Tasty Kitchen Blog » Laurie – Simply Scratch

Bacon Jam (Ooh Mommy!)

Laurie - Simply Scratch — Mon, 31 Aug 2015 17:00:10 +0000

Did someone say International Bacon Day? You mean that’s just one special day and not every single pork-loving day? Celebrate with this blast from the past: Bacon Jam. It’s spreadable bacon, friends. Yes. We know. You’re welcome.

From the very second my eyes laid upon Rebecca’s recipe for Bacon Jam aka “Ooh Mommy” Jam, I was extremely curious and extremely hungry. Over a few days I found myself always coming back to her recipe wondering what it could possibly taste like. Is it an overly sweet jam with chunks of chewy bacon? Is a savory jam that would work slathered on cornbread or smeared on toast with a fried egg on top?

So I told myself to get on with it and make it already, and I’m so glad I did. In Rebecca’s recipe, bacon is slowly cooked with onions and garlic in a delicious concoction of coffee, maple syrup and brown sugar with some tang from cider vinegar until the sauce is thick and the bacon and onions melt in your mouth (just be careful not to burn your tongue when taste testing). After it’s quickly blitzed in a food processor, it’s ready to be served or spread!

The recipe calls for onions, garlic, brown sugar, maple syrup, cider vinegar, pepper, some strong coffee, and of course, bacon. Three whopping pounds of bacon will be needed. It sounds like a lot but this makes a lot of jam!

With a sharp knife, slice the bacon into one-inch pieces.

In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook the bacon in its own drippings until crispy and fully cooked.

In the meantime, thinly slice up the four onions. Rebecca’s recipe calls for yellow onions, but I had a big sack of sweet onions so I used those instead. But either type of onions will work in this recipe.

Smash and peel eight cloves and garlic. Lots of garlic equals lots of flavor!

Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon once it’s golden.

Drain it on a plate lined with paper towel.

Spoon most of the bacon fat into a heat-safe container with a tight-fitting lid and once the drippings have cooled, store it in the fridge. To quote Rebecca, “That’s too much flavor to trash!” Agreed!

After most of the bacon fat has been removed, place the Dutch oven back over medium-high heat and add in the sliced onions and smashed garlic. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook low and slow, stirring occasionally.

You’ll want to continue to cook the onions down until they are pretty translucent and soft. While that was going on, I made the glorious cooking liquids.

In a large bowl measure and add in the cup of brown sugar.

Pour in a cup and a half of strong coffee.

Then the cup of cider vinegar.

Measure and add in the 1/2 cup of pure maple syrup. This is the real-deal PURE maple syrup kind, so please none of that artificial stuff!

Season with a teaspoon of black pepper. And that’s it!

Give it a good stir to get the maple syrup and brown sugar mixed well together.

And then just pour it over the onions and garlic and give it a good stir as well.

Then I just brought the mixture up to a hard boil for about two to four minutes before adding in the bacon.

Then I reduced the heat down to low to simmer, with the lid off, until the sauce was thick and the onions started melting. It takes a good hour to an hour and a half for this all to happen. But my house filled with a smell I can only describe as a bacon-y barbecue smell which I hope heaven will smell like.

When all is said and done and the liquid has reduced, this is what it should look like. Fabulous! I could’ve stopped here and ate it all by spoonful.

But instead I added it all into my food processor, placed the lid on tight, and pulsed it until it resembled jam.

You could keep going for a smoother consistency but I like texture. So I stopped right here.

After it cooled, I stored it in jars in my fridge.

And sometimes I sneak and take a spoonful out at night. But that’s our secret, k?

My favorite way to eat bacon jam (besides by the spoonful) is to heat a little up and spread it over whole grain toast with a fried egg (over medium) on top. Oh, it’s to die for! Really, my life is forever changed!

A big ‘Thank you’ to Rebecca for sharing this recipe with all of us here on Tasty Kitchen. With over a hundred recipes on TK alone, Rebecca has even more amazing stuff on her blog Foodie with Family. So be sure to stop by her TK recipe box and her website to check it all out! I promise you won’t be disappointed.

This jam also makes for an excellent gift, so go on and share the deliciousness!

Also check out these versions of bacon jam, like Beer & Bacon Jam by Jackie Dodd or, for a spicy version, try Dax Phillip’s Bacon Jam! You can also check out cookincanuck’s TK Blog post where she makes fellow contributor patiodaddio’s amazing Onion and Bacon Marmalade. All of these are on my list to try as well!

Printable Recipe

Bacon Jam (a.k.a. Ooh Mommy! Jam)

by Rebecca on January 17, 2011 in Homemade Ingredients

See post on Rebecca’s site!

4.46 Mitt(s) 13 Rating(s)

Description

Salty, sweet, meaty, and pure umami (or “Ooh Mommy!”), this is going to make you rethink breakfast. Smoky with bacon flavor, tinged with coffee and maple syrup, this spread transforms toast or sandwiches with very little effort.

Ingredients

3 pounds Bacon
4 whole Large Yellow Onions, Peeled And Thinly Sliced
8 cloves Garlic, Smashed And Peeled
1 cup Cider Vinegar
1 cup Packed Light Brown Sugar
1-½ cup Very Strong Brewed Black Coffee
½ cups Pure Maple Syrup
1 teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Preparation Instructions

Cut the bacon slices into 1-inch strips. Add the bacon to a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook the bacon, stirring frequently, until the bacon is browned. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper-towel lined plate. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon drippings into a heat-proof jar with a tight-fitting lid. (Save the bacon drippings in the refrigerator. That’s too much flavor to trash!)

Place the Dutch oven back over the medium-high heat and add the onions and garlic. Stir well and reduce heat to medium. Continue to cook for about 8 minutes, or until the onions are mostly translucent. Add the remaining ingredients, stir well, and drop heat again, this time to low.

Bring to a boil, stirring frequently, and boil hard for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, stir the browned bacon into the onions and liquid.

Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally to make sure things aren’t sticking, adding 1/4 cup of water if it seems to be drying out. When the onions are meltingly soft and the liquid is thick and syrupy, remove the Dutch oven from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes.

Transfer the contents of the Dutch oven to the work bowl of a food processor that has been fitted with a blade. Fit the lid in place and pulse several times or until the bacon jam is a spreadable consistency. Scrape into a jar (or jars) or a container with a tight fitting lid. Store in the refrigerator for up to one month.

Can be served cold, room temperature or warmed.

