my go to red sauce

For those times when you truly want fresh tomato sauce, but haven't the time to boil, crush, mix, puree your own tomatoes--I always go for the San Marzano canned tomatoes. 
If you haven't tried cooking with these you must.
It will give you a little inside taste of what tasting fresh tomatoes from Italy tastes like.
They are a bit pricey, but from time to time I've seen Whole Foods have sales on them, and that is when  I stock up.
Hands down, these tomatoes are the best--so sweet, never bitter.
Mix them with fresh herbs, a little garlic, salt, pepper, maybe a little heat and you're good to go.
I'd like to share with you my "go to" red sauce, it has a tiny amount of heavy cream in it to bring it all together.
Feel free to add or take away what you like or don't like; it's a great base recipe for customizing it to your own tastes.
And as you'll notice we don't put cheese on this sauce; the flavor of the san marzano tomatoes are just so good, so sweet, that cheese takes away from that.
But feel free to customize this sauce to your own likings.

This paste goes a long way, it's very strong, so you only need a little bit.



This recipe makes just enough for about a pound of pasta.
Does it freeze? I have no idea.
I highly suggest saving a little bit for a homemade pizza--delish.

dawns red sauce

print recipe

1 can (28 oz.) san marzano crushed tomatoes (drained, reserve some of the liquid)

1 TB (or more) San marzano tomato paste

3-4 TB extra virgin olive oil

hand full fresh basil, chopped

hand full fresh parsley, plus more for garnish

fresh oregano (half a hand full) or 1 TB dried

2-3 TB fresh garlic

1 – 1 ½ TB heavy cream

1-2 TB fresh pepper flakes

salt & pepper to taste

In a medium saucepan, heat up the olive oil, add in the garlic, sauté a bit.

Add in the red pepper flakes, heat through (1-2 minutes).

Add in the tomato paste, stir through.

Add in the drained crushed tomatoes.

Heat this through.

Then add in all your herbs and a pinch of salt & pepper.

Heat this through and taste-test—see what it needs.

Might need more salt or pepper or need more oregano.

Let it sauté a bit over medium to low heat.

If the sauce it too thick for you, add in some of the reserved liquid from the crushed tomatoes. (I like my sauce thick).

When ready to serve, add in about 1 to 1 ½ TB of heavy cream, heat through.

Serves enough sauce for almost a pound of pasta.

cake pan cookies stuffed w/ almond joys

Is it a brownie or a cookie?
A brookie perhaps, but I didn't coin that phrase.
I didn't know what to call these.
Cake pan works for me, memory-wise that is, since I'm an old fart.
What do these taste like?
To me, they taste like a softer version of a shortbread.
Not at all heavy or dense, light and very flavorful.
I'll take flavor over sweet any day.
And the best part?
Not that sweet.
Oh I cannot tell you how much I hate over-sweet cookies and brownies!
So if you are looking for a semi-lightened up version of a cookie then bookmark this recipe.
One thing you do have to watch when baking these is that they bake up fast.
Since they are not that heavy they will bake fast and tend to overbake/dry up very fast.
So heed warning on the baking times!


They don't keep long. Maybe a couple days wrapped in air-tight container.
But rarely do baked goods last even a day with my family and friends.


Do you want the middle piece?

cake pan cookies stuffed with almond joy

print recipe

1 3/4 cups flour

1/2 ts baking soda

¾ TB baking powder

5 TB double dutch cocoa powder

½ ts sea salt

2 sticks (16 TB) unsalted butter, room temp

½ cup light brown sugar, packed

½ cup granulated sugar

1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk

½ ts pure vanilla extract

8 almond joys eggs or whatever candy you wish (might need more/less depending on cake pan size you use AND what size almond joys you use)

Cooking notes:  I used almond joy egg shapes since their size and shape made sense for this recipe.  If you can’t find them then use another egg shaped candy or whatever you desire.

I used a 10-inch cake pan.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Whisk all the dry ingredients together; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, either by hand or using a mixer (I don’t have a mixer so I did this by hand) mix butter & sugars until thoroughly combined.

