Category: Sauce

Homemade Vodka Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes

Ingredients  

  • 4 Tbsp olive oil 
  • 1½ cups chopped sweet onion (about 1 medium onion)
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
  • 2 Tbsp chopped garlic (4 cloves)
  • Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
  • ¼ cup tomato paste
  • 1 cup vodka (option: ¼ cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio and ¾ cup vodka)
  • 3 pounds fresh roma tomatoes, cored and diced
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • ¾ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Instructions 

  • Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Then add the onions, ¼ cup basil, garlic and crushed red pepper flakes to the pan. Cook until the onions have softened a bit, about 5 mins, stirring occasionally. Cover to help quicken this process.
  • Move onion mixture to one side of pot, then add tomato paste and cook it for about 30 seconds. Add the vodka and stir to loosen and scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot.
  • Add the tomatoes, salt and black pepper, increase the heat to medium, and stir well. Cook, uncovered, until this mixture has turned saucy and reduced by about half. About 10 to 15 mins- then smash tomatoes with a fork. Stir occasionally.
  • Once the tomatoes have reduced, stir in the cream and simmer, uncovered, for about 5 minutes or until the sauce has thickened a bit more.
  • Turn off heat and in cheese.

Pesto

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups fresh basil leaves (no stems)
  • 2 Tbsp pine nuts or walnuts
  • 2 large cloves garlic
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

Combine basil leaves, pine nuts and garlic in a food processor and pulse until very finely minced.

With the machine running slowly dribble in the oil and process until the mixture is smooth.

Add the cheese and process very briefly, just long enough to combine. Store in refrigerator or freezer.

cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/2653-basic-pesto

Cranberry Sauce (Vickie’s recipe)

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 C sugar
  • 1 C water
  • 2 C fresh cranberries
  • 1 3oz pkg raspberry jello
  • 1 20oz can crushed pineapple (drain well)

Combine sugar and water in a saucepan bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolved.
Add cranberries and bring to a boil. Boil 5 – 10 minutes or until cranberry skins pop. Remove from heat add jello stirring 2 minutes or until dissolved. Stir in well drained pineapple. Cover and chill 8 hours.

Yummy Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

  • I large can Italian tomatoes (make sure it’s from Italy)
  • 1 medium onion
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • salt/course pepper
  • chopped basil (fresh or dried)
  • olive oil

Sauté onion and garlic in liberal amount of olive oil. Add tomatoes, basil, pepper and heat for a few minutes (don’t overcook). Put in food processor and run until smooth
salt to taste.

Can be stored in freezer

Matt’s Meat Lasagna

Lasagna Sauce:

  • 1 package of bacon (chopped & cooked)
  • 1 large onion (2.5″ diameter, chopped)
  • 3 cloves of garlic (chopped)
  • 2 large cans of Italian tomatoes
  • 2 egg
  • 1 small can tomato paste
  • 1/2 to 3/4 cup of red wine (to taste)
  • Salt (to taste)
  • Pepper (to taste)
  • Basil (to taste)
  • oregano (to taste)

Layers in Pan:

  • 1 package of sausage (Bob Evans preferred)
  • 1 box lasagna noodles (uncooked)
  • 1 large package of cottage cheese
  • 2 cups parmesan cheese (grated)
  • 5 to 6 cups mozzarella cheese (grated)
  • Lasagna Sauce from above

Directions:

  • add a thin layer of sauce to the bottom of the pan
  • place uncooked noodles in the pan
  • layer with cheese, sausage, sauce, then more uncooked noodles
    • Add lots of sauce & cheese between the layers
    • ~4 to 5 cups sauce, ~2 cups of cheese, ~1.5 cup sausage
    • need to verify amounts used
  • top off with sauce and extra cheese
  • Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake at 325° for 1 hour

Matt’s Veggie Lasagna

Lasagna Sauce:

  • 1 large onion (2.5″ diameter, chopped)
  • 3 cloves of garlic (chopped)
  • 2 large cans of Italian tomatoes
  • 2 eggs (Ok for veg?)
  • 1 small can tomato paste
  • 1/2 to 3/4 cup of red wine (to taste)
  • Salt (to taste)
  • Pepper (to taste)
  • Basil (to taste)
  • oregano (to taste)

Layers in Pan:

  • 1 package of chopped mushrooms, sautéed
  • 1 eggplant, sliced 1/8th thin or diced
  • 3 Zucchini, sliced 1/8th thin or diced
  • 3 squash, sliced 1/8th thin or diced
  • 1 box lasagna noodles (uncooked)
  • 1 large package of cottage cheese
  • 2 cups parmesan cheese (grated)
  • 5 to 6 cups mozzarella cheese (grated)
  • Lasagna Sauce from above

Directions:

  • add a thin layer of sauce to the bottom of the pan
  • place a layer of uncooked noodles in the pan
  • layer with cheese, sauce, veggies, then more uncooked noodles
    • Add lots of sauce & cheese between the layers
    • ~4 to 5 cups sauce, ~2 cups of cheese, veggies
    • need to verify amounts used
  • top off with sauce and extra cheese
  • Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake at 325° for 1 hour