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Laurie is the force behind Simply Scratch, a blog that documents her efforts to find and create recipes that are made simply from scratch. (We think it’s sweet that her mother-in-law helped her set up her blog and get started.) We love her recipes; they’re not just tried and true, but they look gorgeous as well. Check out her blog and you’ll become a fan too.

Orecchiette Bolognese

Laurie - Simply Scratch — Wed, 15 Jan 2014 14:36:20 +0000

Chilly evenings, to me, call for a big pot of Bolognese bubbling away on the stove.

As soon as the cold weather sets in, there isn’t anything I crave more than this Orecchiette Bolognese. Maybe it’s the different meats and spices, maybe it’s the wine, or all of the above? I’m not quite sure but I’m pretty certain I give a little sigh after each and every bite I take.

Fact: This is the fourth time I’ve made Nam’s recipe. Yes, fourth! Nam posted this recipe a while back and it has been in my recipe repertoire ever since. And after the third time of making this amazing sauce it dawned on me that maybe I should share it with all of you here on the Tasty Kitchen Blog because honestly, it’s way too good not to!

The base to any Bolognese is the mirepoix or the combination of celery, onions and carrots. And from thereon out you build and layer ingredients, simmer and layer some more to create the magnificent flavors of this Bolognese sauce. Then the sauce simmers until your nostrils can no longer stand the fabulous aroma and you simply need to have a big bowl of pasta ASAP.

So grab your celery, carrots, onion and garlic. Use a sharp knife to dice them pretty fine.

Add a little olive oil to a 4 to 5-quart Dutch oven and add the minced vegetables and garlic to the pot.

Sauté until the vegetables are soft, stirring occasionally. Measure and add in the red pepper flakes and continue to cook for an additional minute.

Now add in both the ground beef and veal and use a wooden spoon to break up the meat into small pieces.

Once the meat is fully cooked, add in the fresh thyme, bay leaf and tomato paste.

Stir to combine and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Now add in the heavy cream (or whole milk) and let it simmer until the cream has evaporated, about 10 minutes.

Once that is done, add in the wine. Just like the heavy cream, let it simmer until evaporated, about 10 more minutes.

Next add in the crushed tomatoes and their juices.

Stir and bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce to the lowest setting and simmer for 2-1/2 hours, stirring every 20 minutes or so. In the last half hour is when I like to bring a large pot of water to a boil, season with kosher salt and make the pasta as directed on the package. My rule of thumb: the sauce can always wait for the pasta and not the other way around. So I make sure the pasta sauce is pretty much done before starting on the orecchiette.

I quickly check the Bolognese sauce and season with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste.

Remove the bay leaves before combining the sauce with the cooked and drained orecchiette.

Simply serve with minced parsley and, in my case, lots of fresh grated Parmesan cheese!

I’m so excited to feature this recipe on the Tasty Kitchen Blog. It’s my go-to Bolognese because it’s so simple and straight-forward. Oh, and it’s pretty darn delicious, too! This also freezes beautifully so you can definitely make a double batch and freeze it for a quick and cozy dinner on a busy weeknight. The wine is subtle, but the sauce has so many flavors going on and will have you licking your bowl. Trust me on this.

Be sure you check out Nam’s blog The Culinary Chronicles and browse through her well-established TK recipe box. She’s has a plethora of delicious recipes to choose from!

Thank you Nam for this gem of a recipe. It definitely is a much-loved recipe in our home—and many others, I’m sure!

Printable Recipe

Orecchiette Bolognese

by Nam | The Culinary Chronicles on December 14, 2011 in Main Courses, Pasta

See post on Nam | The Culinary Chronicles’s site!

5.00 Mitt(s) 6 Rating(s)

Description

Orecchiette Bolognese, rich and meaty and deliciously tummy-warming.

Ingredients

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 cup White Onion, Finely Minced
1 cup Carrots, Finely Minced
1 cup Celery, Finely Minced
1 Tablespoon Fresh Garlic, Finely Minced
½ teaspoons Dried Red Chili Flakes (or Less Depending On Your Heat Preference)
1 pound Ground Beef
½ pounds Ground Veal
1 Tablespoon Fresh Thyme Leaves
2 whole Bay Leaves
2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
1 cup Milk Or Cream
1 cup Dry Red Wine
1 can (28 Oz. Size) Crushed Tomatoes
Kosher Salt And Black Pepper To Taste
1 pound Orecchiette Pasta, Cooked Al Dente
Grated Parmesan Cheese
Fresh Italian Parsley, Chopped

Preparation Instructions

Heat olive oil in a large heavy pot. Add onions, carrots, celery, and garlic. Saute until softened but not browned. Add chili flakes and sauté for an additional minute. Add beef, veal, and ½ teaspoon of kosher salt. Use a wooden spoon to crumble the meat and break into small pieces. Once the meat is no longer pink, add thyme and bay leaves. Add tomato paste and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.

Add the milk and bring to a simmer. Continue simmering until all the milk has evaporated and only clear juices remain, about 10 minutes. Add the wine and bring to a simmer. Continue simmering until all the wine has evaporated, about 10 minutes.

Add tomatoes with their juices and bring to a boil, then place the heat at the lowest setting. Continue on this very low simmer for 2 – 2 ½ hours, stirring every 20 minutes until you get a rich, thick meaty sauce. Check for seasonings and add kosher salt and pepper accordingly.

Toss the cooked orecchiette in the bolognese sauce and serve topped with parmesan cheese. Garnish with Italian parsley and enjoy!

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Breakfast BLT

Laurie - Simply Scratch — Mon, 09 Sep 2013 14:05:18 +0000

I love a breakfast/lunch crossover recipe: waffles flecked with bacon and cheddar, spicy chorizo breakfast burritos, and now I’m currently crushing on Riley’s recipe for a Breakfast BLT. When I first saw her recipe, I was completely and utterly smitten.

BLT sandwiches are the ace in my back pocket when I need to make a meal and fast. And to have my beloved go-to, quickie-dish for breakfast? Who would’ve thought? Not this girl.

The ingredients are pretty unassuming. But you just wait and see, these stack up to be a mighty splendid breakfast.

Start by slicing the tomatoes in half and drizzling them with some olive oil.

Sprinkle with some kosher salt and black pepper. Strip the leaves off of a few sprigs of fresh thyme and sprinkle the thyme leaves over the tomatoes.

Roast in a preheated 400ºF oven for 25-30 minutes. The aroma of these roasting tomatoes is like no other smell. Amazing.

