Oven-roasted tomato sauce

  This recipe comes to me from our good friends Leah and Jason Novak in Saugerties, NY.  Leah made this tomato sauce a few years ago and I loved it so much I asked for the recipe.  It is my go-to homemade tomato sauce.  Alas, I don't make it as often as I would like because of all the tomatoes involved, but when I do make it, I never regret it!

Oven roasted tomato sauce 

Ingredients:

8 cups (4 lbs) tomatoes, cut into 1.5"-2" chunks
1 cup chopped onion
4 cloves chopped garlic
2 tsp kosher salt
1/4-1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp brown sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

Procedure:

1) Heat oven to 450 F.
2) Combine all but basil.
3) Spread on shallow pan 1" depth.
4) Roast 40 min.
5) Stir in basil.
6) Mash lightly with potato masher.

  The result?  A delicious, flavorful, rich tomato sauce.  Try it out one of these days when you have lots of tomatoes and the need for a delicious meal!  Thanks again, Leah, for the recipe!

Homemade lasagna with oven-roasted tomato sauce

Gluten-free pasta with oven-roasted tomato sauce

We be jammin' (a.k.a., making strawberry jam)

     So I will fully admit that I have delayed writing this blog for a couple of months now.  Why?  Because canning is such a laborious, time-consuming project that I didn't want to take the time to write it down in a blog.  Don't get me wrong; it's not hard... it just takes a lot of time and effort.  But today I'm finally going to sit down and write about the fun of making jam...
     So why make homemade jam?  Here are my personal reasons:
-You control what goes into it (this means no High Fructose Corn Syrup or preservatives like most commercial jams have)
-It's a lot cheaper than buying store-bought (especially cheaper than buying good quality jam)
-They make great gifts; who doesn't appreciate homemade jam?
-Good way to use up a lot of strawberries (from going berry picking)
-Finally, it's fun!  It really is.  There's something very pleasing about picking your own berries, making a jam out of it, canning it, listening to those lovely pops that mean the jam is done and then enjoying it later!
     I highly suggest you try it!  It's not all that hard; just takes some materials and prep work ahead of time.

Homemade strawberry jam (from Ball's Blue Book guide to preserving)

What you will need:

*Boiling-water canner.  I borrowed mine from our good friends Lynnelle and Derek.  They have a 9-jar capacity one, which made it really nice for making large batches.
*Mason jars, 10, half-pint (8 oz) size
*Brand new lids for the jars
*Bands for the jars
*Small sauce pan
*Large sauce pan
*Stirring utensil
*Knife
*Cutting board
*Tongs (if you don't have a jar lifter)
*Kitchen towels
*Potato masher
*Ladle

Not necessary but handy to have:

*Jar lifter (tongs for lifting jars out of hot water)
*Jar funnel (a funnel that fits in your jars and makes pouring a breeze)
*Bubble remover and head space tool (a tool used to measure head space and remove bubbles that form on the side of the jar)
*Lid wand (a handy magnetic wand that allows you to lift lids out of hot water)

Ingredients:

Organic strawberries, enough to make 6 2/3 cup mashed fruit
Low/No sugar pectin, 7 1/2 tbsp.
water 1 2/3 cup
sugar up to 2 1/2 cups
butter, optional (for reducing foam)

Procedure:

1) Visually examine canning jars for nicks, cracks, uneven rims or sharp edges that may prevent sealing or cause breakage.  Examine canning lids to ensure that they are free of dents and sealing compound is even and complete.  Check bands for proper fit.

2) Wash jars and two-piece caps in hot, soapy water.  Rinse well.  Heat jars and lids in a saucepan of simmering water (180 F).  Do not boil lids.  Allow jars and lids to remain in hot water until ready for use, removing one at a time as needed.

3) Fill boiling-water canner half-full with hot water.  Elevate rack in canner.  Put canner lid in place.  Heat water just to a simmer (180 F).  Keep water hot until used for processing.

4) Wash strawberries; dry completely,  Remove stems and white under-ripe portions.

Organic strawberries picked from Swanton u-pick farm

Removing the tops from the strawberries and washing them

5) Crush strawberries, one layer at a time, using a potato masher.  Crushed strawberries should be a combination of fruit pulp and fruit juice.  Over crushing strawberries may add too much liquid for the recipe to gel.  Measure remaining ingredients so they are ready when needed,.