Add in the egg and egg yolk and vanilla extract, mix well. Then add in the dry mixture, mix until just combined, do not overmix.

Spray an 8, 9 or 10-inch cake pan with non-stick spray.

Spread batter into cake pan evenly. If it’s too sticky then wet your fingers. Don’t push the dough down too hard, you want it light, so just make sure to cover all areas.

Place, in a circle, about 7 almond joy eggs and then one in the middle (see photo on how to place). Gently push them in, don’t push down all the way through.

Bake about 16-19 minutes, rotating pans halfway through. You’ll know the cookies are done by crisp edges and slightly puffy middles, and the tops will be soft, this is good.  Don’t let it get crisp! It’s a fragile cookie dough and will dry out if overcooked.  So look for non-jiggly middles and a “gentle” crisp on top.

Let it sit in pan after baking for at least 30 minutes to finish setting up.

Slice into pie like slices (see photo on website).

Makes 8 large slices.

double chocolate-cinnamon cookies

Those cinnamon chips I see in the stores, I've never been one to just grab them and use them.
Always weary of how they will taste, too chemically, too harsh, too something....
But alas I did buy one, having a coupon for one AND it was on sale--that's enough reason there to buy it...right?
I first tasted them and they are awful on their own, but surely no one eats these on their own?
Now that they were opened I had to do something with them--make cookies.
Combine these with really good chocolate and there's sure to be something....I hope?
Thankfully they were a HUGE hit.
Had no idea these cookies would be this tasty with those cinnamon chips.
AND, the other bonus to this, is the dough is crazy easy to make since we melt the butter.
Only downfall, if you have to have one, is to chill the dough.
Why do I keep asking you to chill the darn dough?
Cookie doughs bake up better when they are chilled, they poof up, they crisp up in the best outer shell crispiness way.  Think of it as taking pancake batter and trying to bake it, it would just run even more, it wouldn't firm up, it would lose all it's internal moisture and dry up, it would take a long time to crisp up.  Whereas a chilled dough placed into a hot oven will automatically hold its nice uniform shape, won't spread, and most importantly will keep all it's moisture inside and steam itself (quickly) to bake, while the outside gets nice and crisp.  Warm and chewy inside, crisp outside--heavenly right?
And of course there is the whole science of letting the gluten relax while its chilling.
Ruth Wakefield the creator of the Tool House Chocolate Chip Cookie always chilled her dough overnight.
When I made the famous Jacques Torres chocolate chip cookies, I chilled that dough for 96 hours!
The longer it sits the better; flavor and texture wise.


I used a regular size ice cream scoop.  You can use a larger or smaller size, just make sure to adjust the baking times.
 

double chocolate-cinnamon cookies

print recipe

1 ½ cups flour

¾ cup bread flour

¾ TB baking soda

¾ TB baking powder

5 oversized TB dutch process cocoa powder

¾  ts sea salt

2 sticks (16 TB) unsalted butter, melted & cooled

½ cup + 1 TB light brown sugar, packed

½ cup granulated sugar

1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk

½ ts pure vanilla extract

¾ cup high quality semi-sweet chips

¾ cup cinnamon chips

Cook notes: make sure to let the melted butter cool a bit. When you are ready to use the butter give it a good stir to incorporate the butter solids and fats back together.

You can add a full cup of the chocolate chips and cinnamon chips if you like. I added in only ¾ cup as I wasn’t sure if the cinnamon chips would be over-powering.

It’s hard to tell when these are done, just look for non-jiggly middles and non-sticky cookies.  It’s really easy to overbake these, so definitely take them out at the 13-15 minute mark.

Whisk all the dry ingredients together; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, either by hand or using a mixer (I don’t have a mixer so I did this by hand) mix butter & sugars until thoroughly combined. Add in the egg and egg yolk and vanilla extract, mix well. Then add in the dry mixture, mix until just combined, do not overmix. Next FOLD in the chocolate chips and cinnamon chips. Cover bowl and let chill in fridge at least an hour or longer.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees, line four cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Using an normal size ice cream scoop, and making sure to compact the dough in the scooper as much as possible, scoop out on baking sheets about 1 & ½ inches apart.

