Make it Yourself: Spaghetti Sauce Two Ways

This "Make it Yourself" series is my version of a series a friend of mine has on her blog.  It's a great idea, and I'm sure she won't mind my adding mine to the bunch...After all, "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery".  I'll add these as they come to mind, which may or may not be often, lol.
So, how do you like your sauce?  Thick and chunky, full of garden-fresh veggies or thin and simple?  I like both, but I tend towards the veggieful variety of spaghetti sauce.  What better way to incorporate more nutrients into my kids' meals?  You can also blend half to make it less noticeably chunky. (If you are using the optional meat, blend before adding.)
These really are great sauces that I've adapted for my family over the years.  The recipe makes a big batch, enough for 2-4 meals depending on how many you need to feed and what you are using it for.  They freeze well, which is why they're a big batch.  Actually, that developed because of a red sauce lovin' pregnant mama who craved spaghetti {of all things} for weeks on end in her last pregnancy.  It was easier to make the sauce once a week than every time she needed spaghetti.  Shockingly, she came out on the other side with her red sauce love intact.  ;) I hope you enjoy it!  (I apologize for the lack of photos--I made this and fully intended pictures but plum {tomato} forgot.)
EtA:  Gotta add, homemade sauce is SO much better than store bought!  I recently bought a jar of GF sauce just to have on hand--a high quality one that we used to like, and it was so disgusting to us, lol.  Even if you don't end up preferring my version, please, please find a happy home made sauce that works for you--it is so worth it.  There.  Continue on...


Thick and Substantial Chunky Spaghetti Sauce

3/4 c. cold pressed olive oil 
1 small red onion, finely diced
5 mushrooms, chopped
1 small carrot, finely diced
1 small zucchinni
4 cloves garlic, diced
1small can chopped olives
2 tbsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried parlsey (fresh herbs are also nice if you've got them!)
2 - 28 oz. cans crushed tomatoes
1 can tomato paste plus 2 cups water
2-3 tbsp.  honey (cuts acidity)
a pinch of salt if the olives weren't enough for you ;)
a couple grinds of black pepper (not too much, it'll make it bitter!)
1 1/5 pounds cooked ground beef, turkey or turkey sausage, optional (I like half beef/half turkey)

In a large heavy (non reactive) pot, add olive oil, onion, mushrooms, carrot, and zucchini.  Bring to a medium-high heat and saute until veggies begin to soften. (I use the onions as the main indicator.)  Add garlic and herbs; cook another minute or two.  (Be careful not to burn the garlic.)  Add tomatoes, paste, water, honey, and pepper.  Bring to a nice simmer and turn to low.  Cover, leaving the lid slightly ajar.  Stir it occasionally and let it simmer for about an hour.  You can go a bit longer, if desired.  Good Stuff.  I use this for lasagna, spaghetti and other pasta bakes.  Freezes very well.

Creamy Pasta Sauce

2 - 28 oz. cans crushed tomatoes
1/2 c. cold pressed olive oil
6-8 cloves garlic, diced
1 tbsp. honey
a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper (not too much; we don't want bitter sauce here!)
1 tbsp. basil
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. parsley
chopped olives and mushrooms, optional
1 lb. cooked ground beef or ground turkey (I like half and half)

The Italians may start with fresh tomatoes (and I've done this when I've had the time and garden-fresh paste maters) but I've found the crushed canned tomatoes to work just fine.  This can easily be doubled and frozen in recipe-sized quantities.
In a heavy large pan, add olive oil and garlic.  (Also mushrooms and chopped olives, if using.) Cook about a minute, making sure not to burn.  Add tomatoes, honey, seasonings and the optional meat.  Simmer for 20-25 minutes, uncovered.  Add lid, make sure you are cooking on low and simmer another 20-25 minutes.  If you want this super un-chunky, you can blend after cooking.  This is great for when you want a lighter sauce that will really coat your pasta.  I have also used this as a pizza sauce in a pinch. 

A note:  Please don't skimp on the olive oil.  It gives the depth that makes these sauces so authentic.  And please use real olive oil, lol.  I specify  cold or first pressed because from what I understand, it's the only way to tell that you are actually getting olive oil--if not stated as above on the bottle, you may have olive oil diluted with whatever cheap vegetable oil is available.  Be sure you're getting what you pay for!

Autumn Salad with Orange Vinaigrette

I don't have a picture of this one.  It is, though, one of my favorite salads, so I ought to have a picture.  I like this salad just about anytime.  My aunt introduced this to us.  I just made the dressing a little more healthy....The Orange Vinaigrette I use in the broccoli salad is also the one I use in this salad as well.  {See how resourceful I am?}  Or how versatile this vinaigrette is, perhaps.