The mashed berry mixture

6) Combine crushed strawberries with water.  Gradually stir in the pectin and add in the butter if using.  Bring mixture to a rolling boil, one that cannot be stirred down, stirring constantly.  Add sugar and return mixture to a full boil.  Boil hard for one minute.  Remove from heat.  Skim foam if necessary.

Strawberry jam reading for canning

7) Remove canning jar from hot water with a jar lifter; set jar on towel.  Carefully ladle hot jam mixture into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space.  This is where the head space tool comes in handy.  If you don't have it, 1/4 inch head space is approximately the space between the top of the jar and the first glass ridge inside the jar.

Ladling the jam into the jars

The frost on the outside is from the hard water in which
the jars were boiled

Measuring the head space using the head space tool

8) Wipe rim and threads of jar with a clean, damp cloth.  Remove lid from hot water using a lid wand.  Place lid on jar, centering sealing compound on rim.  Screw band down evenly and firmly, just until resistance is met; fingertip tight.

Wiping off the rims

Using the lid want to remove the lids from the simmering water

Screwing the top on finger tight

9) As each jar is filled, set it onto the elevated rack in the boiling-water canner.  Water in canner should be kept at a simmer (180 F).  After all jars are filled and placed onto the rack, lower rack into canner. Water level must cover the two-piece caps on the jars by 1-2 inches.  Add boiling water, if necessary.

Putting the filled jars in the hot-water canner

Ready to boil

10) Put lid on canner.  Bring water to a boil.  Start counting processing time after water comes to a rolling boil.  Process 10 minutes, at a gentle but steady boil for altitudes at or below 1000 ft sea level.

11) When processing time is complete, turn off heat and remove canner lid.  Let canner cool 5 minutes before removing jars. Remove jars from canner and set them upright, 1 to 2 inches apart, on a dry towel to cool.  Do not re-tighten bands.  Let jars cool 12 to 24 hrs.  Here you hear the most heavenly sounds to a home canner; the "pop" of lids sealing on tight.

Removing the processed jars

Waiting to cool

12) After jars have cooled, check lids for a seal by pressing on the center of each lid.  If the center is pulled down and does not flex, remove the band and gently try to life the lid off with your fingertips.  If the lid does not flex and you cannot lift if off, the lid has a good vaccum seal.  Wipe lid and jar surface with a clean damp cloth to remove food particles or residue.  Label.  Store jars in a cool, dry, dark place.

After they have cooled

Delicious homemade strawberry jam!!

     So, all in all, definitely worth it!  I was surprised how much time it took me (well over 3 hrs) and how much effort was involved but it was a lot of fun.  I think it took me a bit of time as I was still getting used to how everything works.  I kept having to look back at the instructions.  This is why I made such a large batch (figure why go through all that work for one jar?).  Ten jars is the maximum that they advise cooking so ten jars it was.  And now I've got a whole bunch of jam to give out.  Or eat.  Or both.  Yum!

     Did you know that jams are made by cooking crushed or chopped fruits with sugar or sugar substitutes.  Jellies are made from juice that is strained from fruit?  Well, now you know!

I think I'm cooking Chinese I think I'm cooking Chinese I really think so...

     Okay, bad reference to the song "Turning Japanese" by The Vapors.  ::clears throat::  Now, onto the blog.  So, these next two recipes are so flipping similar that I couldn't decide which one to make.  So I made them both.  Not only that, but thanks to a super market steal, I made both these dishes which fed Scott and I  for four to five meals (including seconds) for under $20!  Now, that's the advantage of cooking at home!

General Tso's Chicken (from Take-out Menu Cookbook by Carla Snyder and Meredith Deeds)

Ingredients:

1 large egg, beaten
4 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tbsp plus 1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tbsp mirin
1.5 lbs boneless chicken, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp. hoisin
1tbsp chili paste with garlic
10 black peppercorns,crushed
2 tsp Asian sesame oil
2 to 3 cups vegetable oil, for frying
5 hot chiles, cut in half 
1 (1 inch) knob fresh ginger, peeled and minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups broccoli florets
1 red bell pepper, seed and thinly sliced
3 green onions, thinly sliced for garnish
White rice, for serving

Procedure:

1) In a medium bowl, combine the egg, 3 tbsp. of cornstarch, 1 tbsp. of soy sauce, and 1 tbsp. of mirin.  Add the chicken and let it marinate at room temperature while you assemble the rest of the ingredients.

