The Sauce Boss!

A while back I stumbled upon an article about Giada De Laurentiis being the "Sauce Boss" of the food network. I watched her sauce being made and instantly wanted some. I've really been excited about canning my own stuff lately...just the thought of knowing exactly whats in the food I'm giving my kids is exciting. What's even more exciting is the feeling of accomplishment when I pull it out of the pantry. I decided to give it a try last night. I changed the recipe up a bit, and made it my own. This will make 4 perfectly filled to the rim Ball Jars of sauce.

Recipe:

1cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 large red onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 green pepper, finely chopped (you can do a whole green pepper if you like peppers!)
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes (I used Meijer Naturals)
3 dried bay leaves
 
In a large casserole pot, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the onions and garlic and saute until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. (At this point your eyes will really be watering and your whole house will smell of onion and garlic!)
 Add the green pepper, carrots, and salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and bay leaves, and simmer uncovered over low heat until the sauce thickens, about 1 hour. Stir occasionally.
Remove and discard the bay leaves. Season the sauce with more salt and pepper, to taste if needed...I didn't find it needed. Can sauce and you are done!

The rest of these instructions are for those that are new to canning...if you know how to can, then you can skip this!
Pour sauce into Ball Jars. The easiest way to do this is to buy a cheap 60 cent funnel. It makes it way less messy! If you don't have a super tall pot, tighten jar lids as tight as possible. Lay jars on their side in the casserole pot for 5 minutes each in boiling water. Take out of water using cannong tongs or some other method...don't attempt with your bare hands...they will be HOT! The lids should not pop up and down. If they don't, success! You've canned your sauce.

Recipe: Corn Bread Taco Bake

mmm. After giving you the recipe for the oh-so-not-healthy but Yummy deep dish pizza, I felt compelled to do a little bit healthier recipe. We just tried this out last night, and all three of the Ball boys LOVED it. I think it will become a part of our monthly routine. I hope you like it!

1 1/2 pounds lean ground turkey
1 (1 1/8 ounce) pkg taco seasoning  
1/2 cup water 
1/2 cup chopped green pepper 
1 cup sweet whole kernel corn
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce 
1 (8 1/2 ounce) package corn muffin mix 
1 (2.8 ounce) can french fried onions 
1/3 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

In skillet, brown meat; drain. Return meat to skillet, stir in taco seasoning, water, corn, green pepper, and tomato sauce. Pour into 2-quart casserole. In separate bowl, prepare corn muffin mix according to package directions, except add 1/2 can french fried onions. Spoon corn muffin mix on top of casserole and spread to edges. Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Top corn bread with cheese and remaining fried onions and bake 3 minutes more. Serve with taco sauce and salad, or chips and salsa.

Serves 6-8 people.
Number of Servings: 8

Recipe: Deep Dish Chicago Style Pizza

Warning: This is not a low-fat dish. It doesn't matter how you slice it. :)

1 Pie crust or pizza crust for a thicker crust (You can also make homemade crust if you have time. Around here though, we go for quick.)
1 jar pizza sauce
1 bag shredded mozzarella cheese
Italian sausage
Pepperoni
Green olives
Ham

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of a greased baking dish.I used a pie dish, you can also use a 9x13 if you want square, it just may not be as deep. 
2. Lightly butter the crust and sprinkle garlic salt on butter. YUM.
3. Pour a thin layer of sauce over the bottom of the crust.
4. Crumble the sausage into a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir until evenly browned. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon, and sprinkle over the sauce in crust. Add 1/2 of any other toppings you would like to include. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese evenly.
5. Add another layer of toppings, sprinkle with garlic salt.
6. Cover with final layer of sauce, and cheese if you prefer cheese on top (Typical Chicago style is sauce on top, but some people like a little extra cheese).
7. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, or until crust is golden brown. Let stand for 10 minutes to cool, this will prevent a runny sauce.
8.  ENJOY! :)

Recipe: White Chicken Chili

Okay ladies, without making you wait any longer, the official recipe for White Chicken Chili. This is quite possibly the easiest recipe you will ever make. Seriously, throw it all in and you are done! Enjoy! Sorry, no yummy photos to drool over, you will have to just make and take your own pictures. :)

1 Large can Salsa (Hot, Medium, or mild, any will do)
1 Large jar Northern Beans (These may be hard to find the first time, they are near the baked beans, and in a large glass gar with a red/white label, white beans.)
1-2 bricks Pepper jack or Monterey jack Cheese. We use Pepperjack cheese to make it a little spicier. Shred or slice into small pieces.
2 Cans Cut up chunk chicken (Or you can cook and cut up your own chicken, but for us busy people, canned is much quicker!)
1 teaspoon cumin (optional spice)
Salt and pepper

Mix all together in a stock pot on the stove. Chili is done when cheese is completely melted! Easy-Peasy! :)

Recipe: Pioneer Woman's Mac and Cheese

We tried a new recipe this week and I wanted to share it! It was SO easy to make. Just a few extra minutes for cutting up veggies and you can go from making boxed macaroni, to making this amazing version of mac and cheese!Way healthier for your family...okay maybe not the heavy cream involved...but the fresh ingredients, YUM.
4 out of 5 stars, rated by the hubby!
Here are our pics:

P.W.’s Spicy Macaroni & Cheese

4 cups cooked macaroni or cavatappi
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 to 1/2 finely diced red onion
Equal amount diced red bell pepper
1 finely diced jalapeno
1 4 oz can chopped green chilies
1 cup frozen corn
2 to 3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup cream
1 generous cup grated Pepper Jack cheese
2 tablespoons butter
Salt
Pepper

Boil pasta until al dente. In a large skillet, add olive oil and saute garlic and vegetables over medium heat for a couple of minutes. Add in canned chilies and stir around, then turn off heat. Drain pasta and add it to skillet. Pour on cream, add cheese, then add salt and pepper to taste and stir gently. At the end, add 2 tablespoons butter and stir again. Check seasonings and serve.

Serve with juicy steak, with grilled shrimp, chicken, or on its own. It’ll change your life for the better.