Pizza Sauce

Ingredients:

1 can crushed tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
2 cloves minced garlic (or 1 large clove)
Fresh basil
2.5 tsp sugar
Small onion, minced finely
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp paprika powder
Pinch of chili powder
1 tsp salt (or more or less)
pepper to taste

Directions:

Every Italian (almost every) sauce should have fresh basil in it, so pretty and green and it smells so good. I even own a perfume that has basil in it! But I digress.
Just grab a good handful and give it a quick wash. Not too much basil, though, the flavors should blend in.

Drizzle the oil in a hot skillet and sautee the onions and garlic until translucent, should take about 5 minutes. Make sure they don’t turn brown. Then add the remaining ingredients, except the basil and chili powder. Simmer the pizza sauce for about 20 minutes. Pizza sauces vary in consistency, but I like mine velvety and not too thick. So during simmering, make sure to check the sauce every now and then to see if it needs some water.

After 15 minutes you add chili powder. I always wait until this point because I use extremely hot chili powder and it would be easy to make the sauce too spicy if I add it before simmering. Because of the strength of the powder I only use a pinch – I literally mean a pinch, got these cute measuring spoons that have “Dash, Pinch and Smidgen” on them. What can I say, I’ve Americanized

Now also add the fresh basil and stir. Smell it! So good.

Feel free to omit this step, but I personally prefer a homogenized pizza sauce, so I give it a good spin in the food processor.

Recipe and photographs from kay

Caramelized Carrots

1 pound carrots, roughly chopped.
Medium onion, minced.
Garlic (I used 1 clove, grated)
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 tsp ground cumin (1/8 if this is too strong a flavor for you)
1/4 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter

In a hot skillet combine the oil and butter. Sautee the onions and garlic until the slightly translucent. Add the cumin, curry powder and thyme and stir in. Plunge in the carrots and give it a good swirl until it’s all combined.

Pour in the broth and add half a tsp salt. Cook the carrots over medium heat (without a lid or the lid cracked, I prefer no lid) for roughly 20 minutes (depending on the size of the carrots, just don’t cook the heck out of them) until the broth has vaporized. Here comes the good part – when all the liquid is gone, the carrots and onions will caramelize giving them an amazing flavor. This should happen after about 15 minutes, make sure you’re nearby then and flip them with a spatula once or twice, or you’ll burn them rather than caramelize them.

The carrots will still have a bite to them, but are incredibly juicy, sweet and fragrant. Give it a try!

From kay, one of my favorite cooks!

Hot German Potato Salad

Prep Time:45 min

Start to Finish:45 min

makes:8 servings (3/4 cup each)

Original Ingredients
6 medium red potatoes, peeled
6 slices bacon
3/4 cup chopped onions
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Nutritional Information

3/4 cup: Calories 220 (Calories from Fat 80); Total Fat 9g (Saturated Fat 3g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 610mg; Total Carbohydrate 30g (Dietary Fiber 3g, Sugars 4g); Protein 5g % Daily Value Vitamin A 0%; Vitamin C 8%; Calcium 0%; Iron 4% Exchanges 1 1/2 Starch, 1/2 Other Carbohydrate, 1 1/2 Fat Carbohydrate Choices 2

Healthified Ingredients
6 medium red potatoes, unpeeled
3 slices bacon
1 tablespoon olive or canola oil
3/4 cup chopped onions
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Nutritional Information

3/4 cup: Calories 170 (Calories from Fat 30); Total Fat 3g (Saturated Fat 1/2g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 260mg; Total Carbohydrate 31g (Dietary Fiber 4g, Sugars 4g); Protein 4g % Daily Value Vitamin A 2%; Vitamin C 15%; Calcium 4%; Iron 15% Exchanges 1 1/2 Starch, 1/2 Other Carbohydrate, 1/2 Fat Carbohydrate Choices 2

1. In 4-quart saucepan, place potatoes. Add water just to cover. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to low. Simmer covered, 25 to 30 minutes or until tender. Drain; cool slightly. Cut into slices.
2. Meanwhile, in 12-inch nonstick skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Chop bacon; set aside.
3. Remove and discard bacon drippings from skillet. Add oil; heat over medium heat. Add onions; cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender. Stir in flour, sugar, salt, celery seed and pepper. Gradually stir in water, vinegar and mustard. Cook over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until bubbly and thickened.
4. Stir in potatoes and bacon. Cook, stirring frequently, until thoroughly heated. To serve, sprinkle with parsley.

stolen from eatbetteramerica.com

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Prep Time:10 min

Start to Finish:40 min

makes:12 servings (1/4 cup dip each)

Original Ingredients

• 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup ranch dressing
• 1/2 cup buffalo wing sauce
• 1 can (10 oz) chunk white chicken, drained
• 2 cups shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese blend (8 oz)
• Tortilla chips, if desired

Nutritional Information 1/4 cup dip

Calories 210 (Calories from Fat 160); Total Fat 18g (Saturated Fat 9g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 50mg; Sodium 570mg; Total Carbohydrate 2g (Dietary Fiber 0g, Sugars 0g); Protein 9g

% Daily Value Vitamin A 15%; Vitamin C 0%; Calcium 15%; Iron 4%

Exchanges 0 Medium-Fat Meat, 1 1/2 High-Fat Meat, 1 1/2 Fat

Carbohydrate Choices 0

Healthified Ingredients

• 1 package (8 oz) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel), softened
• 1/2 cup fat-free ranch dressing
• 1/3 cup buffalo wing sauce
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
• 1 cup shredded reduced-fat Colby-Monterey Jack cheese blend or reduced-fat Cheddar cheese (4 oz)
• 2 tablespoons chopped green onions (2 medium)
• Whole grain crackers or celery sticks, if desired

Nutritional Information 1/4 cup dip each:

Calories 110 (Calories from Fat 50); Total Fat 6g (Saturated Fat 3 1/2g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 30mg; Sodium 420mg; Total Carbohydrate 4g (Dietary Fiber 0g, Sugars 0g); Protein 9g

% Daily Value Vitamin A 8%; Vitamin C 0%; Calcium 8%; Iron 2%

Exchanges 1 1/2 Medium-Fat Meat, 0 High-Fat Meat, 0 Fat

Carbohydrate Choices 0

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°F. In medium bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Beat in dressing, buffalo wing sauce and water until blended. Stir in chicken and cheese. Spread in ungreased 1-quart baking dish or 9-inch pie plate; cover with foil.
2. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Stir; top with onions. Serve hot with crackers or celery sticks.

Swiped from eatbetteramerica.com

Little One

So my little one seems to have puked out whatever poison she had in her. She seems happy as a clam now. P just took her to bed and she always gives me a kiss and a ‘nigh nigh’ wave. Well, tonight she made me kiss her cabbage patch and the cabbage patch waved ‘nigh nigh’! Heartmelting I tell ya!