Garlic Scape Pesto

1/4 cup pine nuts
3/4 cup coarsely chopped garlic scapes (or use half scapes and half herbs such as basil, dill, and chevril)
Juice and zest of 1/2 lemon
1/2 tsp salt
A few generous grinds of black pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

1. In a small, dry pan set over very low heat, lightly toast the pine nuts, stirring or tossing occasionally until just beginning to brown, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool for a few minutes.
2. Combine the scapes, pine nuts, lemon juice and zest, salt, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Pulse about 20 times, until fairly well combined. Pour in the olive oil slowly through the feed tube while the motor is running. When the oil is incorporated, transfer the pesto to a bowl and stir in the grated cheese. If you plan to freeze the pesto, wait to add the cheese until after you've defrosted it.

Source: http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2010/06/the-crisper-whisperer-what-to-do-with-garlic-scapes-recipe.html

Homemade Chili Sauce

1 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp vinegar
1/4 tsp allspice or chili powder

Mix together!  Refrigerate until ready to use.

Source: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Chili-Sauce/

Try #1 - August 30, 2014
Perfect for sweet and sour meatballs!

Chicken Souvlaki Marinade

For 2 lbs of chicken:

1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 tsp salt and pepper
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp sage
1/4 tsp savory
1/4 tsp thyme

Source: greek.food.com/recipe/chicken-souvlaki-56768

Try #1 - July 4, 2014
This was an excellent souvlaki recipe.  Nathan used chicken thighs and grilled it on skewers outside.  Very tender and delicious flavor.  Happy birthday, America!

Homemade Barbecue Sauce

2 cups ketchup
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

Add all ingredients to a medium-sized saucepan.  Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, and continue simmering for 15 minutes.  Remove from heat and allow to cool.  Place in an airtight container.  Keeps refrigerated for up to one week.

Source: adapted from http://www.kitchentreaty.com/our-very-favorite-homemade-barbecue-sauce/

Try #1 - July 15, 2014
I made this to pour over some ribs in the crockpot.  Because it was going to be slow cooking for several hours, I didn't bother to simmer it on the stove first, I just whisked it together in a small bowl.  This sauce was super easy, super yummy, and made with ingredients I normally have on hand.  A crowd pleaser for the whole family!

Marinara Sauce

http://www.formerchef.com/2009/09/01/how-to-make-basic-marinara-sauce/

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2012/09/spaghetti-sauce/

http://www.food.com/recipe/slow-cooker-marinara-with-fresh-basil-421371

Don't forget to add some summer squash!

Fresh Tomatillo Salsa

1/2 pound tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and quartered
2 serrano peppers or 1 jalapeño pepper, chopped*
1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup packed cilantro leaves
heaping 1/2 teaspoon salt
squeeze of fresh lime juice**

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and pulse to combine and get juices flowing. Blend on low speed until a coarse puree is formed. Pour into a dish, taste and add more salt or lime if desired. Salsa can be thinned with a bit of water if desired.

Recipe Notes: *This amount of chiles produces a medium-spicy salsa; if you’d like it milder, use only one serrano or half a jalapeño. If you want an extremely mild salsa (no heat), remove seeds from peppers. **The lime juice is entirely optional as the tomatillos will lend their own tartness to the salsa. I like lime with cilantro, so I always use a bit.

Source: http://pinchmysalt.com/fresh-tomatillo-salsa/

Crockpot Apple Butter

Apples (about 14 fit in a 6.5 quart crockpot)
1 Tbsp vanilla
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves

1. Quarter the apples and remove the core (no need to peel).  Put the apples in the crockpot.  Add 1 Tbsp vanilla.  Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
2. When the cooking is done, mash the apples with a fork.  Stir in the cinnamon and cloves.
3. Cover again and cook on low for 6 hours.  Blend with an immersion blender.  If you prefer a chunky butter, you will have to pick out the peel by hand (or peel at the beginning!).

Source: adapted from A Year of Slow Cooking

Try #1 - December 2012
We made this twice this month, with delicious results!  The second time I didn't cook it the full 14 hours (more like 10-12), and it still was fine.  This freezes well too.

