Homemade Refried Beans

by Table for Two on January 9, 2012 in Sides
See this recipe post on Table for Two’s site! January 9, 2012
Sides

Preparation Instructions

1. If possible, soak pinto beans overnight. This will cut down your cooking time a lot. If not, it’s okay. Instructions are the same as below.
2. Rinse the beans to get off any dirt.
3. Add the beans to a pot and cover with the water. Make sure there is at least 3-4 inches of water above the beans. Cook the beans for 2 1/2 hours, about 1 1/2 hours for pre-soaked beans.
4. Once the beans are cooked, reserve 1 cup of the water, then drain the rest. Set aside.
5. In a skillet, saute the onions, red pepper flakes, paprika, and brown sugar for about 5 minutes. Add this to the pot where the beans are and add the reserved cup of water.
6. Using an immersion blender, lightly blend the beans until they’re the consistency you want. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can use a pastry blender (like I did). It gives a coarser consistency than the immersion blender since it’s harder to get every bean.
7. Season with salt as needed. Keep tasting it occasionally. This is also where you can add more red pepper flakes if desired.
8. Serve immediately.

Ingredients

• 2-½ cups Dry Pinto Beans
• 3 quarts Water
• 1  Onion, Chopped
• ½ Tablespoons Red Pepper Flakes, Or More To Taste
• ½ Tablespoons Paprika
• 2 Tablespoons Light Brown Sugar
• 4 Tablespoons Salt, Or As Needed

Spicy Stewed Beef with Creamy Cheddar Grits

Spicy Stewed Beef with Creamy Cheddar Grits

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons Canola Oil
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 3 pounds Stew Meat Or Diced Chuck Roast
• 1 can (11 Ounces) Chipotle Peppers In Adobo Sauce
• 4 cups Low-sodium Beef Broth, More If Needed
• 5 cloves Minced Garlic
• 1 Tablespoon Cumin
• 2 teaspoons Chili Powder
• 1 whole Onion, Diced
• 1 whole Red Bell Pepper
• 3 whole Chilies (any Variety, Hot Or Mild)
• 4 cups Stone Ground Grits
• 6 cups Low Sodium Chicken (or Beef) Broth
• 3 cups Water
• 2 cups Half-and-half
• 2 cups Grated Cheddar Cheese

Preparation Instructions

To make the meat, heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large pot over high heat. Throw in stew meat and brown for 1 minute, then add chipotle peppers, beef broth, garlic, cumin, and chili powder. Stir, then bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, then cover and simmer for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until the meat is fall-apart tender and the liquid is thick. (Watch the meat occasionally and add more beef broth as needed.)

In the last hour of cooking time, make the grits: Heat remaining 1 tablespoon of both oil and butter. Add diced onion, bell pepper, and chilies and cook for five minutes or so. Pour in grits, then add chicken (or beef) broth and water. Stir, then bring to a boil . Reduce the heat to low, then cover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. After 30 minutes, add half-and-half. Cook for another 20 to 30 minutes, or until grits are tender. Remove from heat and stir in grated cheese.
Serve pile of grits with stewed meat (liquid and all) over the top. Sprinkle on sliced green onion for color.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2012/01/spicy-stewed-beef-with-creamy-cheddar-grits/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+pwcooks+%28The+Pioneer+Woman+Cooks!%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken

Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken

A fabulously spicy chicken dish made light with skinless chicken legs and thighs, simmered in a pot with light coconut milk, scallions, onions, tomatoes, garlic, thyme and one very hot scotch bonnet pepper. I served this with Jamaican rice and beans (recipe coming tomorrow), and a simple tomato avocado salad, and boy was this delicious!

I just love the tropical flavors in Jamaican cuisine, it's similar to Latin cuisine only a whole lot hotter! The scotch bonnet pepper is commonly used in Jamaican cuisine, but I warn you, it's spicy!! This small little pepper packs a whole lot more heat than a jalapeño so a little goes a long way. I like spicy foods, but I personally can only tolerate using 1/2 pepper for my taste and wearing gloves when handling the pepper is a must. If you like really spicy food, then add the whole pepper and please, keep them away from the kids and pets!!

