Homemade Pasta Sauce

Ingredients:

2-3 Tbsp Olive oil

4-8 cloves garlic minced (or crushed) – sometimes more if we’re in the mood

¾ to 1 lb ground beef

28 oz can crushed tomatoes

6 oz can of tomato paste

¼ tsp black pepper

1 Tbsp dried basil

1 tsp dried oregano

2 tsp dried parsley

Heat a large pot (4-6 qt) on medium heat with a few tablespoons of olive oil to coat the bottom. Saute the minced garlic in the oil and remove it from the pot when golden (this part is a pain but leaving the garlic in when browning the meat ends up with some of it getting burnt which makes the sauce noticeably bitter - sometimes I just cook the garlic in a separate pan, but I’ve ruined the sauce by burning the garlic enough times that I’ve found it best just to be careful for this one step).

Brown the meat and then add crushed tomatoes, and garlic back in to the pot. Add the can of tomato paste and then use it to add one can’s worth of water to the sauce.

Add pepper, basil, oregano and parsley – the quantities listed above are estimates, because I never actually measure. We generally taste a few time part of the way through cooking and end up adding more of something (usually basil or pepper) to get the taste to where we want. I used to add salt, but these days I find that it seems salty enough without adding any so I’ve stopped putting it in.

Let simmer covered for at least 40 minutes, or up to a couple of hours (if more than an hour you may have to add more water depending on how thick a consistency you want).

This quantity of sauce works well for about a pound of pasta, maybe a bit more. I often make a double batch and freeze half.

Greek Style Tilapia

Ingredients
4 tilapia (or snapper, mahi) fillets, 1-1 1/2 lb (thawed, if needed)
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon Greek seasoning, divided
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 cup pre-diced onions
1 (14-ounce) can quartered artichoke hearts (drained)
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes (drained)
1/4 cup white wine


Steps

1. Preheat large sauté pan on medium-high 2–3 minutes. Season both sides of fish with pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of the Greek seasoning (wash hands).
2. Place oil in pan; swirl to coat. Add garlic and onions; cook 1–2 minutes, stirring once, or until onions are slightly softened.
3. Add fish fillets (wash hands). Top with remaining ingredients (including remaining 1/2 teaspoon Greek seasoning).
4. Cover and cook 8–10 minutes, stirring vegetables once, or until internal temperature reaches 145°F (or flesh is opaque and separates easily with a fork). Cook time may vary depending on the thickness of the fish. Serve.

Pumpkin Dip

3/4 cup (6 ozs) regular cream cheese (softened)

1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

2 teaspoons maple syrup

1/2 -3/4 t. cinnamon (really I just used a generous 1/2 t.)

1/8-1/4 t. nutmeg (I used closer to 1/8, but might use more b/c I'm a nutmeg fan. Use 1/8 or none if you don't really like nutmeg)

24 apple slices

Throw everything into a food processor until well blended and smooth. This is easier if the cream cheese is room temperature.

Summer Salad Dressing

½ cup sugar

1 ½ tsp. Minced shallot

¼ tsp. Paprika

¼ tsp. Worcestershire sauce

½ cup veggie oil

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

Combine all ingredients together and mix well. Serve with spinach salad with fresh strawberries.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie

Ginger Pecan Crust:

20 gingersnaps

3/4 cup pecans

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) melted butter

Place gingersnaps and pecans into food processor (or use Ziploc bag and rolling pin method) and grind until crumbs. Add melted butter and stir well (use hands too). Press into bottom and sides of pie plate to form crust. Set aside. [If you don’t like nuts, you can leave out the pecans and increase the amount of cookies.]

Alternate Graham Cracker Crust:

13 whole graham crackers, finely crushed

¼ cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 stick unsalted butter, melted

Finely crush graham crackers in food processor or with a rolling pin in a large Ziploc bag. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Melt butter and pour over graham cracker mixture. Mix with fork until moistened. Mix further with hands. Press mixture into bottom and sides of a pie plate until even all around.

Filling:

8 oz cream cheese softened

3/4 cup sour cream

1 cup pumpkin

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp cinnamon (or more, if you like it cinnamon-y)

Dash cloves (I used 1/8 tsp)

Dash nutmeg (I really like nutmeg so I used 1/4 tsp)

2 eggs

Extra pecan halves for garnish (optional)

Mix all ingredients except eggs in food processor or with a mixer until well blended. Add eggs and mix until blended. Pour into crust. Lightly place pecan halves around top of pie before baking.

Bake at 350 until center is almost set, about 35-45 minutes. Cool and refrigerate overnight. This pie’s flavors are best when it has “set.” You can make it several days before you need it so as to maximize its flavor. Keep pie refrigerated.

