Strawberry Jam
By adding the grated apple, which is a pectin packed fruit, it naturally jells the jam and gives it a pleasant tartness.
INGREDIENTS
1 Pound Strawberries
2/3 Cup Sugar
1 Peeled Granny Smith Apple
1 Tablespoon Fresh Lemon Juice
Hull and quarter the strawberries. You may use fresh or frozen (thaw before using). In a heavy skillet combine the strawberries and sugar. Grate the peeled apple and stir into the strawberry mixture. Cook over a medium low heat. Stir and break up the strawberries until the sugar dissolves. Simmer for 15 minutes until the jam has thickened. Stir in the lemon juice. Transfer to a bowl or jar and let cool. Cover and chill for 2 ½ hours until set. Keep chilled and serve within 2 weeks. Makes 1 ½ cups.
Victoria’s Herb Olive Oil
Some people don’t like tomato sauce on their pizza or they just like to mix it up a bit. Italians call pizza made without tomato sauce “pizza bianco,” which means white pizza. It’s very tasty and far from bland. Brush this hearty mixture over your dough before topping with your favorite toppings. You may also drizzle Herb Olive Oil over tomatoes, shrimp, and clams or on top of your pizza.
INGREDIENTS
1 Cup Olive Oil
1 ½ Teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 Tablespoon Dried Basil
1 Tablespoon Dried Parsley
1 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
1 Teaspoon Dried Rosemary
1 Teaspoon Dried Crushed Red Pepper
½ Teaspoon Spanish Paprika
½ Teaspoon Dried Thyme
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
In a medium size bowl whisk all of the ingredients together for about 30 seconds. Pour into your favorite bottle or jar. Let the herbs steep in the oil for at least 1 hour before using. Before using shake well because the herbs will have settled. Store tightly covered in a cool dark place for up to two weeks. Make 1 cup.
Homemade Barbecue Sauce
Why buy bottled barbecue sauce when it’s so easy to make your own?!
INGREDIENTS
2 Strips Chopped Bacon
3 Tablespoons Minced Green Bell Pepper
1 Minced Onion
1 Chopped Garlic Clove
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Chili Powder
½ Cup Vinegar
½ Cup Packed Brown Sugar
1 Cup Tomato Juice
½ Cup Water
Brown the bacon in a medium saucepan over a medium heat. Add the green peppers, onions, garlic and water. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add the salt, chili powder, vinegar, brown sugar and tomato juice. Cook over a medium low heat for 40 minutes. Makes 1 ½ cups.
Pesto Rosso
Pesto Rosso (red pesto) is a Sicilian red sauce made out of sun dried tomatoes and is also called Pesto alla Siciliana. This sauce is great on pasta as well as bruschetta. Serve with seafood or poultry. Pesto Rosso is definitely a very versatile sauce.
INGREDIENTS
1/3 Cup Chopped Water Packed Sun Dried Tomatoes (Drained)
2 Garlic Cloves
6 Fresh Basil Leaves
1 Garlic Clove
1 C up Fresh Basil Leaves
¼ Cup Olive Oil
1/3 Cup Parmesan Cheese
¼ Teaspoon Salt
¼ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
In a medium size sauce pan add the drained sun dried tomatoes, 2 cloves of garlic and 6 basil leaves. Cover with 1/3 cup of water and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and let stand for 25 minutes. In a food processor or a blender place 1 cup basil leaves, olive oil, 1 garlic clove, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Pulse until the mixture resembles a paste. Next, drain the tomato mixture and add to the food processor and finely chop. The sauce is now ready to use. If you are using as a pasta sauce you may want to thin the sauce with ½ cup of reserved pasta cooking water. Makes enough sauce for 1 pound of pasta. Serves 4
Aioli
Aioli is a type of mayonnaise mad with garlic, egg, lemon juice and olive oil. Provence, France is the birthplace of Aioli, an assertive & garlicky mayonnaise. Aioli is French for “garlic,” ai, and “oil,” oli. It is easy to make and store s up to one week in the fridge. It lends itself to many variations.
INGREDIENTS
2 Garlic Cloves
2 Large Egg Yolks
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
1 Teaspoon Dijon Mustard
½ Cup Olive Oil
¼ Teaspoon Salt
¼ Teaspoon White Pepper
Chop the garlic to a paste like consistency. Place the garlic in a medium size mixing bowl. Add the egg yolks, lemon juice and the mustard. In a slow and steady stream, whisk in the olive oil to form an emulsion while whisking constantly. The consistency should be like mayonnaise. If the Aioli becomes too thick, just add a few drops of warm water. Season with the salt & pepper. Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to use. Makes 1 cup.
Variations:
Basil Pesto Aioli: Add ½ cup basil pesto to the bas aioli recipe.
Red Pepper Aioli: Add ½ cup of prepared pureed roasted red peppers to the basic aioli recipe.