I'm a dark meat lover so I chose the legs and thighs, but you can use a whole chicken cut up, or just the breast if you prefer white meat. I recommend using chicken on the bone, because bones give stews flavor and although it would still work with boneless chicken, it won't be as good. My husband loved this dish, and it will absolutely be going into our dinner rotation. Enjoy!!
Ingredients:

• 6 bone-in chicken legs with thighs attached, skin removed (6 thighs, 6 drumsticks)
• 1 lime or 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• 4 medium scallions, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 - 1 hot scotch bonnet pepper, seeds + membrane removed, chopped
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme or 2 tsp dried thyme
• 2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce (for gluten free use GF Tamari)
• 1 tsp coconut oil (canola would be fine too)
• 1 medium carrot, chopped finely
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened light coconut milk (I like Thai Kitchen)
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt

Directions:

Squeeze lime over chicken and rub well. Drain off excess lime juice.

Using gloves

combine

tomato, scallion, onion, garlic, scotch bonnet pepper, thyme and soy sauce in a large bowl and add to the chicken.

Cover

and marinate at least one hour.

Heat oil in a dutch pot or large saucepan. Shake off the seasonings as you remove each piece of chicken from the marinade, reserving the marinade for later.

Lightly

brown

the chicken on medium-high heat. When browned on all sides,

pour

the marinade over the chicken and

add

the carrots.

Stir

and

cook

over medium heat for 10 minutes.

Mix

cornstarch and coconut milk and

add

to stew, stirring constantly.

Reduce

heat to low and cook an additional 20 minutes or until tender,

add

salt to taste.

Adapted from Food.com

http://www.skinnytaste.com/2012/02/jamaican-brown-stew-chicken.html#more 

Chicken Chili Recipe with White Beans, Sweet Potato and Lime

This easy, fabulous chicken chili gets its heat from hot red pepper flakes and ginger. It keeps its cool with sweet potato, fresh squeezed lime juice, and citrusy cilantro. Roasting the chicken (bone in) and adding it in at the end of cooking time, gives this white bean chicken chili a superior texture and flavor.

Ingredients:

4 bone-in free-range organic chicken breasts
Drizzle of olive oil
Sea salt and pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium red onion, peeled, diced
2-4 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
1 large or 2 smaller sweet potatoes, peeled, diced
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon GF chili powder
2 teaspoons dried oregano
Hot red pepper flakes, season to taste
3/4 cup chopped roasted green chiles or tomatillo salsa verde
2 15-oz cans organic cannellini or Great Northern white beans, rinsed, drained
2 cups light organic chicken broth
Squeeze of fresh lime juice

For serving:

Fresh chopped parsley
Fresh chopped cilantro
Fresh lime slices

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Rinse the chicken breasts and pat dry. Remove the skin, if you like (we do). Place meaty side up in a baking pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with sea salt and pepper. Sprinkle with dried herbs, if you like (we used thyme and oregano).

Turn the chicken over, bone side up, drizzle again, and season.

Roast the chicken bone side up for roughly 30 to 35 minutes until done and no longer pink inside (check with a meat thermometer for an internal temp of 165º to 170º).

Tip: Roasting bone-in, with the rib side up, will give you moist, tender, juicy chicken.

In the meantime, start your pot of chili.

Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a large soup pot over medium high heat. Add the red onion and stir for a minute. Add the garlic and sweet potatoes. Add ginger, cumin, oregano and hot pepper flakes. Stir to coat. Add in the roasted green chiles, white beans and chicken broth. Cover and bring to a light simmer.

When the chicken is done, let it cool off slightly, until it is cool enough to handle. Cut the meat off the rib bones, or tear off pieces by hand. Add the chicken pieces to the pot and stir gently to warm through.

Squeeze in some fresh lime juice to brighten flavors. Stir gently. Taste test for seasoning adjustments. Does it need more heat? More salt? If it has thickened too much, add a touch of broth to thin.

