pasta with red pepper sauce

Alright, here's another recipe, this time from Cooking Light (my absolute FAVE source for yummy ideas.) You can use this on fish or chicken, or with pasta and Italian sausage, or just over plain pasta. It's pretty versatile and SO easy!) And, it's the ONLY way I can get Emerson to eat peppers. The vinegar gives the sauce a slightly sweet taste.

1 lb. pasta
1 sweet onion, diced
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 12 oz. jar of roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
2 Tbsp. Balsamic vinegar
1 C. half & half
2 Tbsp. tomato paste (I'm pretty generous with the tomato paste)
1 C. grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
red pepper flakes, to taste (I omit these because Emerson doesn't like spicy food)
some julienned fresh basil leaves for garnish if you like

Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package.

Dice the onion and saute it in the olive oil until it's translucent. Add the red peppers and heat through, about 2 minutes. Add the vinegar and cook until the liquid has evaporated. Then transfer the pepper and onion mixture to the food processor and blend until smooth. Transfer back to the pan. Add the tomato paste to the half & half and stir together. Add tomato mixture to the pepper mixture in the pan. Stir in pepper flakes and cheese. Spoon over pasta and top with basil.

Yum!