combine very well. Lower heat to simmer. Cook another 5-6 minutes or until mushrooms start to give off their liquid and and start to soften.
11. DO NOT COVER.
12. Remove from heat. You want this dish to have consistency and not become mushy. This will not have alot of liquid when done.
13. This can be divided, and packaged up for the freezer. It has a very long freezer shelf life.
14. This makes a very good starter to a tomato sauce. It makes a very different pasta sauce when you add some sour cream or plain yogurt. It is wonderful for soups and stews. I use it mixed with some yogurt to top my salmon patties. It's yummy over baked potato or stirred into a bean dish.
15. * Save those stems! Clean them, cut off the very bottom and then cut the rest of the stems into small pieces. Put into a freezer container, just cover with water, add scant pinch of salt, seal and freeze. You can add to this container at any time, just make sure the the stems are covered by water. Now they are ready, water and all to use in a soup or stew!
16. ** I like to use a combo of fresh ground peppers, such as pink, and green along with the black. Nowadays, you can buy that type of combo in a handy small grinder in your supermarket.