Serve with lime wedges and a sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley and cilantro.

Serves 6.

Read more: http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2012/01/gluten-free-chicken-chili-with-white.html#ixzz1mBAc1zBb

Brown Sugar Carrot Bread

Brown Sugar Carrot Bread

Click here for a printable recipe
Recipe courtesy Mark Bittman

This is a deliciously moist, dense quick bread, but there are a few things I will do differently next time.  First I think I might lighten up the texture of the bread a little.  Mark used a combination of 1 ¼ cups all-purpose, ½ cup whole wheat, and ¼ cup course wheat bran, and I used a cup each of all purpose flour and white whole wheat flour.  Next time I think I might cut the whole wheat flour back to 1/2 cup.  I thought the orange zest was a little too dominant, so I suggest you eliminate it altogether.  Lastly, 1 teaspoon of salt seemed a bit much; 1/2 tsp is perfect.   The recipe didn't include them, but I added 1 cup raisins to the batter.

Makes: 1 loaf

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold butter, plus butter for the pan2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup brown sugar (golden or dark)1 ½ teaspoons baking powder½ teaspoon baking soda1 teaspoon salt (I recommend 1/2 tsp)¾ cup almond milk1 tablespoon grated orange zest (I recommend you eliminate this)1 egg1 cup grated carrots½ cup sliced almonds
1 cup raisins

1. Heat the oven to 350d F. Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with butter or spray with cooking spray. (I suggest you use a smaller loaf pan...the bread comes out much nicer and cooks up perfectly).

2. Stir together the dry ingredients. Cut the butter into bits, then use a fork, 2 knives, or your fingers to cut or rub it into the dry ingredients until there are no pieces bigger than a small pea. (You can use a food processor for this step, which makes it quite easy, but you should not use a food processor for the remaining steps or the bread will be tough.)

3. Beat together the milk, zest and egg. Pour into the dry ingredients, mixing just enough to moisten; do not beat and do not mix until the batter is smooth. Fold in the grated carrots, raisins and the nuts, then pour and spoon the batter into the loaf pan. Bake for about an hour, or until the bread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes before removing from the pan.

PASTA WITH SPINACH PESTO

PASTA WITH SPINACH PESTO 

click here for a printable recipe
1 lb pasta (spaghetti, penne, fettuccine or linguini)Coarse salt and ground pepper1 10-oz pkg of frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese (plus more for serving)2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts, plus more for serving1 garlic clove1 teaspoon grated zest plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice ¼ cup olive oil
Optional, 4 oz soft goat cheese
Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water until al dente (I usually cook it 1 minute less than the package directs).  Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.  Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
While the pasta is cooking, place the spinach, parmesan, 2 tablespoons pine nuts, garlic, lemon zest and juice in a food processor or blender.  Process until a paste forms.  With the motor running, add oil and ¼ cup cold water, and process until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add to the pasta and toss, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time until the sauce is thinned slightly and coats the pasta. 
If desired, stir in the goat cheese when you add the pesto to the pasta.
Serve, sprinkled with additional Parmesan and nuts.

Butterflies and Clouds

Butterflies and Clouds (Bats and Cobwebs)

Ingredients

• 1 (8 ounce) package farfalle (bow tie) pasta
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 small onion, chopped (optional)
• 1 (28 ounce) jar pasta sauce
• 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Fill a large pot with lightly salted water, bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Stir in the bow tie pasta and return to a boil. Boil pasta, stirring occasionally, until cooked through but still firm to the bite, about 12 minutes. Drain well.
Cook and stir ground beef and onion in a large skillet until beef is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Drain fat. Stir in pasta sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer.
Stir cooked pasta and half of the mozzarella cheese into the sauce; toss to combine. Transfer to a 2-quart baking dish. Top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
Bake in preheated oven until lightly browned and bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes.  