While the tomatoes were roasting, I started crisping up a few strips of thick cut bacon. I prefer applewood bacon, but if you can get your mitts on pecanwood, do it!

Remove and drain the crispy bacon on a paper-towel-lined plate.

Toast your English muffins.

Lastly, fry the eggs. I fried my eggs right in the same pan with the leftover bacon renderings. Cook the eggs how you prefer them; I like my yolk on the runny side but you do what you like. Season with salt and pepper or your favorite season salt.

Now it’s time to start stacking. Pile some of the peppery arugula on a toasted English muffin half. The arugula is the ‘L’ in this BLT, and I totally dig it.

Top with a few strips of crispy bacon.

And then lay down the oven-roasted tomato. In Riley’s recipe, she stacks two tomatoes, but mine were pretty thick so I just used one.

Top with the fried egg. You totally see where this is going, right?

Sprinkle with a little chopped fresh parsley leaves, grab your fork and knife, and dig in. The flavors work so well with one another. The peppery arugula mixed with the sweet roasted tomato and the creamy, buttery egg yolk that beautifully cascades down the whole majestic breakfast stack as you cut into it … it’s absolutely delectable.

Can you tell I love this? It’s a stick-to-your-ribs kind of breakfast and you will no doubt want to lick your plate afterwards. I may or may not have. I’ll never tell.

Thank you Riley for this simple, rustic and hearty breakfast. This recipe is a definitely a keeper and will no doubt be a staple in our home.

You guys go on now—roast those tomatoes and start cooking some bacon because I see breakfast BLTs in your future! While you’re at it, stop by Riley’s blog, My Daily Morsel and feast your eyes on all the deliciousness she’s serving up. FYI: I spotted fried cherry pies!

Printable Recipe

Breakfast BLT

by Riley - My Daily Morsel on July 1, 2013 in Breakfast

See post on Riley - My Daily Morsel’s site!

0.00 Mitt(s) 0 Rating(s)

Description

Toasty English muffins topped with oven-roasted tomatoes, bacon and a fried egg.

Ingredients

4 whole Roma Tomatoes, Cut In Half Lengthwise
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 teaspoon Chopped Thyme Leaves
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
½ teaspoons Freshly Ground Black Pepper
6 slices Thick-cut Bacon, Cut In Half Crosswise
4 whole Eggs
2 whole English Muffins, Split And Toasted
1 cup Baby Arugula Leaves
2 Tablespoons Chopped Flat Leaf Parsley

Preparation Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Arrange the tomatoes, cut side up, on a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil, sprinkle with the thyme, and season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, until the tomatoes are very tender and shrunken. Remove pan from oven and set aside.

2. Place a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook for about 6 minutes, until golden brown and crispy on both sides. Transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain, reserving the bacon grease.

3. Heat 2 teaspoons of bacon grease in a medium skillet over medium heat. Crack 2 of the eggs into the pan, season with salt and pepper, and cook to desired doneness, anywhere from 2 to 5 minutes. Remove cooked egg to a plate. Cook the remaining eggs in another 2 teaspoons of bacon grease.

4. To assemble, place a half of a toasted English muffin on 4 plates. Top each with some arugula, three slices of bacon, two pieces of roasted tomato and a fried egg. Sprinkle the parsley over the top and serve.

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Crunchy Cashew Thai Quinoa Salad with Ginger Peanut Dressing

Laurie - Simply Scratch — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:12:38 +0000

This salad is many things. It’s colorful, it’s healthy and it has one of my favorite ingredients: quinoa. For me, quinoa is a lot like brown rice in taste and texture, so it works splendidly in this salad and especially with soaking up all those amazing Thai flavors.

When Monique posted this recipe for Crunchy Cashew Thai Quinoa Salad with Ginger Peanut Dressing on Tasty Kitchen, I found myself drooling all over my keyboard. With that said, I knew right away I was going to make it and it was going to be all kinds of amazing. A salad that can be served as wholesome vegetarian main dish or as a side to jazz up any main course is more than alright in my book. So if you’re like me and always on a hunt for a good quinoa recipe, you better stop and try this recipe. I promise you’ll be glad you did.

I just love when a recipe contains a rainbow of vegetables. It truly makes for a colorful and enticing salad, no? This salad is loaded with red bell peppers, purple cabbage, carrots and green onions just to name a few, and the ginger peanut dressing is as amazing as it sounds.

To make the quinoa, start by bringing 1 1/2 cups of water to a boil in a sauce pan.

While you’re waiting for that to happen, rinse and drain 3/4 cup of uncooked quinoa.

Add the rinsed quinoa to the boiling water, cover and reduce the heat to low and let simmer for 15 minutes or until the quinoa has absorbed every last drop of water.

While the quinoa is cooking away on the stove, it’s a great idea to get started on the dressing. Start by combining 1/4 cup of peanut butter with a tablespoon of honey. Pop it into the microwave for about 20 seconds to warm it slightly so it’s easier to stir.

Measure and add in the 3 tablespoons of soy (I used gluten-free tamari), 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar and a teaspoon of sesame oil.

Grate in 2 teaspoons of peeled fresh ginger root into the bowl with the peanut butter and honey.

Lastly, add in a teaspoon of olive oil.

Give it a good stir to incorporate all those flavorful ingredients and set it off to the side for a quick second.

Once the quinoa is cooked, fluff with a fork and transfer it to a large bowl.

Pour in the ginger peanut dressing.

Add in the chopped red bell pepper, red onion, purple cabbage and cilantro.

Toss all those together until coated with dressing.

Simply garnish with a few cashew halves (peanuts work too!), then scatter a few green onions over top and a squeeze or two of fresh lime.

This salad is fresh, light and has so much textural deliciousness. I could really just live on this salad alone and be quite alright with it. I loved it, and I know you’ll love it—it’s a total win-win situation!

There’s more where this came from, so please be sure to check out Monique’s recipe box here on Tasty Kitchen—and visit Monique’s blog Ambitious Kitchen, where she cooks and bakes up just about anything your heart (and stomach) could ever want, like whole wheat coconut banana waffles with chocolate chips and roasted almonds. And she captures all of it with beautiful photography.

Thank you Monique for sharing this healthy and flavor-packed salad!

Printable Recipe

Crunchy Cashew Thai Quinoa Salad with Ginger Peanut Dressing

by Monique of Ambitious Kitchen on April 14, 2013 in Special Dietary Needs, Vegetarian

See post on Monique of Ambitious Kitchen’s site!

