Homemade Roasted Tomato Sauce

This is one of my favorite things to cook, period. But for those of you who need a specific recipe... sorry, I don't have one. This sauce is the epitome of my "taste as you go cooking." Here in this post today, I wrote roughly what I would usually do for a basic tomato herb sauce.

Like I said, this is the basic tomato sauce, but I like to mix it up depending on the day and what veggies I have around. It is really fun to get creative and add in some roasted red peppers or mushrooms when you have those available!

This sauce is quick and great on noodles for an easy dinner with a side salad. BUT this sauce has great flavor and picks up other flavors really well. I love using this sauce on grilled chicken with a slice of melted cheese...almost like chicken parmesan except faster, easier, and without the extra mess or extra calories of breading and frying the chicken. It freezes and thaws great, too.

When I first started making this in college I was only cooking for myself. I would make a whole batch of it, and freeze it in little mason jars or Tupperware. The stuff thaws well and tastes great up to 6 months later (probably longer, just never makes it that long before I eat it all)! I've used it on eggplant Parmesan, too, and it was a huge hit with my boyfriend's family.

I've thought too about making it into a base of a tomato or roasted red pepper soup... I'll have to let you know if that works out. Let me know if you try it first and tips for success!

Basic ingredient list:

• 2 Pints Cherry Tomatoes
• 1/2 White or Yellow Onion
• Garlic (~5 cloves)
• Fresh Herbs of Choice (basil, rosemary, thyme and oregano are all good) 
• If you don't have fresh herbs around, you can also use dried  italian seasoning or herbs de Provence
• Red pepper flakes (just a pinch)
• Red wine (~1/4 cup drizzled)
• Balsamic vinegar  (a little drizzle maybe a tablespoon or two)
• I usually do EITHER red wine OR balsamic... could do both I guess, just may be a little acidic
• Salt and Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
• Olive Oil
• Parmesan Cheese

Here's how it goes:

1. Rinse and dump: the cherry tomatoes into roasting pan or cookie sheet. Just make sure it has a little edge at least so things don't roll away into the bottom of your oven
2. Chop and dump: roughly chop your onion, smash the garlic cloves (don't need to chop), and chop fresh herbs and throw them all into your pan. If you're going to add red peppers or mushrooms or anything else at this point, just rough chop and throw it all in!
3. Drizzle and shake: drizzle some olive oil, red wine or balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper, and shake it all around to coat them a little
4. Roast in oven and do something else for a while: I usually roast them for ~30-45 min at 350 degrees. Just till the veggies are tender and the tomatoes are popping open
5. Blend it and Taste it: This is where I get to use my little rocket blender, or my boyfriends mom's awesome ninja blender... anything with blades and buttons will work. Pour all the stuff from the pan into the blender including all the juice. Blend it all up and add olive oil until it's the right consistency for you. I usually blend in some freshly graded Parmesan cheese at this point. Taste it and add whatever else you want. 
6. EAT IT

1. Need ideas: noodles, chicken, baked tilapia or other white fish, roasted vegetables, spaghetti squash, dipping sauce for appetizers, eggplant Parmesan, with a spoon. 

Really simple, really quick, really delicious.

Let me know what yummy combinations you've come up with!

Vegetarian Enchiladas (So good you won't miss the meat)

First off I want to say: Yes, I'm aware that these are not the most appetizing pictures. I didn't take them right away, this is a left-over enchilada after the microwave... and all I really wanted to do was eat it, so I didn't bother with getting good pictures. SO there it is. The cheesy blob of deliciousness that is the vegetarian enchilada!

This is another of the recipes I cooked for my PBL group in med school. I doubled this recipe and made about 23 enchiladas. This obviously tuned out to be way too many for 8 people, but they were great left over, and they were easy to make!

Now, Ben is a meat and potatoes kind of guy. I don't mean that he isn't adventurous (because he'll try anything), or that he doesn't like vegetables (he even likes broccoli... yuck), but... he does LOVE his meat. So I knew it was a big complement when he told me "These couldn't have been any better, even with meat in them."

Without further delay: Veggie Enchiladas

Enchilada Filling

• ~ 2 cups cooked brown rice 
• Usually a little less, I use the 5 minute instant brown rice and the servings work out so it's slightly less than 2 cups once cooked, which is perfect. I find 2 cups to be a little too much rice
• 15 oz can black beans drained and rinsed
• 1/2 white onion sliced up into strips or roughly chopped
• One red pepper, one yellow pepper, one green pepper sliced into strips (not too long)
• Some Grocery stores have the frozen pepper mix-about 16 oz bags work great for this! Less cutting for you!
• Fresh Baby Spinach... I use about 1/2 a bag for a single recipe
• 1 packet taco seasoning (~2 Tbl.)
• 3/4 cup salsa

Saute the onion and peppers for a minute or two just to soften them, or defrost them if they are frozen. Mix the rice, peppers, onion, beans, salsa, and taco seasoning all together in a pot, or a pan with tall sides and stir together. Stir in the spinach and let it cook just until the spinach is barely wilted. Filling is done!

