2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion chopped, approx. 1.5 Cups
3 cloves of garlic minced
3 15 oz cans diced tomatoes
3 15 oz cans tomato sauce
OR 6 15 oz. cans of crushed tomatoes
1 Tablespoon Basil
1/2 teaspoon Thyme leaves
1 teaspoon crushed Rosemary
½ teaspoon of Oregano leaves
1 crushed dried red pepper
½ teaspoon to 1 teaspoon of black pepper
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
Directions:
1. Sauté chopped onion for 2 minutes in the olive oil
2. Add garlic and sauté for 2 more minutes until tender
3. Add all ingredients, bring to a low simmer and heat through. Using a potato masher, crush the sauce briefly, 1-2 minutes. Cook for 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally to mix and prevent sticking. You can cook your sauce as long as you like in order to bring it to the thickness that you desire. What you are making at this point is a Marinara sauce that can be used for various dishes; pizza sauce, topping for Manicotti, Lasagna, or Spaghetti. Cool it down and pop it in the refrigerator overnight if you are short on time and continue the next day if you like. The refrigeration will intensify the flavors. We have a vegetarian in the family so at this point I usually remove about 3-4 ladles of sauce and then continue with step 4. The Marinara sauce works well frozen. Cool down and place in your favorite serving sized containers and freeze.
4. Add 1 pound browned ground beef for a quickie version of spaghetti or continue with meatballs.
It sounds so complicated but it’s really not. I often start the sauce simmering and then walk away to do other projects. This is great to start early in the day on a Saturday. I’ve also done this in the evening during the work week. I’ll start the sauce first, make a quick meal of left over’s or something that can be popped in the oven, cool down the sauce, refrigerate and continue the next day with the meat. Do not skip the balsamic vinegar, I've made many pots of sauce and my best pot of sauce, by far, is one that has a couple Tablespoons of balsamic vinegar. If you are really in a hurry add 1-2 6 ounce cans of tomato paste to thicken. I recently did this for a family gathering when I needed to speed up the process for a pot of pizza sauce. I got rave reviews.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Soft Oatmeal Cookies
INGREDIENTS
1 cup butter, softened (or Maragrine)
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 cups quick cooking oats
raisins or nuts (optional - 1-2 Cups)
DIRECTIONS
1. In a medium bowl, cream together white sugar, butter, and brown sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla.
2. Combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Stir into the creamed mixture. Mix in oats. If you are using nuts or raisins, mix into dough, combining well. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour.
3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. Roll the dough into 1 inch balls, and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.
4. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.Makes approx. 36-60 cookies, depending on how large or small you make them.
NOTES
Words of warning--Larger balls of dough result in cookies that spread LARGE amounts. They have a tendency of spreading so much that they meet each other.
Oil the baking sheet once every 4th batch, unless you have a non-stick cookie sheet (don‘t know about that). Even an air-bake cookie sheet needs that extra oil. 1/14/09--We've made these cookies once again and tried something different. We used parchment paper on the cookie sheet instead of oiling. It worked like a charm. The cookies did not stick and we did not need to oil the baking pan.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Spicy Black Bean Soup
For a Tex Mex Taste that is not overwhelming, quick and hearty, this soup is wonderful. It is Tastee!
1 Tablespoon Vegetable oil (canola or olive are my choices)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
2 Cups water
1 Can (14.5 ounces) chicken brothe or 1 and 3/4 Cups Chicken Broth
1/4 Cup Coarsely choped fresh cilantro
lime wedges
In a 3-quart saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occassionally, until tender, 5 to 8 minues. Stir in garlic, chili powder, cumin, and crushed red pepper; cook 30 seconds. Stir in beans, water, and broth; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.
Spoon one-fourth of mixture into blender; cover, with the center part of cover removed to let steam escape, and puree until smooth. Pour puree into bowl. Repeat with remaining mixture. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with wedges of lime. Makes about 6 and 2/3 Cups or 6 first course servings. Cooking and prep time APPROXIMATELY 30 to 45 minutes.
NOTES: Thank you Good Housekeeping for this great recipe. There are a couple other items that I did to change up the recipe. I cut up some sausage and sautee'd it until lightly brown, which was added to the soup after it was puree'd (approximately 1 Cup of sausage). This added texture to the soup. I also served the soup with a dollop of sour cream in the center, garnished it with the cilantro and a wedge of lime. Surprisingly enough this soup is not spicy hot. I thought it might be with the cumin as one of the ingredients. Squeeze the lime wedge into the soup and enjoy!
STRETCH--Your dollar!
You can purchase bulk cumin seed at a lot of grocery stores in the "Mexican" isle (they usually come in packets of about 1/3 a cup). If a recipe calls for ground cumin here's what you do. Turn on the back burner and place a non-stick small fry pan on the heat, add the desired amount of whole cumin. Toast the seeds until you can smell the pungent odor of the seeds heating up. Turn off the burner and remove the pan. Pour the seeds in a mortar and pestle or small spice grinder; render the seeds into powder. The result is a ground cumin for a fraction of the cost and a more 'fresh' taste to your ground cumin.
Don't have a blender or food processor? Check out the local Salvation Army or Good Will. With careful shopping you can find a great item like this for a small amount of money. 3 years ago, I found an unused blender for $5.99. I don't do anything fancy with my blenders so a basic blender covers my needs perfectly. Why go for the spendy, gadgetty, top of the market item when all you do is make a smoothy? It's a waste of money.