4.96 Mitt(s) 23 Rating(s)

Description

Delicious vegan (and easily made gluten free) salad with Thai flavors and a perfect crunch. It’s even better the next day!

Ingredients

FOR THE SALAD:
1-½ cup Water
¾ cups Uncooked Quinoa
1 Red Bell Pepper, Stem And Seeds Removed, Then Diced
½ Red Onion, Diced
1 cup Shredded Red Cabbage
1 cup Shredded Carrots
½ cups Chopped Cilantro
½ cups Cashew Halves Or Peanuts, (honey Roasted Is Good)
¼ cups Diced Green Onions
Fresh Lime, For A Bit Of Tang
FOR THE DRESSING:
¼ cups All Natural Peanut Butter
1 Tablespoon Honey (use Agave If Vegan)
2 teaspoons Freshly Grated Ginger
3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce, Gluten-free If Desired
1 Tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar
1 teaspoon Sesame Oil
1 teaspoon Olive Oil
Water To Thin, If Necessary

Preparation Instructions

To cook quinoa: Rinse quinoa with cold water in a mesh strainer. In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add in quinoa and bring mixture to a boil. Cover the pan, reduce heat to low and let it simmer for 15 minutes or until quinoa has absorbed all of the water.

Remove pan from heat and fluff quinoa with fork. Place in a large bowl and set aside to cool for about 10 minutes. You should have a little over 2 cups of quinoa.

To make dressing: Add peanut butter and honey or agave into a medium-sized microwave safe bowl. Heat in the microwave for 20 seconds. Add in ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, and both sesame and olive oil and stir until mixture is smooth and creamy. If you want a thinner dressing, simply stir in a teaspoon or two of water or olive oil.

Add as much or as little dressing as you’d like to the quinoa. I always start out with a little bit of dressing and usually add more to suit my taste preferences. Alternatively you can save the dressing for later and add when you are ready to eat; however the flavors of the dressing usually soak into the salad so I love adding it to the quinoa first.

Next fold the red pepper, onion, cabbage, carrots, and cilantro into the quinoa. Garnish with cashews and green onions. Serve chilled or at room temperature with lime wedges if desired.

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Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Blondies

Laurie - Simply Scratch — Thu, 30 May 2013 13:02:07 +0000

So what if I told you this was my first go at blondies? It’s true! Not a day in my thirty-something years on earth have I ever had a blondie until the other day. Truly it was only a matter of time, and when my eyes locked on Sharon’s recipe for Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Blondies I knew that it was time for me to take the plunge.

If you’re like me and new to the blondie scene, then there’s no better way to start your journey off right then with a decadent and amazing recipe such as this. Sharon adapted this recipe from Clementine, a bakery/cafe in LA, and shared it with us back in 2011—and I’m so glad she did. You guys have to make these. You’ll know what I mean once you take your first bite, as they’re simply amazing!

For these bars you’ll need just some basic pantry ingredients: flour, brown sugar, vanilla, baking powder, eggs, butter, salt, and of course… what blondie is complete without chocolate chips and nuts? Sharon’s recipe called for walnuts, but since I didn’t have any I substituted almonds and they worked out perfectly! And never mind the second stick of butter you see. I was getting it out for something entirely different and somehow it ended up in this shot.

Start by buttering a 9×13 baking dish, making sure to get every nook and cranny.

Then in a medium bowl measure 1-3/4 cups of all purpose flour …

And I also added in 2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder.

Measure and add in 2 teaspoons of salt (I used kosher).

And gently whisk those together and set the bowl off to the side for a moment.

In a small skillet add the 10 tablespoons of butter.

Slowly melt over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once it reaches a dark amber, color pull it off the heat to cool slightly.

In the bowl of your stand mixer, add in the 2-1/4 cups of brown sugar, the browned butter and a teaspoon of real vanilla extract.

Blend those together until combined.

Slowly add in one egg at a time, mixing well after each one.

Now it’s time to add in the dry ingredients.

Gradually add in the flour mixture, mixing after each spoonful.

Stop once all of the flour has been incorporated.

I gave a half cup of almonds a rough chop. They added a deliciously crunchy texture to these bars, which is never a bad thing. However if you have a nut allergy, simply omit this step.

Add the chopped almonds along with 1-1/4 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips to the blondie batter.

Then give it a good stir by hand until combined.

Pour and spread evenly into the prepared baking dish and bake at 325ºF for 20-25 minutes.

Let these bars cool completely before cutting into squares and serving.

Grab yourself a fork and a tall glass of milk. (The fork is of course optional.)

These blondie bars are quite easy to whip up and yield a chewy, buttery bar. What I love the most is that they have this rich taste of butterscotch about them, without there being an ounce of it in the recipe! They’re incredible and I just know you all are going to love them.

Thank you Sharon for sharing these fantastic bars with us on Tasty Kitchen!

You guys, Sharon has many more creative and delicious recipes right here in her TK recipe box, like Boozy Bacon Brown Butter Oatmeal Raisin Bars or Cara Cara Orange Sorbet! Be sure to also check out her lovely blog Cheesy Pennies for even more amazing recipes.

Printable Recipe

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Blondies

by Cheesy Pennies on August 11, 2011 in Brownies and Bars, Desserts

See post on Cheesy Pennies’s site!

5.00 Mitt(s) 5 Rating(s)

Description

These are exactly what a great blondie should be: sweet, chewy, buttery and full of caramel flavor, with the perfect hit of salt to balance everything out.

Ingredients

1-¾ cup Flour
2-½ teaspoons Baking Powder
2 teaspoons Scant Kosher Salt
10 Tablespoons Butter
2-¼ cups Brown Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla
2 whole Eggs
1-¼ cup Chopped, Toasted Walnuts (optional)
1-¼ cup Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips (optional)

Preparation Instructions

The best blondies I’ve ever eaten. As they bake, this smooth little crust forms on top that just melts in your mouth. Awesome! This is an adaptation of a recipe from Clementine, a bakery/restaurant here in LA.

Butter a 13×9 pan and preheat oven to 325ºF.

In a small bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt together, and set aside.

Place butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. After the butter melts, continue cooking for 5-8 minutes, stirring frequently. It may foam up, which is fine. Watch carefully, as your goal is to see the milk solids and salt in the butter begin to turn brown, but you don’t want to have them burn. If they do, the butter will have a very bitter taste. When the butter is a light tan/golden color and begins to smell toasty, immediately remove from heat.

