Homemade pasta sauce

It's been a while!

Here is an easy way to make your own pasta sauce. This is a base, so try your own variations on this and post them in the comments!

Ingredients:

• 8 tomatoes, chopped (or 4 cans crushed tomatoes)
• 3 cloves garlic, diced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves (or 3 table spoons dried)
• Meat (optional)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 cups water
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• Parmesan for garnish

Directions:

• Put onion, garlic, and basil into a food processor, run until almost liquid
• Sauté onion mix for 5 minutes in olive oil in large pan or sauce pan
• Add tomatoes, crush a bit if fresh, stir well
• Add salt, pepper, red pepper flakes
• Add 2 cups water
• Add sugar
• Add meat (optional)
• Boil until sauce reduces to your liking, slower and longer the better
• Serve, mailman, repeat!

This sauce is delicious as it is, and so any additions you make will only make it better. Be careful on the red pepper flakes, they are quite strong with the garlic. Otherwise, this is super easy and can be used for chicken, ground beef, meatballs, sausage, etc. Here's Natalie dominating some angel hair with this sauce :)

Happy cooking mailmanning!

Chicken Tikka Masala

Did everyone decide to stop cooking or something? Let's keep it rolling.

Ok so for today, I made a delicious concoction using one of those pre-made sauce packages. You can buy these in any grocery store in the ethnic food aisle (or if you're a baller, you can make your own). However, these sauces can be improved tremendously with a few little additions to make them really delicious. As such, they are highly customizable. I'll list the ingredients that I used, but using your favorite ingredients is what will really make this dish come together. Also this can be easily made vegetarian and still is delicious.

Ingredients:

• 1 Tikka Masala sauce package
• 1-1.5 lbs chicken
• 1/2 onion, sliced
• 1/2 jalapeño, diced
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1 cup baby spinach leaves
• 1 can (14.5 oz) garbanzo beans/chick peas
• 1 bay leaf
• Curry powder (cumin with a little paprika is a good substitute for curry powder, or garam masala if you have it), salt, pepper, hot sauce to taste

Directions

1. In a cast iron skillet (aka best invention ever), sauté onions until tender in a liberal amount of olive oil
2. Once onions are tender, sear chicken on both sides for ~3-5 minutes per side, depending on the temperature of your skillet
3. While chicken is cooking, add diced jalapeños to the skillet
4. After both sides have been seared, add sauce, 1/2 cup water, tomatoes, chick peas, spinach, bay leaf, simmer for 20 minutes
5. While simmering, use tongs (or utensil of choice) to shred chicken
6. Add curry powder, salt, pepper to taste
7. Serve over Basmati rice
8. Enjoy, gorge, repeat as necessary

The key to this dish is having lots of different textures. The spinach, chick peas, and chicken totally make this an adventure in your mouth.

Even with a cold, the Chicken Tikka Masala was flavorful enough to taste, and cleared up my sinuses nicely. A really great meal.

Happy cooking mailmanning!

Hamburgler didn't strike here!

Hamburgler didn't strike here!

Hey folks! I decided to make some hamburgers, buns, roasted red potatoes, and a salad (no recipe included....it was pretty basic) for dinner. Here are the recipes for the hamburgers, buns, and roasted red potatoes! I should note, this dinner fed 8 people, so adjust accordingly for smaller groups.

Hamburger Buns

So I was get really ambitious when I am on vacation! You could buy hamburger buns, but Martha Stewart and Paula Dean would frown. I apologize for the lack of pictures during this recipe!

Ingredients:

1 cup milk
1 cup water
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 envelope active dry yeast
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon water

Directions:

1. Combine the milk, 1 cup of water, butter, sugar, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and let stand until lukewarm. If you don't let it cool it will kill the yeast, if it cools too much you won't activate the yeast!

2. In a large bowl, stir the flour and yeast. Pour in the milk mixture. If you have a kitchen aid mixer use the dough hook to mix for about 8 minutes. If not, first think about getting a kitchen aid mixer and the ice cream attachment, then, knead by hand on a floured surface for about 10 minutes. Place dough in a greased bowl, and turn the dough around in the greased bowl to coat it. Cover and let stand for an hour. or until it doubles in size.

3.  Punch down the dough and divide into 12 portions They should be a little larger than a golf ball. Make tight balls out of the dough by pulling the dough tightly around and pinching it at the bottom. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil. After the rolls sit for a minute and relax, flatten each ball with the palm of your hand until it is 3 to 4 inches wide. You may want to oil your hand first. Set rolls aside until they double in size, about 20 minutes.

4. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Mix the egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl. Brush onto the tops of the rolls. Position 2 oven racks so they are situated in the middle of the oven.

5. Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Rotate the baking sheets so each set of buns can get brown. Continue to bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, or until nicely browned on the top and bottom.

Slightly mis-shapen, but delicious hamburger buns!

Next up......

Hamburgers

I made something similar senior year of college when Christina had the beer pong tournament at her house. They are delicious!

Ingredients:

2 pounds ground beef ( I used super lean from Martin's)

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons Sambal (crushed red pepper paste)

4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 

1/4 cup bread crumbs

2 eggs

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

I mixed it all together with my hands!

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients together. Shape into 8 patties. I stuck them in the fridge for about an hour to  try and help them keep their shape, not sure if it helped. Grill until done (about 20-30 min depending on how you like your burgers cooked). Place on buns, top with your favorite, and enjoy!

Ready to grill!

And finally.....

Roasted Red Potatoes

A wonderful side dish for the hamburger. 

Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon salt

10 red potatoes, quartered

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees F

2. In a large bowl combine all the ingredients

3. Place potatoes in a single layer on a roasting pan or baking sheet. I place foil under them for easy clean up!

Ready to roast!

4. Roast for 40 min (depends how the size of the potatoes) turning occasionally so they will brown on all sides!

I put a little kick in the potatoes and hamburger with the crushed red pepper and sambal! You may need a glass of milk if you are prone to meat/heat sweats!

I added some grilled onion and A1 to my burger!

Mailman and Enjoy!