Finally, generic or store brand canned black beans work fine. You don't have to buy the name brand item to make this soup. DO look for salt free black beans or reduced salt. A little salt goes a long ways and if you are adding the sausage, you already have plenty of salt in that. The majority of the canned items on the market are all canned in the same plant. They just slap a different logo on the label.
1 Tablespoon Vegetable oil (canola or olive are my choices)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
2 Cups water
1 Can (14.5 ounces) chicken brothe or 1 and 3/4 Cups Chicken Broth
1/4 Cup Coarsely choped fresh cilantro
lime wedges
In a 3-quart saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occassionally, until tender, 5 to 8 minues. Stir in garlic, chili powder, cumin, and crushed red pepper; cook 30 seconds. Stir in beans, water, and broth; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.
Spoon one-fourth of mixture into blender; cover, with the center part of cover removed to let steam escape, and puree until smooth. Pour puree into bowl. Repeat with remaining mixture. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with wedges of lime. Makes about 6 and 2/3 Cups or 6 first course servings. Cooking and prep time APPROXIMATELY 30 to 45 minutes.
NOTES: Thank you Good Housekeeping for this great recipe. There are a couple other items that I did to change up the recipe. I cut up some sausage and sautee'd it until lightly brown, which was added to the soup after it was puree'd (approximately 1 Cup of sausage). This added texture to the soup. I also served the soup with a dollop of sour cream in the center, garnished it with the cilantro and a wedge of lime. Surprisingly enough this soup is not spicy hot. I thought it might be with the cumin as one of the ingredients. Squeeze the lime wedge into the soup and enjoy!
STRETCH--Your dollar!
You can purchase bulk cumin seed at a lot of grocery stores in the "Mexican" isle (they usually come in packets of about 1/3 a cup). If a recipe calls for ground cumin here's what you do. Turn on the back burner and place a non-stick small fry pan on the heat, add the desired amount of whole cumin. Toast the seeds until you can smell the pungent odor of the seeds heating up. Turn off the burner and remove the pan. Pour the seeds in a mortar and pestle or small spice grinder; render the seeds into powder. The result is a ground cumin for a fraction of the cost and a more 'fresh' taste to your ground cumin.
Don't have a blender or food processor? Check out the local Salvation Army or Good Will. With careful shopping you can find a great item like this for a small amount of money. 3 years ago, I found an unused blender for $5.99. I don't do anything fancy with my blenders so a basic blender covers my needs perfectly. Why go for the spendy, gadgetty, top of the market item when all you do is make a smoothy? It's a waste of money.
Finally, generic or store brand canned black beans work fine. You don't have to buy the name brand item to make this soup. DO look for salt free black beans or reduced salt. A little salt goes a long ways and if you are adding the sausage, you already have plenty of salt in that. The majority of the canned items on the market are all canned in the same plant. They just slap a different logo on the label.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Granola
My sister and I made this a lot when we were teenagers. When I went to Oregon to visit our family I made some of this and formed granola bars as snacks on the train.
Ingredients
5 Cups oatmeal (no quick cook)
1 Cup sunflower seeds
1 Cup dates
1 Cup raisins
2/3 Cups butter
1 Cup brown sugar
1/2 Cup wheat germ
1/4 Cup light corn syrup
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 Cup honey
Directions
Step 1. Mix all dry ingredients
Step 2. Mix all wet ingredients in a separate bowl
Step 3. Mix everything together in one large bowl or roasting pan.
Step 4. Place everything in a covered roasting pan in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour. Stir every 15 minutes. Remove the cover for the last 15 minutes.
Step 5. Turn out on wax paper to cool. Break up into small pieces as it cools.
Ingredients
5 Cups oatmeal (no quick cook)
1 Cup sunflower seeds
1 Cup dates
1 Cup raisins
2/3 Cups butter
1 Cup brown sugar
1/2 Cup wheat germ
1/4 Cup light corn syrup
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 Cup honey
Directions
Step 1. Mix all dry ingredients
Step 2. Mix all wet ingredients in a separate bowl
Step 3. Mix everything together in one large bowl or roasting pan.
Step 4. Place everything in a covered roasting pan in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour. Stir every 15 minutes. Remove the cover for the last 15 minutes.
Step 5. Turn out on wax paper to cool. Break up into small pieces as it cools.
Beef Barley Soup
Cooking spray
2 pounds beef stew meat, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 teaspoons canola oil
2 cups chopped leek (about 4 medium)
2 cups chopped carrot 4
garlic cloves, minced
6 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 bay leaves
2 (14-ounce) cans less-sodium beef broth
1 cup uncooked pearl barley
Directions
Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add half of beef; cook 5 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove from pan. Repeat procedure with remaining beef. Heat oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add leek, carrot, and garlic; saute 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Return beef to pan. Add water and next 5 ingredients (through broth); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour. Add barley; cook 30 minutes or until beef and barley are tender. Discard bay leaves.
2 pounds beef stew meat, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 teaspoons canola oil
2 cups chopped leek (about 4 medium)
2 cups chopped carrot 4
garlic cloves, minced
6 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 bay leaves
2 (14-ounce) cans less-sodium beef broth
1 cup uncooked pearl barley
Directions
Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add half of beef; cook 5 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove from pan. Repeat procedure with remaining beef. Heat oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add leek, carrot, and garlic; saute 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Return beef to pan. Add water and next 5 ingredients (through broth); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour. Add barley; cook 30 minutes or until beef and barley are tender. Discard bay leaves.
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