Place brown sugar into a large mixing bowl, then pour in the browned butter and vanilla. Mix on medium speed with an electric mixer until combined. Blend in the eggs. Add the dry ingredients, mixing on low speed until dough is smooth and a little bit shiny. Fold in the nuts/chocolate chips by hand.

Spread dough evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 25 minutes, or until top is puffed, smooth, and light brown. When you remove the pan from the oven, the top may collapse. This is perfectly fine; it means your blondies will be dense and chewy, just as they should be.

Cool for at least 20 minutes, then serve.

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White Cheese and Chicken Lasagna

Laurie - Simply Scratch — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 11:00:20 +0000

I’m a complete and utterly in love with all forms of lasagna. There’s just something about those layers of cheese, noodles and sauce that I can’t help but get weak in the knees over. So you probably can understand why I was instantly intrigued when I found Anna and Chelsea’s recipe for a White Cheese and Chicken Lasagna.

Chicken, cheese, spinach and as if there wasn’t already an abundance of cheese here, there’s also a white cheese sauce! I know! You might want to break open a bottle of wine, slip on some comfy pants because it’s about to get rich and cheesy up in here.

To make this lasagna happen, all you need is chicken (I used rotisserie chicken and it was fabulously easy), lasagna noodles, frozen spinach (thawed and squeezed dry), butter, milk, chicken broth, onion, garlic, flour, salt and pepper, dried oregano and basil, fresh parsley, ricotta, Parmesan and mozzarella cheese.

Start by bringing a large pot of water to a boil. Season it generously with sea salt and drop in the entire package of noodles. Even though you only need 9 noodles, sometimes they crack or split while they’re boiling, so I just make them all to be on the safe side. Cook the noodles for 8-10 minutes, then drain and rinse with cold water.

Next get some prep out of the way and chop up a medium onion, mince the garlic clove and give a small handful of parsley a good, rough chop.

In a medium bowl, combine the chicken and the ricotta. This step wasn’t listed in the recipe directions, but I found it to be much easier to spread the mixture out over the noodles. Plus my husband isn’t a huge fan of big clumps of ricotta, and this solved that.

In a good-sized sauce pot, melt a stick of butter.

Add in the onions and garlic, cook until the onions are soft and translucent. This is my most favorite smell in the entire universe.

Now you can stir in the flour and salt. Keep stirring until it’s nice and bubbly.

Gradually whisk in the broth and the milk and stir constantly for one minute until smooth.

Lastly, add in the 2 cups of mozzarella, 1/2 cup of Parmesan, 1 teaspoon of both dried basil and oregano, then season with 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. Once stirred and the cheese has melted, immediately remove the sauce from the heat.

Spread 1/3 of the cheesy sauce on the bottom of a lasagna pan or 13×9 baking dish.

Layer 3 noodles over the sauce.

Top with the chicken and ricotta mixture and spread evenly.

Top with three more lasagna noodles.

Drizzle with 1/4 of the remaining sauce and evenly sprinkle with all of the thawed spinach.

Sprinkle with a 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese, the remaining 2 cups of mozzarella, add the last three lasagna noodles and pour all of the remaining sauce over top.

Sprinkle with the tablespoon or so of chopped parsley and the remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake this in a preheated 350ºF oven for 35-40 minutes.

The lasagna is done when it’s all golden and bubbly. I flicked on the broiler to get some of that cheese crispy and golden, but that’s totally optional. Let the lasagna stand for 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

This time of year, it’s cold and blustery in most parts, so serving lasagna on a winter night with a nice crisp Caesar salad and thick slices of garlic bread is total comfort food to the max. You guys are really going to dig this. And those crispy bits? Amazing!

Anna and Chelsea are two beautiful sisters that joined forces to create their cozy and eclectic blog Hidden Ponies. Stop by their site for anything your heart may desire—like a few (or 20) Homemade Almond Joys, or maybe Churros perhaps? You can also find a lot of their recipes right here in their TK recipe box.

Thanks for the great recipe, ladies!

Printable Recipe

White Cheese & Chicken Lasagna

by Anna (Hidden Ponies) on January 14, 2012 in Casseroles, Main Courses

See post on Anna (Hidden Ponies)’s site!

5.00 Mitt(s) 13 Rating(s)

Description

Creamy, cheesy, belly-pleasy—comfort food at its finest.

Ingredients

9 whole Lasagna Noodles (not Oven-ready)
½ cups Butter
1 whole Onion, Chopped
1 clove Garlic, Minced
½ cups All-purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Salt
2 cups Chicken Broth
1-½ cup Milk
4 cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, Divided
1 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese, Divided, Plus Additional 1/4 Cup For Topping (optional)
1 teaspoon Each, Dried Basil And Oregano
½ teaspoons Ground Pepper
2 cups Ricotta Cheese
2 cups Cooked, Cubed Chicken
1 package (10 Oz. Size) Frozen Chopped Spinach, Thawed And Drained
1 Tablespoon Chopped Fresh Parsley

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8-10 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook the onion and garlic in the butter until tender, stirring frequently. Stir in flour and salt; simmer until bubbly.

Mix in the broth and milk, and boil, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Stir in 2 cups of mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan. Season with basil, oregano and ground black pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.

Spread 1/3 of the sauce mixture on the bottom of the 9×13 inch baking dish. Layer with 1/3 of the noodles, and all of the ricotta and the chicken. Arrange 1/3 of the noodles over the chicken and layer with 1/4 of the sauce mixture, the spinach, and the remaining 2 cups of mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.

Arrange remaining noodles over cheese and spread remaining sauce evenly over noodles. Sprinkle with parsley and additional 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (optional).

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

Enjoy!

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Eggnog Pancakes

Laurie - Simply Scratch — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 11:00:08 +0000

Right about now is when we all start to see neighbors hanging Christmas Lights outside, long checkout lines at Target, and grocery stores stocking up on cartons of eggnog. As many of you know, eggnog is a thick, rich and delicious drink that’s commonly (but not always) spiked with bourbon, rum or brandy and then garnished with a little sprinkle of grated nutmeg on top. A classic beverage that has always been just a beverage—until it was made into pancakes.

What made me fall head first in love with TK member Kita’s recipe for Eggnog Pancakes was that not only did she spike her pancakes with eggnog, but she also spiked the maple syrup with eggnog! So if you’re planning to make Erica’s Homemade Eggnog from the previous post, you might want to whip up enough to make these amazing holiday breakfast treats. These pancakes have all the characteristics of the classic drink, resulting in light and fluffy pancakes that are simply amazing.

