Ingredients

　　3 tablespoons butter

　　1/2 cup chopped onion

　　1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

　　1/2 cup chopped celery

　　One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes

　　1/2 cup sugar

　　2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

　　Salt and pepper

　　2 tablespoons cornstarch

　　2 teaspoons vinegar

　　2 teaspoons water

　　1 1/2 cups buttered breadcrumbs

　　Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the onion, peppers, and celery, and saute 3 to 5 minutes, until tender. Add the tomatoes, sugar, basil, and salt and pepper to taste, and bring to a boil. Mix the cornstarch with the vinegar and water, and stir into the skillet. Pour the mixture into a greased casserole and sprinkle with the buttered crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes.

　　The Lady & Sons, Too! by Paula Deen. © 2001 by Paula H. Deen. Published by Random House. All Rights Reserved.Paula H. Deen was born and raised in Albany, Georgia. She later moved to Savannah, where she and her two sons, Bobby and Jamie, started the Bag Lady catering company. The business took off and evolved into The Lady & Sons Restaurant, which is located in Savannah’s historic district and specializes in Southern cooking. Paula is the host of Food Network’s Paula’s Home Cooking and is a regular guest on QVC, where her cookbooks are one of the newtowrk’s biggest sellers.