2) In a separate bowl, combine the remaining tablespoon of cornstarch, the remaining 1/4 cup soy sauce, the remaining 2 tbsp mirin, and the rice vinegar, sugar, hoisin, chili paste, peppercorns, sesame oil and 1/2 cup of water.  Set aside.

3) In a heavy pot over medium heat, heat 3 inches of oil to 360 F.  Add about 10 pieces of chicken to the hot oil and fry until brown and crispy, about 2 minutes.  Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.  Repeat with the remaining chicken.   Set aside.

4) Remove all but 3 tbsp of oil from the pot and add the chiles, ginger, and garlic, and cook for 30 seconds.   Add the broccoli and bell pepper and stir-fry, tossing the vegetables for 2 minutes or until they are brightly colored and partially cooked.

5) Add the cooked chicken to the pot along with the reserved sauce and cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens and the vegetables are tender, about 2 minutes.

6) To serve,sprinkle green onions over the top and serve hot with rice.

     This came out quite well.  I used my cast iron skillet instead of a heavy pot and it was fine.  I also like brown rice instead of white, so used that in both this recipe and the kung pao chicken below.  I did learn an important lesson on frying, though.  Follow the recipe!  I thought I could cheat and just add all the chicken at once when the oil wasn't as warm as it should have been.  Yeah....  Took a while to cook the chicken, it didn't turn brown and crispy and I lost all my coating on it to boot.  Oh well, live and learn.  I used darker soy sauce so the entire dish turned dark, but it still tasted good!

General Tso's chicken

With a green onion garnish

Kung Pao Chicken (also from Take-out menu cookbook)

Ingredients:

1 egg white, beaten
4 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp plus 2 tbsp rice wine (I used mirin)
4 chicken breasts, skinned, boned, and cut into bite-sized pieces
3 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp hoisin
2 tsp Asian sesame oil
1/2 cup peanut or vegetable oil
1 cup peanuts, preferable boiled and unsalted
5 dried hot chiles, or to taste
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 green onions, sliced
3 quarter-sized pieces of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
White rice, for serving

Procedure:

1) Combine the egg white, 1 tbsp soy sauce, cornstarch, and 1 tsp rice wine in a large bowl.  Add the chicken and stir to coat.  Refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

2) In a separate bowl, combine the remaining 3 tbsp soy sauce, and 2 tbsp rice wine with the rice vinegar, sugar, hoisin, and sesame oil and set aside.

3) Heat the oil in a wok over high heat until it is hot and barely smoking.  Add the peanuts and toss them for about 2 minutes, or until they begin to brown.  Remove the peanuts from the oil and transfer them to a heatproof plate. Set aside.

4) Add the chicken to the oil and toss, cooking it until it is slightly browned on the outside, but not cooked all the way through, about 2 minutes.   Remove the chicken from the wok and add it to the peanuts.  (There will be some brown bits on the bottom of the wok.  They will help thicken the sauce when it is added to the pan later.  Be careful and don't let them burn, or your sauce will taste sharp.)

5) Add the chiles to the wok and cook them until they are almost black, about 1 minute.  Add the garlic, green onions, and ginger along with the peanuts,chicken, and sauce.  Toss to incorporate the sauce and heat through.  Serve with rice.

Variation: 

Sometimes we like to add vegetables to this dish to make it a one-dish meal.  Try adding sliced water chestnuts and green or red bell peppers, broccoli, or bok choy along with the other vegetables in the dish.  By swapping out the peanuts for cashews, the dish becomes cashew chicken  You can also vary the dish by using thinly sliced pork or beef, or whole shrimp.

     And guess which vegetables I used in the variation?  That's right!  The broccoli and red bell peppers from the previous dish.  At least this dish didn't ask you to fry everything.  In step four, remove the peanuts as they barely start to brown.  I removed them when they were already brown and ended up with some blackened peanuts.  Oh well.  I also used fresh chiles instead of dried and chicken thighs instead of breasts because, guess what again, I had them leftover from the previous dish!  Isn't it great to only have to go grocery shopping once for two great dishes?

The very similar-looking Kung Pao chicken.  The picture quality is not as good
as this was taken on my cell phone (camera was charging).

Just like at a Chinese restaurant!

More vegetables than egg frittata

     I don't know how it is that I've gone so long without posting this recipe.  This has become a staple in my life and is a wonderful and delicious way to get a lot of vegetables into your system!