Bake about 12-15 minutes, rotating pans halfway through. You’ll know the cookies are done by slightly crisp edges and slightly puffy middles.

Don’t try and take them off the cookie sheets, they will just break.  Let them sit there at least 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack.

Should make about 22-24.

sweet potato and sausage soup

Or better yet, let's call this post "clean out your cupboard".
I asked on facebook if you wanted a few of my quick & easy dinner fixes (nothing fancy).  I knew a few of you would say yes because I'm sure you're just like me, and want to use up stuff sitting in your cupboards, freezer, fridge, etc...
Anyone can throw together a quick and tasty soup.  If you look in your fridge and your cupboards I'm willing to bet you have the right ingredients for a quick and tasty soup.
That is how this sweet potato and kielbasa soup came about.
I made it on one of those winter days where the temperature outside didn't get above 30 degrees.
You can imagine how excited I was to go home to this hot and hearty soup stewing happily away in the crockpot.
Next time you go to Trader Joe's stock up on this sweet potato bisque--I'm telling you it's the perfect vehicle for soup add in's, AND the best way to use up leftovers in your fridge.
Nothing fancy, but it sure is satisfying.

You don't have to follow this exactly, you can create your own ad in's.
I just want to try and show you that it's quite easy to get creative in the kitchen even when it comes to leftovers.

And soup is the perfect vehicle to use up leftover veggies, leftover take out, and if you want to get your kids to eat more veggies.

I gave the veggies and sausage a quick stir fry/browning before going in the crockpot--you don't have too.
You can just throw them in there.
But I love a browning on my sausage.


Man was this tasty.
I know I already said this, but stock up on that sweet potato bisque from Trader Joe's.
It is so good!

sweet potato & sausage soup
print recipe

1-2 boxes of Trader Joe's sweet potato bisque
12 ounces (more or less) of cooked kielbasa, chopped
1 jar of roasted red peppers, chopped
1 medium sweet onions
1/2 - 3/4 cup diced drained tomatoes or leftover plain salsa
dashes of hot sauce
olive oil
salt & pepper to taste

cook notes:
the beauty of this recipe is that you don't have to follow it to a tee.
you can add in or take out what you don't like.
I just want to show you how easy it is to get creative with leftovers.

I gave the veggies, onions and chopped sausage a quick stir fry to get them all browned.
Then put them in a crockpot with a bit of olive oil. Got those heated through.
Then added in the sweet potato bisque, some chopped or diced tomatoes, and the chopped
red peppers.
Heat on low for a few or couple hours.
Taste test to see if you want to add hot sauce and salt & pepper.
Feel free to add in anything else like: leftover rice/pasta, leftover veggies, kale, corn, etc...(endless list).
Use hamburg or ham or shrimp if you don't like sausage.
I left this in the crockpot for about 5 hours on low, and it was fine.
I would NOT use the high setting for this.

 

pumpkin chocolate chip cookies

You've heard me 1000 times complain about the worst part of making cookies is waiting for that darn butter come to room temperature.
And I have made a few cookie recipes using melted butter with great success. (thank goodness)
And here is another one.
Seeing so many delish pumpkin cookie recipes in the food blogging world, I wanted to make them NOW.

I go looking for recipes at night and get incredibly hungry: bad combo.
Not wait for butter to come to room temp here on a cold fall day---will not happen.
And, I do try the 'microwave till soft method', but I always end up melting half and the other half is hard--fabulous.
I do not trust those microwaves at all.
Call me old fashioned--hate using microwaves.
With these cookies, I used milk chocolate chips, but you could try semi-sweet.
If I make them again, I will use salty pecans instead of chocolate--just been dying to try that.
Also, I barely used any pumpkin pie spice, so only a few dashes in this recipe.
If you want more then go right ahead.  Do a quick taste-test of the batter to see if you like it.