Fill your 6 inch flour tortillas with the filling and put in your baking dish. Usually fills about 12 tortillas of this size (maybe 10, I tend to over-fill my enchiladas)

Enchilada Sauce

• 2 Tbl. vegetable oil
• 2 Tbl. flour
• 2 Tbl. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 8 oz can tomato sauce
• 2 cups water
• 1/3 tsp garlic powder (or to taste, if you like more)
• Tiny little pinch cayenne pepper if you like a little heat-JUST  A LITTLE! You don't want to overpower the delicious filling
• 1 tsp salt (or to taste)

I don't like canned enchilada sauce, and this is super easy so I use it. If you're cool with canned or you have your favorite brand of enchilada sauce, by all means go for it, if it saves a little time. But, really, this cooks up in just a few minutes while you're making the filling.

Just warm the vegetable oil over medium heat, add in the flour and chili powder to cook for a couple minutes (2-4 min). Add in all the other ingredients and stir well to mix it all. Bring it to a boil and then simmer over medium heat for about 10 min until it thickens up a little. It won't get very thick, but it's enchilada sauce, you don't want it super thick.

Once your filling is done and your enchiladas are all rolled up, pour the sauce over top. Top it with some cheese, I like the shredded white Mexican cheese blend. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes until all warmed through, cheese is melty and sauce is bubbling!

They really are delicious, and super easy. Actually, I didn't even think about it till afterward, but they are pretty darn healthy too. Lots of veggies, very little fat (omit the cheese if you're REALLY worried... but, that just doesn't happen with me)!

Tikka Masala

For those of you who know me, you know that I found out in October that I'm allergic to chicken and eggs. Yes, I know... they are (were) staples in my diet on a daily basis! SO it's been an interesting adjustment period.

One of the Cardiologists that lectured us, recently, reminded us that "the less legs it has, the better!" Obviously, since he is a cardiologist, many of his patients need to control their weight and cholesterol. He uses this method to help them figure out what they can eat! Pretty intuitive. The less legs it has, the better.

Maybe a visual aid would help:

Cows and pigs are worse than chickens which are worse than fish (mutant ones with legs don't count). And, obviously, vegetables can't grow legs so they are the best of all!

Some of you may also know that as a young child I had high cholesterol because I pretty much refused to eat anything except fried mozzarella and chicken strips. I had to see a dietitian and everything. From then on it was reduced fat wheat thins and fat free string cheese only!

So regrettably, I am informed enough to know that I can't just swap out my 10 meals a week that consisted of chicken for beef. This transition period to a meat-less; egg-less diet consisted of plenty of cheating and lots of whining, but I'm officially there and doing well... and eating a whole lot of turkey!

Anyway, if you're just looking for the recipe, here it is! This is a great recipe. I'll definitely be making it again! I'ts not near as difficult as it looks, just lots of spices. Marinade meat overnight, cut up veggies as you grill meat, mix all together, voila! 

Chicken (or Turkey in my case) Marinade

1 cup yogurt

1 Tbl. lemon juice

2 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 tsp. cayenne pepper

2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 Tbl. minced fresh ginger

2 tsp. salt

3 boneless chicken breasts (or same amount of turkey), cut into bite-sized pieces (about 12 oz meat, total)

4 long skewers for grilling

Needs to marinate for at least an hour, even better if it marinates over night,  so plan ahead a little bit!

Tikka Masala Sauce

2 Tbl. butter

4 cloves garlic, minced

4 tsp. ground cumin

4 tsp. paprika

2 tsp. salt 

16 oz. tomato sauce

14 oz can coconut milk (I used light)

Other stuff to put in the dish

1 red bell pepper coarsely chopped

1 large white onion coarsely chopped
1 or 2 jalapeno peppers, finely chopped (depending on your desire for spice)
1 small zucchini, sliced into, thin half circles
1 cup sliced carrots
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

This dish can easily be made vegetarian by doing tofu with the chicken/turkey marinade! You could also omit the meat and just use more vegetables, although the meat marinade adds a lot of flavor.

What to do for the meat

• In a large bowl, mix all marinade ingredients together. Stir in the turkey, cover, and refrigerate over night. 
• Skewer the meat onto the wooden rods and grill over high heat for 4-5 min on each side
• Set aside until ready to add it into the sauce

What to do for the Sauce

• Melt butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat
• Saute the garlic, jalapeno, onion, pepper, and other vegetables for a couple minutes
• Season with the cumin, paprika, and salt. 
• Stir in the tomato sauce and coconut milk
• Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens up a bit (15 minutes)
• Add in the grilled turkey and simmer on low for another 15 minutes or so
• The meat marinade actually adds a lot of flavor and spice, so don't add extra cayenne or anything until after you've mixed in the meat
• With 5 min or so remaining, stir in a few tablespoons of fresh cilantro

Serve with white rice (I like jasmine rice) and top with more fresh cilantro!

