Hot/sweet sauce

This sauce is so versatile.  It's great for pork, ribs or chicken.  It's got some kick and after kick as well, so beware!

Ingredients:
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 jalapeño, chopped with seeds
1 chili pepper, chopped with seeds
1/4 cup soy
1/4 cup red wine
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 TB dijon mustard
2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
olive oil, for sautéing

Directions:
Chop garlic and peppers, and sautee in olive oil for about 5 minutes.  Add soy, wine, vinegar, mustard and brown sugar and mix well.  When sauce comes to a boil, add cornstarch and whisk well.  Sauce will thicken.
**optional**  Add chives for looks.
**optional**  Make is asian by using rice wine vinegar instead of balsamic, and add 2 tsp sesame oil at the end, and/or add 1tsp minced ginger.

Hot corn dip

This is perfect for game day!  I think the tomato really makes this dish.  Of course you could kick it up a notch and add more jalapeno.

Ingredients:
16 oz corn (or 3 ears)
4 oz. cream cheese
1/4 cup mayo
3 gloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup diced tomato, seeded
1/4 cup diced onion
1/4-1/2 cup red & green pepper, diced
2 jalapenos seeded and diced
2 TB cilantro
1/2 cup provolone cheese shredded
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
2 TB butter
sea salt
fresh ground pepper


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.  Heat butter in a frying pan, and saute half of the corn, onion, peppers and garlic.  After a couple of minutes cooking, add tomatoes and continue to saute a few minutes.  Mash the other half of the corn (food processor works great).  Add in cilantro, cream cheese, and mayo.  Transfer to a bowl and add sauteed corn mixture, shredded cheeses, a dash of salt and pepper, and mix well.  Pour into a 2 QT baking dish and sprinkle the top with a little prove/mozz mix of cheese.  Bake 30 minutes at 350, or until golden brown.  Serve with tortilla chips.

Pesto

Ingredients:
5 cups basil leaves
12 cloves garlic
1/2 cup pine nuts
10 oz Parmesan
1 cup olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp fresh ground pepper

Directions:
In a food processor, mince garlic.  Add pine nuts, basil leaves, Parmesan.  With the processor running, slowly add the olive oil through the feed tube.  Add in salt and pepper.  Puree thoroughly and use immediately.  You can freeze it in ice cube trays, covered.  Add to soups, stews, chicken pesto lasagna, or thaw for other recipes.  Keep covered in the freezer, or it will turn brown.

Chicken pesto lasagna

Ingredients:

2 grilled chicken breasts

1/2 cup pesto

1 1/2 QT tomato sauce

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 med onion, sliced

1 TB olive oil

homemade ricotta (or 1 container store bought)

1 cup shredded provolone

5 lasagna noodles, broken into thirds

1 TB agave nectar, or sugar

Directions:

Make ricotta according to directions.  (Or you can use store bought, probably one container)  While the ricotta is firming up, broil or grill 2 chicken breasts.  Saute onion and garlic in olive oil.  When it starts to brown, add agave nectar (or sugar).  Cook a few minutes more and turn off heat.  Set aside.  Slice chicken thin after it's cooked.  Start layering items.  No need to cook the noodles ahead of time!  (yay!)  Start with tomato sauce on the bottom of the crock pot.  Just toss in broken noodles, a handful of chicken, handful of provolone, and dot with pesto, onions and ricotta.  Keep layering till crock pot is almost full,  making the top layer cheese and pesto.  Cook on low for about 1 1/2 hours, or until noodles are cooked.

Homemade Ricotta

Oh how I wish I had done this 20 years ago!  This was so easy and look at the creamy lemon-ish color to the ricotta!

Ingredients:

4 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
1 tsp sea or kosher salt
3 TB white vinegar


Bring milk, cream and salt to a boil on med heat in a stainless or heavy pot, stirring occasionally.  When it comes to a full boil, turn off heat and add vinegar.  Let it sit for about 2 minutes, until it starts to curdle.  Wet some cheesecloth and line a strainer over a large bowl.  Pour milk mixture into strainer and let it sit for about 25-30 minutes.  The longer it sits, the thicker it gets!

Fresh tomato sauce

This was my grandma Rock's recipe.  She always used fresh tomatoes from the garden.

Ingredients:

5 lbs ripe, fresh tomatoes

1/4 c olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 small onion, diced

2 bunches fresh basil, chopped

sea salt 

fresh ground pepper

1 carrot, whole

Directions:

Wash and cut tomatoes into small wedges.  Cook for about 10 minutes, until tomatoes are soft.  Cool.  Press through a strainer.  In a dutch oven, brown garlic and onions in olive oil.   Add tomato puree, salt, pepper, carrot and basil.  Cook uncovered for about 1 1/2 hours, or until thick.  Stir occasionally.  This should make enough for 1 lb pasta.  Remove carrot before serving.  The carrot adds a little sweetness.

Eggplant parmesean

I think there are two secrets to this dish.

1)  Slice the eggplant thin

2)  Soak the sliced eggplant in salt water for a bit before cooking

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant, peeled and sliced thin

2 sleeves TJ golden round crackers, crushed

11/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

2 eggs, scrambled

sea salt

fresh ground pepper

8 oz pasta, cooked

Marinara sauce

Olive oil (for frying)

1 ball of fresh mozzarella

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300.  Crush crackers and mix with panko bread crumbs in a bowl.  Peel, slice the eggplant thin, and soak in a bowl of salt water for about 15-20 minutes.  While the eggplant is soaking, cook pasta according to directions on the box.  Put a plate on top of the eggplant so it gets covered with the salt water.  Beat eggs in a small bowl.  After the eggplant has soaked, drain and rinse well.  Heat the olive oil in a frying pan.  Dip the eggplant in egg, then the breadcrumb mixture.  Fry until golden brown, then turn.  Salt after you turn it over.  Pan fry till golden brown, and keep warm in a pan in the oven.  Slice mozzarella and put a slice on each piece of eggplant.  Melt in the oven for about 5 minutes.  Serve on top of pasta with your favorite marinara sauce and shredded Parmesan cheese.