Note: If feeding to babies, remove the skins!  Our 7-month old gobbled this up, but paid for it later with a week of constipation...

Blackberry BBQ Sauce

1/2 cup blackberry preserves (or blackberry jam)
1 1/2 cup ketchup
1/8 cup brown sugar
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp mustard powder
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

In a medium bowl, mix together all ingredients. Use to baste pork or beef ribs while grilling.

Try #1 - August 29, 2012
I actually made blackberry jam in order to make blackberry BBQ, because we were roasting a chicken and I wanted something reminiscent of cranberry sauce.  Basically I wanted a sweet accompaniment... and this was good, because it was sweet and tangy!  Very easy to make.

Light Alfredo Sauce

2 cup low-fat milk
1/3 cup (3 oz) low-fat cream cheese
2 Tablespoon flour (can use whole wheat flour)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 Tablespoon butter
1-2 garlic cloves, optional
3/4 to 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Blend milk, cream cheese, flour, and salt in a blender until smooth.
2. In a non-stick sauce pan, melt butter on med-high heat and add garlic. Saute garlic for about 30 seconds.
3. Add milk mixture to the pan. Stir constantly for about 3 or 4 minutes or until it just comes to a boil and thickens. Remove the pan from the heat.
4. Stir cheese in and cover. Let stand for at least 10 minutes or longer to thicken.

Note: Can be frozen in quart-size freezer bags. Thaw frozen sauce completely and reheat leftovers adding 1 tablespoon milk or water to thin.

Source: http://momonamission.me/

Try #1 - December 30, 2011
This was very yummy! Another crowd pleaser. I sauteed some mushrooms at the beginning with the garlic and butter. After the sauce had thickened, I added broccoli and ham, and tossed it with spaghetti. Delicious! I made a little over 1/2 a pound of pasta, and there was about half of the sauce leftover for another meal.

Try #3? - September 5, 2012
Note: This sauce makes enough for about 1 lb of pasta.

Classic Marinara Sauce in Slow Cooker

1/2 lb ground beef
1/4 lb Italian sausage
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 16oz can chopped tomatoes
1 16oz can tomato sauce
10 button mushrooms, chopped
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp basil
1/8 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
hot, cooked spaghetti

1. In a skillet, cook the ground beef, sausage, onion and garlic until the meat is brown and onion is tender; drain off the fat.
2. In a slow cooker, combine the tomatoes, tomato sauce, mushrooms, green pepper, bay leaf, oregano, basil, pepper and salt. Stir in the meat mixture. Cover; cook on Low for 10-12 hours or High for 5-6 hours. Remove bay leaf and serve over spaghetti.

Source: CrockPot Cook Book

Try #1 - September 12, 2011
This was great! I used ground turkey and no mushrooms (forgot to buy them). I've been looking for a go-to pasta sauce recipe, and I think this will be it. Next time I may double or triple the recipe and leave out the meat and then freeze some jars of sauce.

Tzatziki #2

2 English cucumbers
6 cloves garlic, peeled
Salt
2 lbs (4 cups) Greek-style yogurt
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
4 Tbsp olive oil

1. Grate the cucumbers and place in a colander, weighted down with a plate for 15 minutes, so that some of their liquid drains out. Gather up in a some muslin and squeeze any remaining liquid out.
2. Place the garlic cloves and a little salt in a mortar. Crush with the pestle until the garlic is pureed.
3. Put the cucumber, garlic, yogurt, vinegar, and pepper into a food processor. Blend until smooth, slowly adding the oil while the blades are running. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Source: Modern Greek

Try #1 - November 2011
Yummity yum yum yum! I love all things Greek.

Raita

2 cups (1 lb/500g) plain Greek yogurt
1 small English (hothouse) cucumber
1 clove garlic, pressed
1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh mint
1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

1. Spoon Greek yogurt into a bowl.
2. Peel the cucumber, halve lengthwise, and scrape out any seeds with the tip of a small spoon. Grate on the large holes of a box grater or in a food processor fitted with the shredding attachment. Squeeze out the excess water from the cucumber with your hands until almost completely dry. You should have about 1 cup. Add to the yogurt.
3. Add the garlic, mint, cilantro, salt, cumin, and cayenne, if desired, and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to marry, then taste and adjust the seasoning before serving.