Stop taking pictures and eat already!!!

Let me know how it works out for you. Also let me know if you have any egg-less breakfast casserole recipes!

Brussels Sprouts

I recently discovered that Brussels sprouts are nothing like the stereotypical disgusting vegetable! I would rather eat these than broccoli any day. That, in itself, doesn't say much because I hate broccoli. However, I should make a better statement about them, because I actually really enjoy Brussels Sprouts, especially when they are cooked well and topped with a little grated Parmesan cheese! They are also super fast, easy to make...and really difficult to screw up.

All you do:

• Cut off the hard white ends of the Brussels sprouts
• Boil and salt a pot of water
• Blanch the Brussels sprouts for 5-6 minutes (until tender)
• Saute some sliced shallot and garlic in a little butter and olive oil
• Toss in the Brussels sprouts and saute for a few more minutes
• Season with salt and pepper to taste
• Top w/ freshly grated Parmesan cheese if you want (I am a firm believer that everything is better when topped with a little bit of cheese)

Don't be scared off by June Cleaver's version... even though Beaver makes it seem that Brussels sprouts are the grossest vegetable out there... I promise they are actually really good!

Bleu Macaroni and Cheese

I first made this dish for Thanksgiving dinner 2 years ago. It was a minor disaster (equivalent to a small California earthquake)! I don't mean the flavors were a disaster, they were great, it was more of the proportions that were "off," to say the least.

Long story short: the recipe I followed said to use 2 cups of macaroni to serve 2 people. I quadrupled the recipe in order to serve it as a side dish at my big family Thanksgiving dinner. Does anyone know how much 8 cups of macaroni is once you cook it? It's probably enough to feed the entire population of Wyoming for about a week...

Needless to say that we had WAY to many noodles, not enough sauce, and nowhere to put it! However, I didn't realize the noodle sauce ratio would be off until after I mixed it all together and filled up 6 casserole dishes with the macaroni.

Conclusion: Flavor= fantastic; Proportions = disagreeable

ANYWAY: we figured that the recipe must have meant 2 cups cooked macaroni, not 2 cups uncooked macaroni... either way I still think that would have been too many noodles... I have fiddled with the proportions and come up with this: a good noodle sauce ratio that makes ONE casserole dish of gourmet macaroni and cheese.

What you'll need:
2 3/4 cups elbow macaroni (uncooked)

3 cups whole milk

8 oz. Gruyere cheese

6 oz. Sharp White Cheddar

4 oz. Bleu cheese (I love a great Roquefort)

pinch of nutmeg

4 Tbl. butter

4 Tb. flour

salt and pepper to taste

breadcrumbs and dried basil for topping

Warm the milk in a sauce pan over medium heat. In the meantime use the butter and flour to make a roux (melt butter and sprinkle in flour and cook for a few minutes until lump free and doesn't smell like flour any more--should be golden colored). When milk is simmering, add the roux and thicken to a saucy texture. Add in the pepper and nutmeg for flavor (don't add salt until after you've added cheese... you probably won't need any).

When the sauce has thickened, remove it from the heat and stir in the monstrous pile of cheese that you've convinced your family to grate up. Stir in until incorporated and smooth. Pour the sauce over cooked noodles in a baking dish. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs and basil over the top before baking.

Bake for 30-45 min at 400 degrees or until the cheeses are bubbling and the top is crispy and browned. It wont need the full 45 minutes unless you refrigerate it overnight before cooking...could be done as soon as 20 min. Just watch for bubbly cheese!

Spicy Asparagus Pasta

"Asparagus made into a pasta sauce...interesting..." That's what I thought too. Honestly, the first go round was "interesting" at best.

The original recipe I found used asparagus, but also called for A LOT of parsley in the sauce. Don't get me wrong, I like a little parsley here and there to lighten up a dish. However, I think my sister said it best when she pointed out that the first attempt tasted quite similar to grass.

I still liked the idea of the asparagus pasta sauce, though so I have fiddled around with this dish a few different times and the current (parsley free) version is by far one of my favorite vegetarian dishes.

What You'll Need:
Asparagus (estimate-depends on how much you're making, I used about a half a bundle)
3 cloves garlic (obviously increase if you make more)
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
Red Pepper Flake
Parmesan Cheese
Whole Wheat Spaghetti

Cut the asparagus into 1 inch pieces and blanch in boiling water for about 5 min. Ice it immediately to stop the cooking, blend up with garlic, olive oil, red pepper flake, and salt pepper. The seasonings are all just to taste. I love spicy food so I like to use about a teaspoon of red pepper flake to give it some heat! Use as much olive oil as you need to get to the consistency you want... probably a couple of tablespoons will do.

The end product is sort of like an asparagus pesto, mix over whole wheat noodles with freshly graded Parmesan. Genius...quite a change from its grassy beginning