We’re not going to beat around the bush here: Tomato paste is kind of weird. The putty-like tomato gloop looks like something you’d find in a hobby shop or the dental care aisle of your drug store.

Chances are, if you look in your pantry right now, you'll find a jar or can of a deep ruby red ingredient laying in wait. It's tomato paste, and secretly it can completely transform your cooking life.

Every recipe seems to only call for a single spoonful or two of tomato paste. Too thick to pour, too concentrated to use up fast, too easy to forget behind the yogurt -- the rest of the can usually ...