Homemade Tomato Sauce

So I planted these.......

And got these.......

To make this......

I made homemade tomato sauce, and from the little tastes I have taken it is divine. I am going to freeze it in batches, as I don't have enough to can.

I modified a recipe I found in Cook's Illustrated, one of my favorite cooking magazines. The modifications are noted in parentheses.

Makes four cups. Published July 1, 2007.

To keep the garlic from burning, start the olive oil and garlic in a cold pan. Add a pinch of sugar to the cooked sauce if your tomatoes aren't as sweet as you'd like. If the sauce seems too thick, toss the sauce and pasta with a little reserved pasta cooking water to help spread the sauce evenly. (I reserved seeds and any juice, and strained it, added the strained to the end of cooking, giving a very flavorful sauce.)

Ingredients

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

9-12 cloves garlic , minced

4 pounds ripe tomatoes (about 4 large), cored, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch chunks

Table salt

(1 can tomato paste)

(Reserved tomato juice from peeling and seeding)
1/2 cup chopped basil (or 1/4 cup Italian Seasoning)

Ground black pepper

(Sugar)

Instructions

Stir oil and garlic together in dutch oven. Turn heat to medium and cook until garlic is sizzling and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to rapid simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, reducing heat if sauce begins to stick to bottom of pan, until thickened and chunky, 30 to 45 minutes. (My kids like a smooth tomato sauce, so using my VitaMix or your could use a blender, I pureed the sauce just for a few seconds. Add reserved tomato juice and cook for 15-30 more minutes). Remove from heat. Stir in spices and season with salt and pepper to taste. (Because my children don't like a really acidic tomato sauce, I add a very small amount of sugar to balance out the acidity.)

Tomato Sauce for the Freezer: Cool the sauce completely. Transfer to a 2-cup freezersafe container. Press a layer of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the sauce, cover, and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the microwave or in the refrigerator overnight.

You can half the recipe and it will yield 2 cups of sauce enough for 1 pound of pasta.

Enjoy!

Crunchy Oven-Fried Fish

Now my kids will eat fish sticks, and my #2 child will eat salmon sandwiches. I loved fish up until I got pregnant with my first and with the subsequent three pregnancies, fish became more and more of an aversion to me to the point it was difficult to prepare it. I can handle mild fish like salmon, cod, or haddock. Needless to say we don't eat a lot of fish around these parts, and I wish it were differently.

I did find a great fish recipe that even my "I will only eat apples and bread" picky 2 year old will eat.

Crunchy Oven-Fried Fish
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes

Serves 4. Published September 1, 2008. From Cook's Illustrated.

To prevent overcooking, buy fish fillets at least 1 inch thick. The bread crumbs can be made up to 3 days in advance, cooled, and stored at room temperature in an airtight container. Serve with Sweet and Tangy Tartar Sauce (see related recipe) or lemon wedges.

Ingredients
4 large slices white sandwich bread , torn into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted
Table salt and ground black pepper
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
1 small shallot , minced (about 2 tablespoons)
1/4 cup plus 5 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons prepared horseradish (optional)
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1 1/4 pounds skinless cod fillet , or haddock fillet, or other thick white fish fillet (1 to 1 1/2 inches thick), cut into 4 pieces (see note)
Lemon wedges

Instructions
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Pulse bread, melted butter, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in food processor until bread is coarsely ground, eight 1-second pulses (you should have about 3 1/2 cups crumbs). Transfer to rimmed baking sheet and bake until deep golden brown and dry, about 15 minutes, stirring twice during baking time. Cool crumbs to room temperature, about 10 minutes. Transfer crumbs to pie plate; toss with parsley and shallot. Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees.

2. Place 1/4 cup flour in second pie plate. In third pie plate, whisk eggs, horseradish (if using), mayonnaise, paprika, cayenne pepper (if using), and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper until combined; whisk in remaining 5 tablespoons flour until smooth.
3. Spray wire rack with nonstick cooking spray and place in rimmed baking sheet. Dry fish thoroughly with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Dredge 1 fillet in flour; shake off excess. Using hands, coat with egg mixture. Coat all sides of fillet with bread crumb mixture, pressing gently so that thick layer of crumbs adheres to fish. Transfer breaded fish to wire rack. Repeat with remaining 3 fillets.