More-vegetable-than-egg frittata (from Mark Bittman's Food Matters)

Notes from Mark Bittman: 
"You can start with either cooked or raw vegetables: Try ribbons of spinach or chard,chop[ed fresh or dried tomatoes, potato slices, asparagus, broccoli rabe, sauteed mushrooms, zucchini, or eggplant cubes.  Fresh basil is lovely with nearly everything, but other herbs like tarragon or mint are also duper.  And of course you can toss in some cooked crumbled sausage, bacon, or chopped ham, ore even shrimp just before adding the eggs"

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 onion, peeled and sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4-6 cups of any chopped or sliced raw or cooked vegetables, drained of excess moisture if necessary
1/4 cup basil leaves, or 1 tsp chopped fresh tarragon or mint leaves (optional) 
2 or 3 eggs
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Procedure:

1) Put a tablespoon of the olive oil in a skillet and turn the heat to medium.  When the oil is hot, add the onion and cook, sprinkling with salt and pepper, until it's soft, about 3 minutes. Add the vegetables, raise the heat, and cook, stirring occasionally, until they soften anywhere from a couple of minutes for greens to 15 minutes for sliced potatoes.  Adjust the heat so the vegetables brown a little without scorching.  (If you're starting with precooked vegetables, add them to the onions and give a couple of good stirs before proceeding.)

2) When the vegetables are nearly done, turn the heat to low and add the basil.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pan is almost dry, up to another 5 minutes for wetter ingredients like tomatoes or mushrooms.

3) Meanwhile, beat the eggs with some salt and pepper, along with the cheese if you're using it.  Pour over the vegetables, using a spoon if necessary to distribute them evenly.  Cook, undisturbed, until the eggs are barely set, 10 minutes or so.  (You can set them further by putting the pan in a 350 F oven for a few minutes, or running it under the broiler for a minute or two.) Cut into wedges and serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

  This is a very simple dish to put together and always comes out delicious.  I usually skip the herb and cheese part unless I happen to have them in the house.  I've used a number of veggies in this dish: carrots, zucchini, kale, chard, spinach, summer squash, bell peppers, etc. etc.  Use your imagination.  We love this dish served hot with some hot sauce on top.  Also good cold the next day.

More vegetable-than-egg frittata.  I think I added cheese on top on this one.

Green chile stew

  Continuing on the green chile theme, this time with Scott's favorite soup.  This one we had to modify quite a bit, but once we got it right it was amazingly delicious!

Green Chile Stew (from Authentic Southwestern Cooking  by Lynn Nusom)

Ingredients:

3-4 tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 lb. ground pork
3 cups chicken stock or broth
3 cups water
6 mild long green chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded and chopped
4 large potatoes, peeled and diced
2 cups corn, cut off the cob or frozen
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp dried, crushed oregano
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp salt

Procedure:

1) Heat the oil in a large pot and saute the garlic and onions for 3-4 minutes.  Add the ground beef and pork and cook, stirring, until cooked through.  Add the rest of the ingredients and cook over low heat for approximately 1 hour or until meat and potatoes are done.

  Okay, so here's how I made it differently:

-For one thing, I didn't used two different types of meat, just all ground beef.
-I used 6 cups of chicken stock.  What in the world is the point of diluting the chicken flavor?
-We used way way more than just 6 green chiles.  We initially used maybe 8 or so, found it wasn't spicy enough, and so chopped up maybe 4 more into long strips and put it in the soup.  Made all the difference!
-The corn I used was from a can.  Why is it that when they give corn as an option they never offer canned?  It's always fresh or frozen.  Weird..
-I used purple potatoes, as that happened to be what I had around.  And, if you know me at all, you know I didn't peel them.  I hate peeling!
-I added in more flavorings like hot sauce, a chile pepper grinder and I don't remember what else.  Play with spices!

  In the end, after all that tinkering, it came out quite delicious.  And spicy!  I'm talking spice in your ears spicy!  Mmmmm....