Banana Bars

3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), room temperature

2/3 cup light brown sugar

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 medium bananas, mashed

1 egg

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

12 oz package MINI chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F. Cream butter and sugars in large bowl. Add egg, vanilla, and mashed bananas. Slowly beat in dry ingredients. Stir in chocolate chips. Spread into greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake for about 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool completely, then sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.

Zesty Lemon bars

For the Crust

1/2 cup plus 3 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into 1” pieces

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup powdered sugar

3 Tbsp cornstarch

1 1/2 tsp coarse salt

For the Topping

2 cups granulated sugar

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

3 Tbsp flour

1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp plus 3/4 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp milk

1/4 tsp coarse salt

1. Butter a 9X13 pan (I lay a piece of parchment paper the long way in my 9X13 and spray the rest. When it is cool, I lift it out by the edges of the paper onto a cutting board for easy cutting).

2. Crust: in food processor combine flour, sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Process just to combine. Add butter to processor and process until pale yellow and consistency of cornmeal.

3. Pour crust into pan and press down to create a 1/4” layer along the bottom and 1/2” up the sides, pressing firmly at the edges to seal.

4. Freeze for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350. Transfer pan from freezer to oven and bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Turn once, halfway through baking.

5. Meanwhile, make the topping: In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs, and flour. Whisk in lemon juice, milk, and salt until well combined. Set aside until crust is done.

6. Remove pan from oven, whisk topping once more, and pour into warm crust. Return pan to oven and continue baking until topping is just set but not browned, about 20 minutes.

7. Cool completely in the pan on a wire cooling rack. Serve when cool, or keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Personally, I think this recipe calls for too much lemon. I have wanted to try this recipe with 1/2 cup lemon juice, but my family is so crazy for it being really lemony, that I haven’t tried it yet. When the bars are room temperature, they can be overwhelmingly lemony, even acidic tasting. When cold, they are not as strong.

Chewy Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients:

2/3 cup (2/3 stick) butter flavored Crisco shortening

1 ½ cups firmly packed light brown sugar

1 Tablespoon water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 ½ cups flour

1/3 cup unsweetened baking cocoa

¼ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

2 cups (12 oz bag) chocolate chips

Directions:

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place sheets of foil on counter for cooling cookies.

Combine flour, cocoa, soda, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.

Cream together shortening and sugar until smooth and creamy. Beat in water and vanilla. Beat in eggs one at a time.

Slowly add dry ingredients and beat into batter on low speed until well mixed.

Stir in chocolate chips. (The recipe calls for semi-sweet chocolate chips, but I use milk chocolate chips since it is a rich cookie. If you like rich, dark chocolate desserts, use the semi-sweet chips.)

Drop by rounded spoonfuls 2 inches apart onto cookie sheets.

Bake one cookie sheet at a time at 375 for 7-9 minutes, or until cookies are set. DO NOT OVERBAKE. Cookies will appear soft and moist. Cool 2 minutes before removing to foil to cool completely.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Ingredients

• 1 (2 pound) pork tenderloin
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle root beer
• 1 (18 ounce) bottle your favorite barbecue sauce
• 8 hamburger buns, split and lightly toasted

Directions

1. Place the pork tenderloin in a slow cooker; pour the root beer over the meat. Cover and cook on low until well cooked and the pork shreds easily, 6 to 7 hours.
2. Note: the actual length of time may vary according to individual slow cooker. Drain well. Stir in barbecue sauce. Serve over hamburger buns.

Crock Pot Chicken Chili

3 raw chicken breasts (thawed)

15oz can of corn - drained (frozen should work fine too)

15oz can of black beans - drained

16oz jar of salsa

1 package taco seasoning

Place chicken in bottom of crock, sprinkled with taco seasoning. Pour corn, beans, and salsa over top.

Cook on low anywhere from 5-10 hours

Shred the chicken with forks just before serving so that it's more like a chili.

Serve with cheese, Tostitoes, and sour cream, etc.

*The above ratio is pretty heavy on chicken, so if I were going to make 4 or more chicken breasts, then I'd increase the other ingredients.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2 cans chicken broth OR substitute one can red enchilada sauce for one of the chicken broth

1 can black beans, drained

1 can corn drained

2 Large chicken breasts the more chicken the better

1 can green chilies not drained

chopped onion

1 tbsp. garlic powder

2 tbsp. cilantro

1 tbsp. cummin

2 tbsp. chili powder

salt and pepper

Bring to HEAVY boil then reduce to simmer

When done, shred chicken and leave simmer for a bit longer to soak up the juices

I like to cut up tortilla shells bake them until crisp and then put on top of soup when eating