12-14 c. mixed greens (baby greens are excellent, otherwise, tear into bite-sized bits)
2 avocadoes, sliced or
2 c. red seedless grapes
6-8 oz. artichoke hearts (make certain they are GF!--I use Trader Joes)
1 small red onions, thinly sliced
1c. toasted walnuts or pecans

Toss ingredients.  Add vinaigrette. 
You can make this ahead of time, not adding the vinaigrette and avocado until serving.  Actually, I prefer not to toss the dressing in the salad but let each serve themselves; that way, I'm not left with any soggy leftovers.  (My brother once made this ahead of time in the vinaigrette...he learned his lesson, poor guy. Soggy, soggy, soggy...;-))

Chinese Kick {Chicken Lettuce Wraps, Chow Mein, and General Tso's Chicken}

I have been on a Chinese food kick the past week or so and it's all Andrea's fault.  My friend Andrea has been doing a "Make it yourself" series and the last couple of recipes were Chinese.  I never knew Chinese food made at home really could taste so good (without the added MSG, preservatives, ect) and be so, well, Chineasy.  My kids loved both, which is important for this mom...although, I do tend to try out a recipe 3-4 times on my family before I scrap it.  Sometimes kids just need familiarity and then, wham!  They love it.  I had also found some reusable wooden chopsticks for the family, so we're trying our hand at that, too. 

So here's a link to Andrea's Chow Mein and Chicken Lettuce Wraps.

The chow mein  and lettuce wraps are simple to make GF:

-use brown rice pasta, such as Trader Joes or Tinkyada (don't over cook!)
-use wheat free/gluten free tamari, such as San-J brand (which you can also get soy free...)
-use any starch as your thickener.  I've found that tapioca, arrowroot, and potato all work perfectly.  Just be sure that your potato starch is starch and not potato flour.

Seriously, these are good.  Go ahead.  Try them.  And I dare you to use chopsticks.

The other recipe that I found that will be on our menu is General Tso's Chicken found at Tasty Kitchen.
It is gluten free from the get-go, and really good!  The change up's I made were the thickener and the sweetener, and to omit the chili garlic sauce.  I used tapioca starch as the thickener and agave as the sweetener.  Really, the only problem I had was in the frying; the oil splattered somethin' fierce.  But it was worth it. 



 

Sweet and Spicy Glazed Meatballs

I love meatballs.  My sister thinks I'm strange for that, wink.  My husband's mother makes a good meatball and that's where I learned it.  My sister in law makes some little meatball appetizers that are glazed with grape jelly and chili sauce.  Cocoa at Chocolate on My Cranium makes them that way, too.
I liked those and then I saw these apricot glazed brunch meatballs from Mennonite Girls Can Cook and those looked great, too!  I thought that these jelly-glazed meatballs were a rare commodity, until I noticed variations popping up all over the place, including my grandma's 80th birthday party.  (They served meatballs in the BBQ sauce/grape jelly version.)  All this to say that I have my own version as well.  I didn't want to spend 4 bucks for chili sauce (which is gluten free [Heinz] from what I understand).  So I had to make my own.  And sis likes them.  So here goes:

Sweet and Spicy Glazed Meatballs

Meatballs:
1 1/2 lb. ground beef, turkey, or combo
1/4 c. millet flour (or whatever non-starchy flour you have on hand)
1 tbsp. apricot jelly
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. chili powder

Sauce:
1/2 c. apricot jelly ( I like Polaner's brand)
1 heaping tbsp. chili powder
dash cayenne, optional
1/3 c. GF ketchup (I use Hunt's because they don't use high fructose corn syrup)
1/4 c. water
2 tbsp. starch (arrowroot, corn, tapioca, potato...)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Mix meatballs and form into 1 inch balls.  Bake for 20-23 minutes or until cooked through with no red/pink.  (turkey may look slightly pink regardless)
While they are baking, whisk sauce ingredients in a small saucepan.  Simmer over medium heat til all ingredients are dissolved and sauce thickens slightly.  Serve over rice.

Roasted Red Bell Peppers

I'd been buying jarred roasted red peppers for years, but once I figured out how easy it is to roast them myself, there's been no turning back.  (I'm sure everyone else already knows how simple it is, but just in case, I thought I'd do a post on it.) 

Roasted red peppers are SO YUMMY!  They are great in pasta dishes of all sorts, as well as in paella and salads and salad dressings. 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Wash peppers.

Optional:  Rub on a little cold pressed olive oil.

Set upright on a baking sheet.

Bake for 45 minutes, turning every fifteen minutes.

Remove from oven and cool.

Carefully (check for hot spots) remove skin.

Eat within 3-4 days or freeze.