Double Lemon Aioli: Increase the amount of lemon juice to 2 tablespoons and add 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind to the basic aioli recipe.
Cranberry Aioli: Combine ½ cup of frozen cranberries with ½ cup orange juice and ¼ cup of light brown sugar in a small saucepan. Simmer over low heat until the juice is reduced by half. In a food processor or blender, blend the cranberry mixture until smooth, then add to the basic aioli recipe.
Creamy Ranch Dressing
Who doesn’t love Ranch Dressing?! This dressing is great over mixed greens or used as a dip.
INGREDIENTS
½ Cup Mayonnaise
1/3 Cup Buttermilk
1/3 Cup Sour Cream
2 Tablespoons Minced Fresh Parsley
2 Tablespoons Minced Fresh Chives
1 Minced Garlic Clove
1 Teaspoon Fresh Lemon Juice
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground White Pepper
½ Teaspoon Salt
In a small bowl whisk all of the ingredients together. Place in a covered container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. This dressing may be kept refrigerated for 1 week. Makes 1 ½ cups.
Homemade Mayonnaise
I love to make Homemade Mayonnaise. It’s so simple and always tastes much better! To make aioli just add 1 minced garlic clove to the egg mixture and substitute extra virgin olive oil for the canola oil.
INGREDIENTS
1 Large Egg Yolk
1 ½ Teaspoons Fresh Lemon Juice
1 Teaspoon White Wine Vinegar
¼ Teaspoon Dijon Mustard
½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
¾ Cup Canola Oil (Divided)
Combine the egg yolk, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard and ½ teaspoon of salt in a large bowl. Whisk until blended and bright yellow. You will need to whisk for about 30 seconds. Using a ¼ teaspoon measure and whisking constantly, add ¼ cup of the canola oil to the yolk mixture. Do this a few drops at a time. This should take about 4 minutes. Gradually add the remaining ½ cup of canola oil in a VERY slow thin stream. You will need to whisk constantly until the mayonnaise is thick. This should take about 8 minutes. The mayonnaise will be lighter in color. Cover and chill. You can make this mayonnaise up to 2 days in advance. Remember to keep chilled. Makes ¾ cup.
Teriyaki Sauce
Why buy bottled Teriyaki Sauce when you can make your own? Teriyaki Sauce is a simple blend of Japanese wines, soy sauce and sugar. This salty & sweet condiment gives a glossy sheen to grilled or broiled fish, chicken and meats. If you are using on meats then make sure to baste near the end of cooking to avoid burning. You can also use as a marinade to give the meat a delicious flavor and tenderize too. This Teriyaki Sauce goes well with noodle and rice dishes as well and is perfect for those who like a sweet and tangy taste at one time.
INGREDIENTS
¼ Cup Cold Water
1 Cup Water
6 Tablespoons Rice Wine Vinegar
¼ Cup Soy Sauce
2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
5 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
1 Minced Garlic Clove
3 Tablespoons Fresh Grated Ginger
In a medium saucepan and over a medium heat pour in 1 cup of water. Stir in the brown sugar, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, ginger and garlic. Bring to a boil. Stir constantly. In a small bowl dissolve the cornstarch in the ¼ cup of cold water. Wisk the cornstarch until completely dissolved. Add the cornstarch & water mixture into the sauce. Stir and allow the sauce to thicken. Remove from the heat and let cool. Store in a jar or container in the fridge. Keeps for two weeks. Makes 2 servings
White Bean & Roasted Red Pepper Dip
I love this dip. All you need is either a food processor or a blender. So easy to make and full of flavor. I also like to spread it on sandwiches instead of using mayonnaise.
INGREDIENTS
19 Ounces Cannellini Beans
16 Ounces Roasted Red Peppers
¼ Cup Fresh Parsley
3 Tablespoons Paprika
¼ Cup Olive Oil
6 Garlic Cloves
¼ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
¼ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
In a food processor, puree the cannellini beans, roasted red peppers, fresh parsley, garlic, olive oil, paprika, salt & pepper. You want the consistency to be smooth and creamy. Serve with vegetables, toasted pita chips or on sandwiches. Makes 2 cups.
When you need a quick tomato sauce for pasta or to top a meat dish this is a great basic recipe. Sometimes
I make it in advance and keep it on hand.
Quickie Tomato Sauce
INGREDIENTS
16 Ounces Tomatoes (Canned)
1 Chopped Onion
1 Large Chopped Carrot
2 Chopped Garlic Cloves
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
¼ Cup Water
½ Teaspoon Sea Salt
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
Put all of the tomatoes, onion, carrot, salt, pepper, olive oil and garlic together in a heavy saucepan. Cover and cook over a medium heat for 40 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add the water if the sauce gets too thick. In the food processor puree the tomato sauce. Use where needed. Makes 1 ¼ Cups