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/bats-and-cobwebs/detail.aspx

Pasta e Fagioli a la Chez Ivano

 Pasta e Fagioli a la Chez Ivano

Ingredients
    •    3 pounds lean ground beef
    •    1/2 cup olive oil
    •    4 cups chopped onion
    •    2 cups chopped celery
    •    2 (4.5 ounce) jars bottled minced garlic
    •    1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
    •    8 (14 ounce) cans beef broth
    •    1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
    •    1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
    •    2 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
    •    2 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
    •    2 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
    •    2 tablespoons dried parsley
    •    2 cups ditalini pasta
    •    2 (15 ounce) cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Directions
    1.    In a large pot over medium heat, cook beef until no longer pink. Drain and set aside.
    2.    In the same pot, heat the olive oil. Cook onion, celery, garlic and black pepper until vegetables are tender, 10 minutes. Stir in beef broth, crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. Season with thyme, basil, oregano and parsley. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 1 hour. (At this point, you may put the pot on a back burner to keep warm and continue with the next steps about 1 hour prior to serving, if you wish.)
    3.    Stir in the beef and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in the pasta and cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the beans and heat through, 10 to 15 minutes.


http://allrecipes.com/recipe/pasta-e-fagioli-a-la-chez-ivano/detail.aspx

Sesame Braised Chicken in a Pot With Shiitake, Daikon and Ginger

Sesame Braised Chicken in a Pot With Shiitake, Daikon and Ginger
elemenoPee via NYTimes

Time: 1 1/2 hours


3 bunches scallions (about 3/4 pound)

3 tablespoons peanut oil

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 pound daikon radish, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks

1/2 cup sliced shiitake mushroom caps

6 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

2 inches ginger, peeled and thinly sliced

1 whole chicken (3 1/2 pounds)

2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt

2 teaspoons black pepper

1 cup chicken stock

1/2 cup dry sherry

1 tablespoon soy sauce

4 whole star anise pods

1 1/2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar, more to taste.



1. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Trim the roots off the scallions. Separate the dark green tops from the white and pale green bottoms.

2. In a 5- or 6-quart Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons peanut oil and 1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil over medium-high heat. Add the scallion bottoms, daikon, mushrooms and garlic cloves. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 7 minutes. Add the ginger and cook 1 minute more. Use a slotted spoon to transfer vegetables to a platter.

3. Pat chicken dry and season inside and out with salt and black pepper. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon peanut oil and 1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil to the Dutch oven. Brown chicken, turning, until the skin is well browned all over. Turn chicken breast-side up. Scatter the vegetable mixture around the chicken. In a small bowl, whisk together the stock, sherry and soy sauce. Pour over the chicken. Drop in the star anise pods. Tightly cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Cook until the chicken is no longer pink, 50 to 60 minutes.

5. Remove to a cutting board. Skim fat from the surface of the cooking liquid. Stir in the vinegar. Carve chicken and serve, topped with vegetables and pot juices.

Yield: 4 servings.

Beer Burgers

Beer Burgers teamgulley via allrecipes.com

1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup beer

Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate. Mix the ground beef, onion, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Mix in the beer until absorbed by the meat mixture. Form into patties.Cook on the preheated grill until the burgers are cooked to your desired degree of doneness, about 5 minutes per side for well done. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).

Slow Cooker Turkey Dips

Slow Cooker Turkey Dips
The-Skipper-Bunch

3 Tbsp room temperature butter
1 Tbsp fresh thyme
1 Tbsp fresh rosemary
salt and pepper
1 onion, sliced thinly
1/2 c chicken broth
3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 (3-pound) turkey breast
6 Sub rolls
3 Tbsp soft butter
1 tsp garlic
12 slices cheese

--- In a small bowl, combine the room temperature butter, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper. Set aside. Add the sliced onions, chicken stock, and Worcestershire sauce to the bottom of your slow cooker. Add the turkey breast. Cover the turkey breast with the reserved herb butter. Cook on high for 4 to 6 hours. The turkey needs to reach an internal temperature of 170 degrees. Take the turkey out and cover it with foil. Let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Reserve the onions and the broth. Slice the turkey as thinly as you can. Preheat your broiler. Combine garlic powder and butter, butter the rolls. Add slices of turkey and onions. Top with cheese and broil until the cheese melts and the rolls are lightly toasted. Serve with the reserved broth on the side.