4. Bake fish until instant-read thermometer inserted into centers of fillets registers 140 degrees, 18 to 25 minutes. Using thin spatula, transfer fillets to individual plates and serve immediately with lemon wedges.

Roasted Tomato Balsamic Vinagrette

I was cleaning out the fridge, and found a pint of grape tomatoes that had gotten pushed to the far reaches of nomad land. To my surprise the tomatoes were still good. Trying to be less wasteful in my life, I wanted to make something with these little guys. I do not like raw tomatoes except on a sandwich.

I remembered eons ago that Rachael Ray had done a recipe on her Food Network show, 30 Minute Meals with Rachael Ray, that had a roasted tomato salad dressing. I scoured the internet and couldn't find it. Taking deep breaths, because this girl does not "just make" recipes up or cook on the fly. I love to follow recipes, that is my personality.

I figured that I have been following enough salad dressing recipes to be able to adapt one, so here you go. The end product is thicker than a traditional vinagrette, but none the less so yummy! I served it on romaine lettuce, carmelized onions (leftover from another dinner), red bell pepper, cucumbers, garlic croutons, and bacon bits.


Roasted Tomato Balsamic Vinagrette

1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes
1 1/2 teaspoons light brown sugar
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup olive oil
3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon pepper


Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Toss tomatoes, brown sugar, olive oil and salt in a bowl. Cook tomatoes on baking sheet in the oven for 20 minutes, or until the tomato skins have burst and are brown, and juices are carmelized.

In a blender or food processor place roasted tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, Italian seasoning and pepper. Process until smooth. With machine running, drizzle in olive oil, until combined.

If you don't own a blender or food processor you can also mash the tomatoes with a fork, whisk in the vinegar, seasonings, and oil.

Roasted Tomato Balsamic Vinagrette

Oatmeal Fudge Bars

I found this wonderful recipe on Cookscountry.com; they are so delicious, and we gobbled them up very quickly.

Crust and Topping
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter , melted and cooled slightly

Filling
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon instant coffee granules or espresso powder (optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
4 tablespoons unsalted butter , chopped
3 large eggs

1. For the crust: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare 9 by 9-inch baking pan (see note below). Whisk flour, oatmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in bowl. Stir in butter until combined. Set 11/4 cups oatmeal mixture aside. Press remaining oatmeal mixture firmly into prepared pan. Bake until light golden brown, about 8 minutes. Cool completely.

2. For the filling: Whisk flour, sugar, instant coffee, and salt in bowl. Melt chocolate and butter in large bowl; whisk in eggs, then stir in flour mixture. Pour filling over cooled crust and sprinkle with reserved oatmeal mixture.

3. Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out with few crumbs attached, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool to room temperature, at least 1 hour. Cut into 1 1/2-inch squares.

Note: For all bar cookies, line baking pan with aluminum foil, allowing excess to overhang pan edges. Spray foil with cooking spray. When bar cookies are cooled, use foil overhang to lift bars from pan. All bar cookies can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

30 minute Baked Potatoes

Taken from our favorite cookbook- America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook, pg. 139

Serves 4
Start to Finish: 30 Minutes

Tips
For this recipe, look for evenly sized russet potatoes with firm, unblemished skin. You can substitute sweet potatoes or yams for the potatoes. If you don't want to use the microwave, place the potatoes directly on the middle rack of a 350-degree oven and bake until tender, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

4 medium russet potatoes (about 2 pounds) scrubbed and dried
Whatever toppings you would like to serve with them, some ideas-
Butter
Salt and Pepper
Broccoli
Cheddar Cheese
Chopped Tomato
Salsa
Black beans
Chives
Sour Cream
Yogurt
Taco Meat
Onion

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 450 degrees. Poke a few holes in each potato with the tines of a fork and microwave the potatoes on high until slightly soft to the touch, 6 to 12 minutes, turning them over halfway through.