Note: This gets better as it sits, so make it a few hours in advance to let the flavors mingle.

Source: Family Meals

Try #1 - March 14, 2011
Yummy! I used Trader Joe's non-fat Greek yogurt. I chilled it in the fridge for a couple of hours before serving with Chickpea Curry. This would go great with any number of curries or Indian-inspired dishes.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

From "Fix-It and Forget-It"

Sauce:
2 Tbsp oil
1/4-1/2 cup chopped onions
3 garlic cloves, minced
29-oz can tomato puree
29-oz can water
12-oz can tomato paste
12-oz can water
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 cup diced green peppers

Meatballs:
1 lb ground beef
1 egg
2 Tbsp water
3/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp oil

1. Saute onions and garlic in oil in saucepan.
2. Combine all sauce ingredients in slow cooker.
3. Cover. Cook on Low.
4. Mix together all meatball ingredients except oil. Form into small meatballs, then brown on all sides in oil in saucepan. Drain on paper towels. Add to sauce.
5. Cover. Cook on Low 4-5 hours.

Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce

From "Fix-It and Forget-It"

1 lb ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
2 14-oz cans diced tomatoes, with juice
6-oz can tomato paste
8-oz can tomato sauce
1 bay leaf
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt
2 tsp dried basil
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2-1 tsp dried thyme

1. Brown meat and onion in saucepan. Drain well. Transfer to slow cooker.
2. Add remaining ingredients.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 7 hours. If the sauce seems too runny, remove lid during last hour of cooking.

Vegetable Spaghetti Sauce

From "Fix-It and Forget-It"

6-7 fresh tomatoes, peeled and crushed
1 medium onion, chopped
2 green peppers, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar
6-oz. can tomato paste, optional

1. Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.
2. Cover. Cook on Low 8-10 hours. If the sauce is too watery for your liking, stir in 6-oz can of tomato paste during the last hour of cooking.
3. Serve over cooked spaghetti or other pasta.

Salad Dressing for Spinach Salad

1 teaspoon fresh minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
3 teaspoons Dijon mustard
3-4 teaspoons honey (or to taste)
6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil, plus
2 tablespoons olive oil
black pepper

1. In a bowl whisk together garlic, salt, Dijon, honey and balsamic vinegar; add in olive oil in a slow steady stream until emulsified.
2. Adjust honey amount adding in more if desired for a sweeter taste, then season with more salt if needed, and black pepper.
3. Chill for a minimum of 2 hours before using.

Source: recipezaar.com

Try #1 - December 2010
Yummy!

Creamy Pesto Sauce

From Whitney's blog

2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 Tbsp butter
4 tsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp flour
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup mozzarella
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
4 Tbsp pesto (or 2 pesto ice cubes)

In pan over medium heat, heat olive oil, butter, garlic and onion until onion is translucent. Add flour, pepper and milk. Reduce head to medium low. Make sure to stir well so there are no flour lumps. Let simmer for 5 minutes until slightly thickened.

Add cheeses, stirring constantly. Add pesto. Let cook 5 minutes.

Serve over pasta with chicken or fish.

Basic White Sauce

From Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook

2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
Dash black pepper
1 1/2 cup milk
Onion, chopped (optional)
Garlic, minced (optional)

1. In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions and garlic, if desired, and saute.
2. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper and cook for about 30 seconds.
3. Stir in milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly.

Tzatziki

From Prevention magazine, April 2010

1 cup plain Greek-style yogurt
1/2 cucumber (grated and squeezed to remove extra liquid)
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp chopped dill or mint or a combination.

Mix together!

Try #1 - June 2010
Delicious!!!

Homemade Pesto

This is quick, easy, and can be frozen.
Toss with pasta, chicken or fish, and some veggies for a delicious meal!

INGREDIENTS
2 cups firmly-packed fresh basil leaves
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup pine nuts

DIRECTIONS
Combine and blend all ingredients in a blender on medium speed about 3 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape sides, until smooth. May be used immediately or frozen. Makes about 1 1/3 cups pesto.