Basic Tomato Sauce

This is the basic tomato sauce that I make. It is extremely simple and tastes great. It will store in the refrigerator for a few days or frozen for several months. I would make a double or triple batch of this and freeze it so it is ready to go when you need it. You can also add other spices that you like to change it up. Put it with some ground turkey, beef, or sausage and put it over your favorite pasta. Tip: When buying canned tomatoes, look at the ingredients closely. Good canned tomatoes should only contain tomatoes or maybe tomatoes and water. All of the other ingredients...salt, citric acid, etc. do not make good canned tomatoes. However, if those tomatoes are the best price then it is just fine and your sauce will still be delicious!

1/2 medium onion, chopped very fine (about 1 cup)
4 large cloves of garlic, minced
4 cans (28 oz) whole tomatoes (deseed by pressing through food mill) or you can use a good quality crushed tomatoes
1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
1/4 cup evoo
salt
pepper
6-8 basil leaves
2 tbsp evoo

Heat a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat. Then add the oil, followed by the onions. Next, add a pinch of salt and let the onions gently cook until they soften and just begin to turn a slight golden color...not brown.

Once they’re ready, add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute or so, just until softened or until you can begin to smell it. Stir in the tomato paste and let it gently cook for a few minutes until it becomes a shade darker. Then add the tomatoes and a good pinch of salt. Now, stir to combine and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Cook uncovered for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching.

Once the sauce has finished cooking, turn off the heat and taste for seasoning. Add salt and pepper as you like. Add the basil...just tear into pieces by hand and drizzle with a tbsp or 2 of EVOO.

Truffle Garlic Creamed Potatoes

For Christmas, my amazing husband, bought me a food mill. I have been wanting one for a while now mainly to make creamed potatoes. However, a food mill can also be used to make marinara, jams, applesauce, etc. I am very excited to use it for all of these things. Tonight, I made a roast with some gravy and made mashed potatoes using my new food mill. The food mill is absolutely amazing! The potatoes were super creamy and yummy. I did a few things different with these creamed potatoes than I normally do so I thought I would share it with you. They probably aren't the best creamed potatoes ever but, they are definitely the best creamed potatoes that I have ever made (my husband agrees). The measurements are just a guess so make sure to taste your way through this recipe!

3-4 pounds of potatoes (peeled and diced about 1 inch cubes)
3-4 cups white or dark chicken stock (enough to cover the potatoes or just use what you have and cover them the rest of the way with water)
1 bay leaf
1 tsp kosher salt
3 garlic cloves (peeled and kept whole)
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup cream
5 tbsp unsalted butter
1/4-1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4-1/2 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp truffle oil (It can now be found in most groceries stores. Be careful...a little goes a long way)

Place potatoes in a large saucepan with the stock/water. The potatoes should be completely covered with liquid. Add the bay leaf, salt, and garlic to the pot. Bring water/stock to a boil, reduce heat to medium high and boil for 12-15 minutes (until they are fork tender). Remove from heat and drain. Keep the garlic cloves with the potatoes and discard the bay leaf.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, add the milk, cream, butter, nutmeg, white pepper and truffle oil. Heat on low just to warm the milk/cream and melt the butter. Keep on low heat until you are ready to use.

Food mill preparation: Place the food mill on top of a bowl. Place the cooked potatoes and garlic in the food mill. Grind until all potatoes/garlic have been milled.

No food mill preparation: If you have stand mixer, this would be your best option. If you don't, you can use a hand mixer. Mix the potatoes (on medium to high speed) until they are as lump free and creamy as you can get them. This might take a while so just be patient.

If you used a food mill, the potatoes can stay in the bowl they are in for this next part. If you used a stand mixer, keep the potatoes mixing as you add the next ingredients. Add the cream/milk mixture. Be sure to add a little at a time. You do not want your potatoes to be too watery. Continue to add until you reach your desired consistency (everyone is different). Taste. Add more pepper or salt if needed. Sea salt is wonderful to flavor creamed potatoes. It is okay for the potatoes to look a little wet as they while thicken as they sit.

Tip: If you are serving to guests that have not arrived, place a few thin pads of butter on top of the potatoes and cover tightly with plastic wrap. This will keep the potatoes from forming a crust on top.

Thrifty Thursday: Chicken and Grits

If you would like to participate in Thrifty Thursday on your blog just post a recipe on your blog that costs $10 or less for a family of four. Then, link back to my blog. Also, enter your link and information at the bottom of this post.