To make these fantastically light and fluffy pancakes you’ll need: flour, salt, baking powder, nutmeg, eggs, eggnog, melted butter and syrup.

Start by adding 2 cups of all purpose flour into a medium bowl.

Measure and add in the 4 teaspoons of baking powder. This helps the pancakes achieve their fluffiness.

Add in the half teaspoon of salt.

Then lastly, grate in 1/4 teaspoon of fresh nutmeg.

Give all that a good stir or whisk before scooting it off to the side.

In a large bowl, crack two large eggs.

Then with a wire whisk, beat them up a bit.

Now measure out a cup and a half of eggnog.

Pour the eggnog into the bowl with the beaten eggs. Hmmm. I wonder what would happen if you in fact did spike these with bourbon?

Add in the two tablespoons of melted butter.

Whisk those ingredients until combined.

Add in the dry ingredients and fold them in until there are no longer any large clumps. Be careful not to over-mix.

Meanwhile, preheat your griddle or large skillet. My griddle has a special setting just for pancakes which is 375ºF, so adjust your stove or griddle accordingly. I also lightly greased my griddle so the pancakes wouldn’t stick.

While my griddle was preheating, I made Kita’s syrup. It’s super simple, just a half cup of real maple syrup and two tablespoons of eggnog. Yup, I can’t even begin to tell you how delicious this is.

Now that the griddle is preheated, you’ll want to measure out 1/4 cup of the pancake batter.

And slowly pour it onto the griddle, spacing each pancake an inch apart.

Once the bottoms are golden and the air bubbles in the center pop and no longer re-fill, it’s time to flip. Once they are cooked, I keep the pancakes warm on a rimmed baking sheet in a 200ºF oven. This will keep them all nice and toasty while you make the remainder of the pancakes.

Now all that’s left to do is stack, top with butter and drizzle on that amazing syrup!

I added a little pomegranate seeds on mine for color and tartness, but that’s totally optional.

These pancakes are not only light and fluffy but they taste wonderfully of eggnog, which will get you all excited for the upcoming holidays. I promise you these eggnog pancakes are amazing. They’re as fool-proof as they are scrumptious and will definitely make for an excellent satisfying breakfast.

A huge ‘thank you’ to Kita for sharing this delicious pancake recipe with us. For more of Kita’s wonderful and inventive recipes and her beautiful photography, check out her blog Pass the Sushi. You can also find them right here in her Tasty Kitchen recipe box.

Printable Recipe

Eggnog Pancakes

by passthesushi on December 29, 2011 in Breakfast, Pancakes

See post on passthesushi’s site!

5.00 Mitt(s) 2 Rating(s)

Description

Eggnog pancakes to make any morning feel like the holidays.

Ingredients

2 cups Flour
4 teaspoons Baking Powder
½ teaspoons Salt
¼ teaspoons Freshly Grated Nutmeg
2 whole Eggs
1-½ cup Eggnog, Plus 2 Tablespoons, Divided
2 Tablespoons Butter, Melted, Plus More Butter To Serve
½ cups Syrup

Preparation Instructions

Preheat a griddle to medium-high heat or get a skillet and start warming it over medium-high heat.

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. Set aside.

In another bowl, beat eggs, 1 1/2 cups eggnog and butter. Fold in the dry ingredients just until moistened and no large lumps remain. Don’t overmix the batter.

Spray your pre-heated griddle or skillet with cooking spray. Pour batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto the griddle. Turn over the pancakes when bubbles form on top and they turn light golden brown around the edges and bottom. Flip once and cook until the other side is golden brown, 3-4 minutes.

Whisk syrup and remaining 2 tablespoons eggnog together and pour over hot pancakes along with additional butter.

Adapted from Allrecipes.com.

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Nutella Pecan Pie

Laurie - Simply Scratch — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 11:00:36 +0000

It’s pie season. (Then again, when is it ever NOT pie season?) And this, my friends, is one extremely special pecan pie.

Thanks to Megan for sharing her recipe for Nutella Pecan Pie, because I have officially died and gone to heaven. Get this: Nutella is spread on the bottom of a homemade, pre-baked pie crust before adding in the gooey pecan filling and then baking it to perfection. It’s an absolutely brilliant idea, if you ask me.

I’ve had my eye on this recipe since she posted it last year around Thanksgiving. However, this pie doesn’t need a holiday in order to be made. Make it for a friend, or because it’s Saturday, or because you just need to eat a really good pie. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

The ingredient list isn’t too long either, which I like.

Start with the pie crust. Add the flour and salt into the bowl (fitted with the blade) of a food processor. Give it a quick pulse to combine the ingredients. Then add in the chilled butter and pulse it some more until you see little beads of floury-butter. Then with the food processor on high, slowly drizzle in ice cold water.

For me, I only need three tablespoons of water and not the four.

Stop immediately once the big ball of dough forms.

Then divide the dough in half, wrap it in plastic wrap and pop them into the fridge to chill for 30 minutes. You’ll only need one of these discs, so freezing the other half for another recipe down the road is a good idea.

Then, on a lightly floured surface, roll it out so it is large enough to fit a 9-inch pie plate.

Drape the dough over the pie plate, gently pressing it into the sides. Then cover the dough with tin foil and fill the foil with pie weights (dried beans work well here too!).

Chill the pie crust again for 20 more minutes before sliding the pie crust into a preheated 375ºF oven for 25 minutes. When the time is up, immediately remove the crust and decrease the oven temperature to 275ºF.

With the pie shell still warm on the counter, make the pecan filling. Start by bringing a sauce pan halfway filled with water to a simmer. Place a metal bowl over the simmering water and add the three tablespoons of butter and wait for the butter to melt.

Then remove the bowl from the simmering water and whisk in the brown sugar, salt, eggs, corn syrup and vanilla.

Then place the bowl back over the water and, using an instant-read thermometer, heat the filling up to 130ºF.

While that’s going on, spread the half cup of Nutella on the bottom of the pie shell and roughly chopped up the pecans.

Once the filling is at the 130ºF mark, add in the cup of chopped pecans.

And then pour all that goodness into the Nutella-lined pie crust and carefully slide it into the oven. Bake for 55 minutes.

After the pie is finished baking, painstakingly wait for the pie to cool before slicing. (It’s hard to wait, I know.)