These are a few recipes with roasted red pepper potential:

hoppin' johns

roasted red pepper vinaigrette

spaghetti with mushrooms, kidney beans, and roasted red peppers

paella

confetti rice

Golden Skillet Cornbread

With autumn coming on (finally!) I am turning to old cold weather favorites. One of these is my cast iron skillet cornbread. This is our go-to cornbread recipe. Gluten, dairy, and egg free and easy-peasy. We like it with chili beans.

2 c brown rice flour
1 1/2 c. cornmeal
2 tbsp baking powder
2 tsp. xanthan gum
1 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp Ener G egg replacer (or 2 eggs)
1 1/3 c almond or other safe milk
1/2 c. honey (can take down to 1/3 c. but may need to add a bit more liquid)
8 tbsp coconut oil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Heat a 12" cast iron skillet on the stovetop. Add the 8 tbsp of coconut oil to skillet, turn off burner and set aside. Mix dry ingredients (including egg replacer). Add milk and honey and mix. Carefully rotate oil around to coat the sides of the cast iron. Pour melted coconut oil from the skillet into the bowl and stir well. Bake for 20 minutes. Serve in slices. This recipe can be halved and baked in a 6 or 8" cast iron as well.

I have also used millet flour in place of the cornmeal. This is a good alternative for those who are corn free.

Mexican Pasta Skillet

Life throws some crazy days at you every now and then and we've had more than a share of them recently, it seems. My son got stung by a bee one day and then my youngest daughter got her pinkie slammed in the hinge of a door--practically a decapitated digit, as it were--which culminated in our first ever visit to the ER.
I got home wishing that I had this dish prepared--comfort food at it's finest. (You'll soon note that my definition of "comfort food" is usually Mexican food.)

Mexican Pasta Skillet

1 lb GF brown rice rotini pasta
1 lb ground beef, browned, drained
2 c. black beans
1 small onion, diced
2 zucchini, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
one medium heat green chili, diced (can omit if spicy isn't your thing)
4 cloves garlic, diced
1 tbsp cold pressed olive oil
1-14 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 c. cilantro
Cook pasta al dente (not too done, or it won't hold up). Drain, rinse in cold water, drain, and set aside. Meanwhile, brown ground beef. Set aside. In a 12" skillet, saute veggies (leaving out garlic til the end) in the olive oil til tender crisp. Add garlic and saute one minute more. Add tomatoes, spices, salt, ground beef, pasta and black beans, and cilantro. Simmer on on med low for 5-10 minutes to allow flavors to mesh and ingredients to heat through. Serve with a green salad.

Oh, Paella!

There are so many versions of paella out there. Some have shrimp, others chorizo, but I've found my family likes it plain and simple. It has become a favorite. I serve it with black beans and shredded red cabbage. It reminds my husband of simple Venezuelan fare.

4 tsbp cold pressed olive oil
6-8 chicken thighs, skin removed
1 medium onion, finely chopped
*one roasted red pepper, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, diced
2 c. brown rice
1/2 c. crushed tomatoes
3 1/2 c. water
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp cumin
2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp chili powder

*Can use jarred roasted red peppers in a pinch, or plain ol' red pepper, too!

In a deep 12" skillet or wok, heat oil over medium high heat until hot. Add chicken and brown, about 6 minutes each side. Remove from skillet, leaving drippings in the pan. Reduce heat to medium and add the onion and red pepper. Stir frequently until onion is tender. Add garlic, rice, and spices. Cook, stirring, for one minute. Add crushed tomatoes and water. Let heat to a simmer and tuck chicken into rice. Cover and simmer 40 minutes. The rice and chicken should both be done; if not, cook another ten minutes or so. (It sometimes takes longer if the chicken pieces are large.) Remove from heat and let stand five minutes. Serve with black beans and cabbage.

Roasted Corn Salsa

I've been making this salsa for so many years I've got it memorized. I *think* the original recipe came from my aunt who got it??? Well, wherever it came from, it's here to stay. This is my go-to for potluck's and I'm always asked for the recipe.

Broil til golden:
4 cups frozen or fresh corn
Remove from oven and cool.

Meanwhile, slice, dice and mix:
2 cups black beans
4 green onions, sliced
1 small red onion, diced
4 (or more) cloves garlic, diced
1 tomato, diced
1 avocado, diced
one c. cilantro chopped (makes about 1/2 c. once chopped)
1/3 c. cold pressed olive oil
4 limes, juice of
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Add cooled corn, mix well. Serve with chips, on burros, tacos, grilled chicken, any Mexican dish, really. Or just eat by the spoonful like I do.


PS--I keep forgetting to add pictures! I'll have to come back to that. Really.