Those of you that are my friends, know that I have never eaten shrimp, fish, or anything for that matter that lived in the water. Here in the last year, I have really been trying to make myself like all seafood. It was my dear sweet husband that triggered this desire in me. See, I have been talking about going to culinary school once all of our kids are in school. Chris' response to that was (in a joking manner), "You think you can go to culinary school if you don't eat any seafood. What would Bobby Flay think about that?" He is really hilarious to me. Even though it was a joke, I am glad he said it. He really inspired me to get over my dislike/fear of seafood and branch out. As of now, I have eaten and enjoyed: tilapia, salmon, sushi, mussels, and baby shrimp (still can't do large shrimp but will work up to it).

Today, however, I am going to share a recipe with you that I came up with to satisfy my desire to like shrimp and grits. Chris loves shrimp and grits but, of course, I would never make it for him. So, I came up with a recipe for chicken and grits. It is SO comforting and yummy! This meal comes out to be approximately $7.72 and that is using a good quality cornmeal. However, the price is figured by using water instead of chicken stock. I highly recommend spending the extra dollar or two and getting the stock. It adds a wonderful flavor to the grits! The flour, salt, pepper and oil are not figured into the cost as I think these are things that you already have in your pantry.

Chicken and Grits
1 pound chicken breasts (cut into small cubes)
3 tbsp flour
kosher salt
pepper
2 tbsp evoo (or any other oil you have on hand)
half onion
2 garlic cloves (minced or thin sliced...however you like it)
2 tbsp chicken stock/broth or water

2 cups milk (preferably whole milk if you have it)
2 cups chicken stock/broth or water
1.5 tsp kosher salt
1 cup coarse ground cornmeal
pepper to taste
4 tbsp unsalted butter (If you use salted butter then leave out the 1.5 tsp of salt until you have finished the dish. Then, taste to see if it needs anymore salt)
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese (You can experiment with other cheeses as well. I think that sharp white cheddar or smoked gouda would also be good in this.)


Heat the oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Mix the flour, salt and pepper together (about 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper). Dust the flour over the chicken pieces. Add the chicken to the skillet and brown on all sides until done (about 7-8 minutes depending on how big you cut your pieces). When chicken is done, remove it to a plate and set aside.


Add the onions to the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes and then add the garlic. Cook for a minute more or until you can smell the garlic (you don't want to brown the garlic because it will add a bitter taste to your food). Add the water or stock and return the chicken pieces to the skillet. Cook, stirring, until hot and there is not more water in the skillet.

While you are cooking the chicken, you can start the grits. In a medium saucepan, add the milk, water or chicken stock and salt. Bring it to a boil stirring often to make sure the milk is not burning on the bottom of the pan (Tip: rinse your saucepan in cold water before using it and dump out all of the water but do not wipe it out. This will prevent the milk from sticking). Once it is boiling, slowly add the cornmeal. Using a whisk, mix it into the milk. Once all of the cornmeal is well mixed into the milk, decrease the heat to low and cover with a lid. You must remove the lid and stir frequently (every 3-4 minutes) to keep the grits from sticking to the saucepan. Continue with this process for 20-25 minutes or until it is creamy.


Remove from heat and whisk in pepper and butter. Once the butter is melted, whisk in the cheese a little at a time. Place the grits in a shallow bowl and top with chicken. Enjoy!

Gift Ideas for the Cook in Your Life

Food Fight: A Trivia Game for Serious Food Lovers ($12.89 @ amazon)



Copco Bag Caps ($6)


Salt (Williams Sonoma has Fleur de Sel, Truffle & salt, Finishing Salts collection consisting of Haleakala red, Kilauea black, Australian peach and Cyprus white salts.)


Pampered Chef Rectagular Stoneware ($26.50)


Utensil Pot Clips ($7.00)


A nice bottle of EVOO or balsamic vinegar is always a great gift for a cook! They can be anywhere from $15 to $40 for a good one. Good EVOO is green or dark green in color. For a good balsamic vinegar, look for the certification by the Italian Association of Tasters for Balsamic Vinegar of Modena and make sure it has been aged for at least six years.


Pampered Chef Coating Trays ($21.50)


Pampered Chef Mini Whipper ($3.50)


Microplane Zester...a MUST ($14.95 - available at Bed Bath and Beyond or Williams Sonoma)




Furi Rachael Ray Young Cooks 3-piece knife set ($29.95)