I had no qualms about serving myself a generous slice nor about topping it with a scoop of butter pecan ice cream. It was outrageously delicious.

This pie is truly amazing. The pie filling tastes like a traditional pecan pie and then you taste the Nutella and it’s a sensory overload, but in a good way.

Thanks to Megan, I have a new pie recipe in my pie rotation. And I can bet you guys will love this pie as well!

Please take the time to make Megan’s delicious Nutella Pecan Pie, and while you’re eating it, stop by her blog, Wanna Be A Country Cleaver, for more incredible recipes and a lot of great laughs. You also can find her recipes right here on Tasty Kitchen in her recipe box.

Thanks again for another great recipe, Megan!

Printable Recipe

Nutella Pecan Pie

by Megan {Country Cleaver} on November 11, 2011 in Desserts, Pies

See post on Megan {Country Cleaver}’s site!

4.50 Mitt(s) 2 Rating(s)

Description

A chocolately and sinful twist on a classic!

Ingredients

FOR THE CRUST:
1-½ cup All-purpose Flour
½ teaspoons Salt
¾ cups Butter, Cubed And Frozen
4 Tablespoons Water, Cold
FOR THE FILLING:
3 Tablespoons Butter
¾ cups Brown Sugar
½ teaspoons Salt
2 whole Eggs
½ cups Light Corn Syrup
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 cup Pecans, Chopped
½ cups Chocolate Hazelnut Spread, Such As Nutella

Preparation Instructions

For the pie crust (recipe yields two 9-inch crusts):

In a food processor, pulse together salt and flour until combined. Add in butter and pulse until small beads form. On high, add in cold water until dough starts to ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes before rolling out. Split the dough into two and wrap both halves in plastic wrap. Place one in the fridge to chill before rolling out and reserve the other one for a later date by freezing. Once the one in the fridge has chilled for a half hour, roll out on counter covered with flour large enough that it fits your pie pan. Place the dough into the pan.

For the pie:
Preheat oven to 375F.

With 1 pie crust in pie pan, chill the crust for 20 minutes. Then place a layer of foil into pan over crust and fill with pie weights. Bake for 25 minutes. This will help begin to cook the crust before the filling goes in.

After your pre-baking is done, remove the crust from the oven and turn oven temperature down to 275 degrees F. Make sure that the pie crust is kept warm by sitting it on top of your stove while you prepare the filling for the pie.

For the filling: Melt butter in a metal bowl set in a skillet of water that is just below a simmer (or use a double boiler). Remove the bowl and from the water when butter is melted, whisk in sugar and salt. Whisk in eggs, corn syrup and vanilla. Place bowl back into the water and whisk until hot and the temperature of the mixture registers 130 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Remove from the heat and whisk in pecan pieces.

Into the bottom of the pre-baked pie crust, smear the ½ cup of Nutella over the bottom evenly. Pour in the pecan mixture. Bake entire pie at 275F for 55 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for at least two hours or devour at room temperature.

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Apple Cider Doughnuts

Laurie - Simply Scratch — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 14:23:55 +0000

One of the many things I love about living in Michigan (besides having a baseball team in the World Series *wink* GO TIGERS!) is the many cider mills. They usually have hayrides, lots of fresh pressed apple cider, paper bags full of a variety of crisp apples and let’s not forget those freshly fried doughnuts, which are personally my favorite.

Aimee’s recipe for Apple Cider Donuts pretty much has all the above wrapped into one delicious doughnut. See, the apple cider is actually IN the doughnuts and they’re baked, which for some people (meaning me) is a lot less stressful then deep frying. But all this goodness doesn’t just stop there.

After the doughnuts cool, you dunk them into the most delicious glaze. And even that has cider in it—and it’s beyond amazing. And just when you think you’re done, you’re not. After you dunk the doughnuts in the cider glaze, you dip them in cinnamon sugar. I’m not joking. It gives your teeth a little textural “crunch” before they sink into the soft glaze-dripped doughnut. Oh.My.Word.

Now scroll down and see for yourself. I just hope you have cider on hand because I’m pretty certain you’ll want to make these as soon as possible!

The ingredients are pretty simple and straightforward. Besides picking up the apple cider, I had everything else on hand.

Start by combining the all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl.

Then measure and add in nutmeg and allspice, then ground cinnamon. This right here smells amazing already!

Give it a good whisk or stir to break up any lumps and so everything is blended. Scoot that off to the side for just a moment.

You could do the next step directly in the same bowl and not bother dirtying another bowl, but I couldn’t help myself. Combine eggs, applesauce (I used unsweetened), real vanilla extract and then pour in the apple cider.

I combined all these ingredients by using a fork just until the eggs were whipped.

Since I used a different bowl for the wet ingredients, I then poured the wet ingredients into the dry.

Stir until combined. Easy-peasy.

I quickly and heavily buttered my doughnut pan, so I didn’t risk these doughnuts sticking.

Then I used a spoon and filled each doughnut section.

As you can see I’m not the neatest. But I didn’t have a large re-sealable bag on hand to pipe in the batter like Aimee suggested. To be honest, that would be a whole lot easier (and cleaner), but spooning it in worked too. Now just bake in a preheated 325ºF oven for 10 minutes. I rotated the pan halfway to ensure even baking.

I let the doughnuts cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before carefully removing them from the pan. I used a rubber spatula and they came out wonderfully. I then let them cool for a bit and moved on to making the cinnamon sugar and the cider glaze.

Combine a tablespoon of cinnamon with sugar. Make sure to use a big enough bowl that a doughnut will fit nicely in for dunking.

To make the glaze, start by measuring out powdered sugar and then pour in the apple cider. The recipe calls for 2 tablespoons of cider, but I needed to thin it out a tad more so I used a total of 3 tablespoons.

Then add in allspice.

Whisk until completely combined and there are no lumps remaining.

Dunk the doughnuts into the glaze. Ohhh yeah!

And then immediately dip it into the cinnamon sugar.

See what I mean? Now just set on a wire rack set over a sheet pan or paper towels so the glaze has a place to drip and repeat with the rest.

You can let the glaze cool a tad. But really, why even wait another second?

You guys. These doughnuts are nothing short of perfect. The texture of the doughnut is soft and moist, while the flavor of cider is not missed at all. Store them in an airtight container and they’ll last for days! Making these perfect for a fun snack in lunches or well, breakfast the next morning!