Creamy Veggie Orzo

Creamy Veggie Orzo

~~rls2007~~

Ingredients:2 cups orzo
1 chicken bullion cube (optional)
3 T butter
2 T EVOO
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup onion, diced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1-2 plum tomatoes, diced
1 small summer squash, diced
1/2 cup orange bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
handful baby spinach

Directions: Notes:  You can use any veggie combo here.  I like to use a combination of varying colors, but frozen peas and corn work well, any bell pepper, zucchini, broccoli, etc.

 1) Cook orzo according to package directions in a medium to large pot, adding the chicken bullion to the boiling water.  Drain when finished.

2) Return pot to stove and add butter and EVOO.  Stir until butter is fully melted.

3) Add crushed garlic and onion to butter/oil combination and saute over medium/low heat for 1-2 minutes.  Add mushrooms, tomatoes, squash and pepper and saute an additional 4-5 minutes until veggies have softened a bit.

4) Return orzo to pot.  Add milk and sprinkle parmesan cheese over mixture.  Stir until cheese is melted and milk is fully incorporated into mixture.  Taste and add salt and pepper to taste.

5) Add baby spinach and stir until combined and spinach is slightly wilted.

Notes:  You can use any veggie combo here.  I like to use a combination of varying colors, but frozen peas and corn work well, any bell pepper, zucchini, broccoli, etc.

Garlic meatball soup

Garlic meatball soup
The-Skipper-Bunch

1/2 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 lb. bulk pork sausage
1 egg
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
6 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed
4 C. water
1 envelope onion soup mix
1 (16 oz.) can stewed tomatoes
1 med bell pepper,chopped
1 med onion, chopped
1 C. diced carrots
1/2 C. quick cooking rice
2 Tbsp. chopped parsley

Mix lean ground beef, sausage, egg, salt and pepper thoroughly in med. bowl. Shape into tiny balls. (Brown meatballs in skillet, if desired.) Bring water to boil in lrg. saucepan; stir in soup mix and garlic. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 10 min.

Add meatballs, tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, rosemary and carrots; simmer 15 min. longer. Stir in rice. Cover; remove from heat. Let stand 5 min. Add parsley.

Mushroom Lentil Barley Stew

Mushroom Lentil Barley Stew
OP?
Ingredients:
2 quarts vegetable broth
2 cups sliced fresh button mushrooms
1 ounce dried shiitake mushrooms, torn
into pieces
3/4 cup uncooked pearl barley
3/4 cup dry lentils
1/4 cup dried onion flakes
2 teaspoons minced garlic
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried basil
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
salt to taste
Directions:
1.In a slow cooker, mix the broth, button mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, barley, lentils, onion flakes, garlic, savory, bay leaves, basil, pepper, and salt.
2.Cover, and cook 4 to 6 hours on High or 10 to 12 hours on Low. Remove bay leaves before serving

Recipe from allrecipes.com

Teriyaki Penne

Teriyaki Penne
brookiebunny via Sonoma Online

8 ounces dried whole-grain penne
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 cups packaged shredded broccoli (broccoli slaw mix) 
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/8 cup sesame oil
1/8 cup slivered almonds

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Return pasta to saucepan. Meanwhile, in a large skillet cook ginger and garlic in hot oil for 15 seconds. Stir in the shredded broccoli, frozen chicken, sesame oil, almonds, and teriyaki sauce. Cook and stir about 5 minutes or until broccoli is crisp-tender. To serve, toss broccoli mixture with hot pasta; add green onions.