2. Carefully transfer the potatoes to the oven and cook directly on the hot oven rack until a skewer glides easily through the flesh, about 20 minutes.

3. Remove the potatoes from the oven and used the tines of a form to make a dotted X on the top of each potato. Press in at the ends of the potato to push the flesh up and out. Besides releasing steam quickly, this method helps trap and hold onto bits of butter. Serve immediately with butter, salt and pepper, or whatever you like!

Skillet Burgers and Burger sauce

I was craving a Big Mac something fierce, but since I have refused to step foot into another McDonald's or eat there if I can help it, then I turned to making a homemade one that actually tasted 100 times better.



I hope you like it just as much.

The recipe is taken from http://www.cooksillustrated.com/


Ingredients
1 large slice high-quality white sandwich bread , crust removed and discarded, bread chopped into 1/4-inch pieces (about 1/2 cup) [I used whole wheat bread & it worked just fine]
2 tablespoons whole milk [I used skim milk & it worked just fine]
3/4 teaspoon table salt
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 medium clove garlic , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 teaspoon)
2 teaspoons steak sauce , such as A-1 [I didn't have any on hand, & used Worcestershire sauce]
1 1/2 pounds 80 percent lean ground chuck
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
6 ounces cheese , sliced, (optional)
4 hamburger buns or rolls
Thinly sliced onion
Burger Sauce (see below)

Instructions
1. Mash bread and milk in large bowl with fork until homogeneous (you should have about 1/4 cup). Stir in salt, pepper, garlic, and steak sauce.
2. Break up beef into small pieces over bread mixture. Using fork or hands, lightly mix together until mixture forms cohesive mass. Divide meat into 4 equal portions. Gently toss 1 portion of meat back and forth between hands to form loose ball. Gently flatten into 3/4-inch-thick patty that measures about 4 1/2 inches in diameter. Press center of patty down with fingertips until it is about 1/2 inch thick, creating slight depression in patty. Repeat with remaining portions of meat.
3. Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until just beginning to smoke. Add meat patties, indentation side up, and cook until well-browned, about 5 minutes. Using wide spatula, flip burgers and continue cooking, about 4 minutes for medium-well or 5 minutes for well-done. Distribute equal portion of cheese (if using) on burgers about 2 minutes before they reach desired doneness, covering skillet with lid to melt cheese. While burgers cook, toast buns. Serve on buns with desired toppings.


Burger Sauce

Ingredients
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon ketchup
1/2 teaspoon sweet pickle relish
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions
Whisk all ingredients together in small bowl.

Tortilla Soup

Tortilla Soup (based off of America's Test Kitchen with some additions of my own)


Serves 16
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Total time: 55 minutes (30 if your chicken is pre-cooked)

1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
1 onion, minced
1 can diced jalapenos (omit if you want a less spicy soup)
1 Tablespoon chili powder (sometimes I will do 1 1/2 tsp chili powder and 1 1/2 tsp chipotle powder)
2 garlic cloves, minced
8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (you can sautee them over medium heat for 10 minutes while step 1 is going on to save time)
2 Tablespoons lime juice
1-15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1-15 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 cup frozen corn

Optional additions:
5 ounces tortilla chips, crushed into large pieces
2 ripe avocados, pitted and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup whole fresh cilantro leaves
1 cup cheddar or colby jack cheese.

1. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion, jalapeno, chili powder, and garlic. Cook until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the broth and bring to a simmer. Add the chicken and simmer, partially covered until no longer pink, about 15 minutes.

2. Remove the chicken and let cool. Add the black beans, tomatoes, and corn. Continue to simmer the broth for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces.

3. Remove the broth from the heat and stir in the lime juice. Serve and enjoy with any additional toppings.

Nutritional info (without extra toppings)
1 serving = 1 cup

Calories: 94
Fat: 2.6 g
Sat. Fat: 0.2 g
Cholesterol: 23 mg
Sodium: 530 mg
Carb: 6.8 g
Dietary Fiber: 1 g
Sugars: 3.4 g
Protein: 11.8 g