A big thank you to Aimee for sharing this phenomenal recipe! This is definitely a recipe our whole house loved and will be making for years to come. And I can bet you all will just love these too!

Please take a minute to stop by Aimee’s amazing blog Shugary Sweets where she not only dishes up an array of clever treats to suit any sweet tooth but other delicious easy to make recipes as well. You can also find her recipes here on Tasty Kitchen in her recipe box!

Note: the only change I made was to 3 tablespoons of apple cider (instead of two) in making the glaze.

Printable Recipe

Apple Cider Donuts

by Shugary Sweets on October 6, 2011 in Breakfast

See post on Shugary Sweets’s site!

4.83 Mitt(s) 6 Rating(s)

Description

Bake these donuts for a perfect fall breakfast!

Ingredients

FOR THE DONUTS:
2 cups Flour
¾ cups Sugar
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Salt
¼ teaspoons Nutmeg
¼ teaspoons Allspice
½ teaspoons Cinnamon
½ cups Apple Cider
¼ cups Applesauce
2 whole Eggs
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
FOR THE TOPPING:
2 Tablespoons Apple Cider
1-¼ cup Powdered Sugar
¼ teaspoons Allspice
¼ cups Sugar
1 Tablespoon Cinnamon

Preparation Instructions

In a large mixing bowl add flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, allspice, and cinnamon. Mix until blended. Add in the apple cider, applesauce, eggs, and vanilla extract. Beat for about 2 minutes until smooth and creamy.

Lightly grease a doughnut pan (I use Norpro brand). Pour batter into a large Ziploc bag, seal the bag, and snip off the corner. I find this the easiest and cleanest way to get batter into pan without dripping. Pipe the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake doughnuts in a 325ºF oven for about 10 minutes, until they spring back when touched. Remove from the oven and cool slightly before removing from pan.

To make the glaze, whisk together the apple cider, powdered sugar and allspice until completely smooth.

In a separate bowl, mix sugar and cinnamon.

Dip each doughnut into the glaze (top of doughnut only) and then into cinnamon/sugar mix. The glaze will run down the sides and coat nearly the whole donut. Allow to dry on a cooling rack. Enjoy!

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Roasted Red Pepper Pizza Sauce

Laurie - Simply Scratch — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 10:00:33 +0000

It all started when I went off searching for a pizza sauce. I wanted, no needed a sauce with flavor, flair … and with roasted red peppers. So I typed in the words “roasted red pepper pizza sauce” into the Google search bar on my desktop, and wouldn’t you know it, up popped the link to Leanne’s recipe in Tasty Kitchen. Call it luck or call it fate, I’ll call it all that AND I’ll call it the best pizza sauce I’ve ever had. Period.

You know as well as I do that homemade pizza sauce is always a key factor when making a great pizza. But homemade pizza sauce that calls for roasted red peppers is not only brilliant but amazing and it’s so easy to make too! Just throw it all in a food processor and you’ll have a thick and flavorful sauce for your pizza in seconds.

The ingredients are simple enough: an onion, a jar of roasted red peppers, tomato paste, a garlic clove, oregano, basil and the ever important salt and black pepper. You could make this 100% from scratch by roasting and peeling your own red bell peppers (I’d say you would need about 2 large or 3 small) but who wouldn’t like a little help in the kitchen every now and again?

Start by smashing and peeling one garlic clove.

Toss the garlic into a food processor. If you have a mini one then that will be just the perfect size for this recipe.

The original recipe calls for white onion, and since all I had on hand was the Spanish variety, I made a slight alteration. Also, since the Spanish onion was the size of a softball on steroids, I only used a third of that big guy.

Next just give the onion a rough chop. Nothing perfect or pretty, it just helps the food processor out a tad.

Add in the diced onion and secure the lid. Give it a quick pulse to mince up both the garlic and onion.

I only had a 12-ounce jar of peppers in my pantry, so I used what looked like 6 ounces to me and added it into the food processor.

Whether you end up adding 6 or 8 ounces of peppers, it shouldn’t matter. You really can’t screw this up.

(P. S. Charred bits make me happy.)

All that’s left to do is add in the 6 ounces of tomato paste.

Then the black pepper, a dash of salt and a teaspoon of both dried basil and dried oregano.

Secure the lid one last time and give it a go on high speed until completely blended.

It should still be thick and a little on the chunky side, where you can still see flecks of the spices and a little bits of onion. And if you wanted to add a little heat, just throw in a pinch or two or three of red pepper flakes and your mouth will be happy.

Pour the pizza sauce into a container that has a snug fitting lid and refrigerate until ready to use. This recipe makes a little over a cup of pizza sauce.

I, of course, had to make pizza right away. After a finger-swipe tasting of the sauce, I simply could not wait.

And as I smeared the tasty sauce on the un-baked pizza dough, I admired its color and texture. It really is a thing of beauty!

Now, since you’ve seen this scrumptious sauce, I’m guessing you’re craving pizza. So don’t wait another minute! Make it for lunch, make it for dinner! I just know it’ll be a huge hit in your home as it was in mine.

A big “thank you” goes out to Leanne for sharing this recipe with us. I know I’ll be making this pizza sauce for years to come; in fact, I’m sure I’ll never go back to making regular pizza sauce ever again. It’s hands down one of the best I’ve had the pleasure of making (and eating)!

Printable Recipe

Roasted Red Pepper Pizza Sauce

by funfoodlove on September 29, 2010 in Condiments, Sauces

See post on funfoodlove’s site!

5.00 Mitt(s) 1 Rating(s)

Description

The roasted red peppers add just the right flavor to the sauce, making it more interesting than your basic tomato sauce. We used this on our grilled pizzas with fresh mozzarella and chicken. It was the perfect combination.

Ingredients

6 ounces, weight Tomato Paste
6 ounces, weight Jar Of Roasted Red Peppers
1 clove Garlic
½ whole White Onion
1 teaspoon Fresh Ground Pepper
1 dash Salt
1 teaspoon Basil
1 teaspoon Oregano

Preparation Instructions

Mix all sauce ingredients in a food processecor. I use my Tupperware Quick Chef.

To use, spread sauce mixture over grilled pizza dough. Use toppings of choice on pizza. We used slices of fresh mozzerella and grilled chicken. Put pizza back on the grill to melt cheese, about 5 minutes in a 450-degree grill.

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Tasty Kitchen Blog » Laurie – Simply Scratch

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Apple Cider Doughnuts

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Roasted Red Pepper Pizza Sauce

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