Green chile stew in a bowl I made on our honeymoon

Showing the green chile strips in the stew

Tortilla soup

     How has it been so long since I last blogged?!  My apologies for all my blog followers out there; I guess I haven't been in the blogging zone.  But now, I'm back with a vengeance (or, at least, trying to be ;-) ).
     So, this blog's theme is green chiles.  I've had a many year love affair with the delicious green fruits (yes, fruits!).  Scott went to college (the second time around) at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque and was introduced to and fell in love with green chiles.  When we started dating, despite my initial leeriness because of my spice sensitivity, I fell in love with green chiles as well.  There is nothing like a delicious, roasted, genuine Hatch, NM green chile.  It's got an earthy roasted taste that I haven't found in any other chile.  Get the real deal!  And no, the cans don't count.  If you're sensitive to chiles, get the mild kind.  I found, over time, that my body has acclimatized an now I like them quite spicy!  Alas, they are a bit difficult to find out here in CA.  So it surprised the heck out of me when I found the real deal in a grocery store called Sprouts while down in Southern California.  This got Scott to thinking that perhaps they would have green chiles up here in Nor Cal.  He finally found them at a Sprouts grocery store in Saratoga and bought a case with over 200 chiles for $17!!  Such a steal!  We usually get our chiles from the UNM alumni roast, where they are $45 for 10 lbs.  We had maybe about 30 lbs for $17!  Wahoo!  Of course, that meant that Scott did a whole bunch of home roasting (no chile drum for us), but it was totally worth it.  And thus the green chile theme!

Tortilla soup (from Authentic Southwestern Cooking by Lynn Nusom)

Ingredients:

3 tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 large, ripe, red tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped
6 cups chicken stock or broth
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
2 whole chicken breasts, skinned, boned, cooked, and cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 green chile, seeded and diced (we put in more than one!)
2 cups tortilla chips
6 tbsp. Monterey Jack cheese, grated
1 cup black olives, sliced

Procedure:

1) Saute the garlic and onion in the olive oil until the onion is soft.  Spoon the onion and garlic into a blender with the tomatoes, 1 cup of chicken stock, and cilantro and blend until smooth.  Pour the mixture into a saucepan, stir in the rest of the chicken stock, cooked chicken, salt, black pepper, and green chile and cook over medium heat until heated through.
2) Coarsely crumble the tortilla chips into the bottoms of individual soup bowls, pour the soup over the chips, sprinkle the cheese and olives on top, and serve at once.

  The result?  Cheesy, crunchy spicy deliciousness.  This is one of my favorite soups in the whole world to have (and that's saying a lot!).  Perfect for a cold, autumny day.  Enjoy!

Tortilla soup

Summer desserts

      Okay, I'll admit, I cheated a little on the title. Only one of these desserts can really be considered "summery" but I wanted to write about the both of them so I snuck the other one in! They were both made using local ingredients that I harvested myself (thanks to my generous friends).

Wild berries frozen yogurt (based upon my friend Sarah P.'s recipe)

Ingredients:

2 cups plain yogurt
2 cups berries (I used wild blackberries and olallieberries)
4 teaspoons organic sugar
1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Procedure:

1) Blend all ingredients in a blender, then add a handful of whole ollallieberries.
2) Pour into an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions.

This recipe was originally served to me when I visited my friend Sarah's place at the Pigeon Point Hostel. We had a fun time picking olallieberries from a u-pick stand, blackberries from the wild, getting a person tour of the Pigeon Point lighthouse and eating and drinking way more than is healthy for you. When she made this dessert, Scott in particular raved and raved about it the whole way home. I knew I had to try it. Fortunately, my friend Sarah generously gave it to me so I could satisfy Scott's cravings at home. Yum!

Vanilla Pudding (from Mark Bittman's How to Cook everything)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sugar
3 tbsp. cornstarch
pinch salt
3 eggs
2 1/2 cups half-and-half
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Procedure:

1) In a small saucepan, combine the sugar with the cornstarch and salt. Mix together the eggs and half-and-half.
2) Stir the egg and half-and-half mixture into the sugar-cornstarch mixture over medium heat; whisk to eliminate lumps, then stir almost constantly until the mixture thickens, about 10 minutes. Stir in the butter and vanilla extract.
3) Pour the pudding into one large or four to six small bowls. Place plastic wrap directly on top of the pudding to prevent the formation of a "skin," or do not cover if you like skin. Refrigerate until chilled, and serve within a day, with whipped cream if you like.

The inspiration for this recipe came from the need to finish the leftover milk and whipping cream I had in the refrigerator from making ice cream (a different recipe). I also had leftover eggs gathered from my friend Lynelle and Derek's chickens. What better way to put them together than in this delicious recipe? I highly recommend it! Ten times better than jello instant pudding. And made a lot easier if you have a handheld mixer to do all the stirring for you!

Wild berry frozen yogurt

Homemade vanilla pudding