Cheerios Breakfast Cookies

Cheerios Breakfast Cookies
Amy (amylz)
(12 servings)

1 and 1/4 cups white sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine - softened
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup water
1 Tablespoon vanilla
1 large egg - lightly beaten
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats
1 cup raisins
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
4 cups Cheerios breakfast cereal

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, stir together the first 6 ingredients (sugar, butter, peanut butter, water, vanilla and egg). Stir in all remaining ingredients. I find it easiest to stir everything together with my hands. On a large cookie sheet (sprayed lightly with cooking spray), dollop the cookie dough in about 1/2 cup amounts per cookie - making sure there's a couple inches separating each cookie as the dough will spread. Flatten the cookies slightly with a spatula to form rounds. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown. Try replacing the raisins with other dried fruit. You can also experiment replacing the Cheerios with another cereal. Make sure you let these cookies cool 5 minutes or so before removing from the cookie sheet or they bust up.

PASTA AND TOMATO SAUCE WITH VODKA AND CREAM

PASTA AND TOMATO SAUCE WITH VODKA AND CREAM (ultrasara via Cooks Illustrated) 

Dresses 1 pound pasta; serves 4.   Published May 1, 1997.  

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:

Given that good fresh tomatoes are a rare commodity and that we wanted a tomato sauce recipe that home cooks could use year-round, we decided to use canned tomatoes. After conducting a number of tests, we determined the crucial ingredients to be garlic, fresh basil, olive oil, salt, and sugar. We discovered that a garlic puree, diluted with water and sautéed briefly in olive oil, provided a mild, even garlic flavor while greatly reducing the possibility of overcooking the garlic.

If you use whole canned tomatoes, avoid those packed in sauce or puree, which results in a dull, relatively flavorless sauce without the interplay of sweetness and acidity. If you choose Muir Glen Diced Tomatoes instead, use the can's entire contents, without discarding any liquid. The pasta and sauce quantities can be doubled, but you will have to simmer the sauce for an extra five or six minutes to thicken it. If you do not have a garlic press, mince the garlic very fine and sauté it for one minute rather than two. Note that the salt in this recipe is added in two batches; if you are using the sauce for something other than pasta, simply salt to taste rather than adding the second quantity of salt.

INGREDIENTS

•    1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes or whole tomatoes (not packed in puree or sauce)
• 2 medium cloves  garlic , peeled
• 3 tablespoons  extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup vodka
• 1 cup heavy cream
• Ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil (about 8 leaves)
• 1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
• 1 pound pasta

INSTRUCTIONS

1. If using diced tomatoes, go to step 2. If using whole tomatoes, drain and reserve liquid. Dice tomatoes either by hand or in workbowl of food processor fitted with metal blade (three or four 1/2-second pulses). Tomatoes should be coarse, with 1/4-inch pieces visible. If necessary, add enough reserved liquid to tomatoes to total 2 cups.
2.  Process garlic through garlic press into small bowl; stir in 1 teaspoon water. Heat 2 tablespoons oil and garlic and red pepper flakes in 10-inch sauté pan over medium heat until fragrant but not brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes; simmer 5 minutes. Add vodka and simmer 5 minutes longer. Stir in cream, ground black pepper to taste, basil, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Transfer sauce to workbowl of food processor fitted with a steel blade; pulse to a coarse puree. Return sauce to pan; simmer over medium heat to thicken, 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, cook pasta until al dente in large pot of boiling, salted water. Reserve 1/4 cup cooking water; drain pasta, and transfer it back to cooking pot. Mix in reserved cooking water, sauce, and remaining oil and salt; cook together over medium heat for 1 minutes, stirring constantly, and serve immediately.

Balsamic Roasted Potatoes

Balsamic Roasted Potatoes
The-Skipper-Bunch

1 1/2 pounds new potatoes, halved or quartered if large (I used russet)
3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
8 garlic cloves, smashed
5 sprigs of thyme ( I used 1.5-2 tablespoons of dried thyme)
coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In an 8-inch square baking dish, combine potatoes, broth, vinegar, garlic, thyme; season with salt and pepper. Bake until potatoes are tender and liquid is reduced to a glaze, about 1 1/4 hours, tossing twice.