Use a small or medium ice cream scoop. This dough is very sticky.

pumpkin chocolate chip cookies

print recipe

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted & cooled

1 cup light brown sugar, not packed

½ cup dark brown sugar, packed

2 large eggs

1 ts pure vanilla extract

1 cup plain pumpkin puree

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 ts baking powder

1 ¼ ts baking soda

½  ts salt

4 quick dashes of pumpkin pie spice (or more if you like the flavor, I don’t like a lot)

3 dashes of cinnamon

2 cups milk chocolate chips

Mix the butter and all sugars together. I did this by hand; feel free to use a mixer.

Mix until smooth.

Add in the eggs 1 at a time, then the vanilla & pumpkin puree.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice.  

Slowly add, in batches, the dry mixture to the wet mixture. 

Do not over mix!  Lumps are good!

Stir in the chips.   Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill at least 2 hours or overnight.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees, Line a couple cookie sheets with parchment paper or spray with nonstick cooking spray, or whichever method you like.

Using a medium or small ice cream scoop, scoop the cookie dough onto the prepared cookie sheets.  Do no press them flat, leaven them round. 

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the cookies are browned around the edges.

Let cookies cook on wire racks.

Should make about 36 cookies if using a medium ice cream scoop, more if you use a small ice cream scoop.

Seven Layer Bars with Pumpkin

Those infamous 7 layer bars now made with pumpkin.
Have I lost my mind? No, just really into the pumpkin cooking spirit.
I've been dying to do this for a while now, but weary of how it would turn out because well, now there are 8 layers, so things could get sloppy, not set up, be too sweet, etc...
That buttery graham crust layer was just yearning for a nice layer of pumpkin.
It came out really good.
The pumpkin layer is very gentle in flavor, and adds a nice savory touch.
I went easy on the pumpkin spice flavoring, as I'm not a big fan of it.
I do like extra cinnamon in my pumpkin.
Made this in a 9 or 10 inch cake pan (just for something different).  It should work in a 9x13 pan, might be "just enough" or "slightly short" on ingredients--I don't know I haven't done this in a 9x13 pan yet.


Seriously?  These were insanely good.  The butterscotch with the pumpkin with the buttery graham cracker crust?  Oh heavenly food combo.






buttery graham layer first

pumpkin layer next--don't spread to the edges

pecans next, or use walnuts

chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, and butterscotch chips

coconut then pour on the sweetened condensed milk

time to bake!




Look at that crust!

Seven Layer Bars with Pumpkin

print recipe

Pumpkin layer:

1 egg

8 ounces of plain pumpkin puree

½ ts pure vanilla extract

a few dashes of cinnamon

a few dashes of pumpkin pie spice

1 ½ - 2 cups crushed graham crackers (depending on how thick you like the crust)

12 tbsp. unsalted butter

¾ cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

½ cup white chocolate chips

½ cup butterscotch chips

¾ cup sweetened flaked coconut, toasted (optional to toast)

1 (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

Preheat the oven to 350° F. 

Heavily spray with nonstick or line a 9 or 10-inch cake pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil.  If using parchment or aluminum make sure to spray that too with nonstick cooking spray. 

Melt the butter over medium heat; add in the graham crumbs, and mix well.

Using your fingers or a spatula spread crumbs into pan, making sure to get all the edges. If you want to prebake this for 10 minutes to help it get crisp then go ahead.  I did not. 

In a small bowl mix the pumpkin puree with the egg; add in the vanilla extract and as much spice as you want. I did about 4 shakes of cinnamon and 2 shakes of pumpkin spice. 

Then place a layer of the pumpkin mixture on top of the graham.  Do not spread the pumpkin mixture to the edges (see photo)—you don’t want it to seep out.

Then add the layer of pecans, chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and toasted coconut.  Next pour the condensed milk evenly over the entire dish. 

Bake until the top is golden brown and mixture is set in the middle (no jiggly), about 25-28 minutes. 

Cool on a wire rack for a couple hours.  I then put mine in the fridge to help it firm up to make the slicing much easier. 

Remove the bars from the pan.  Then using a very sharp knife, cut into bars in small pie slices.  If the slicing is sticky, it helps to wet the knife with warm water.

It’s best to store this in the fridge. Keeps about 2 days then it gets soggy.