Easy Nacho Sauce

Ingredients:

2 lb. box original Velveeta Cheese

1 cup mild La Victoria Taco sauce

1 cup sour cream

milk for thinning

Directions:

Cube Velveeta and put in slow cooker with 1 cup sour cream and 1 cup taco sauce. Cook on high for 1.5 to 2 hours, stirring often. Add milk to thin. Can keep on high while eating, keep stirring and add milk to thin.

Yum Yum Sauce

Ingredients

1-1/4 cup	Mayonnaise
1/4 cup	water
1 teaspoon	tomato paste
1 tablespoon	melted butter
1/2 teaspoon	garlic powder
1 teaspoon	sugar
1/4 teaspoon	paprika
dash	cayenne pepper

Directions

Using a fork or a whisk, blend all ingredients together thoroughly until well mixed and the sauce is smooth. Refrigerate overnight to allow flavors to blend. Bring to room temperature before serving.

The sauce will NOT taste right if you don't let it sit overnight.

Chicken & Sausage Ragu

COOK:
8	oz. dry pappardelle or fettuccine pasta
SAUTÉ:
1	lb. link Italian sausage, cut into 1-inch chunks
1	lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks
1	cup diced onion
1⁄4	cup olive oil
2	Tbsp. each minced garlic and tomato paste
3/4	tsp. fennel seed
1⁄2	tsp. red pepper flakes
DEGLAZE:
1⁄2	cup dry red wine
1	can diced tomatoes in juice (14.5 oz.)
1	cup low-sodium chicken broth
2	Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1	bay leaf
STIR IN:
2	oz. cream cheese
	Shredded Parmesan
	Chopped fresh parsley

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water according to package directions; drain and set it aside.

Sauté sausage, chicken, and onion in oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until browned, 5–7 minutes. Add garlic, tomato paste, fennel seed, and pepper flakes; cook until fragrant, 2–3 minutes.

Deglaze the pan with wine, then stir in tomatoes, broth, vinegar, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and simmer, 5 minutes.

Stir in cream cheese until melted. Spoon ragu over pasta and garnish with Parmesan and parsley.

Blue Cheese Dressing

Ingredients

1 1/4 C mayonnaise
1/4 C buttermilk
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp onion salt
1/2 tsp salt
1 T dried parsley
pepper to taste
2 T crumbled blue cheese

Directions

Combine all ingredients and mix until smooth.

Fran's Teriyaki Sauce

Ingredients

1/2 C soy sauce
1/2 C sugar
1/8 tsp ginger

Directions
Combine and heat over low heat, stirring occassionally until desired thickness

Pizza Sauce

DIRECTIONS:

• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste

• 6 fluid ounces warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

• 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

• 2 tablespoons honey

• 1 teaspoon anchovy paste(optional)

• 3/4 teaspoon onion powder

• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram

• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil

• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 1/8 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

• salt to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. In a small bowl, combine tomato paste, water, Parmesan cheese, garlic, honey, anchovy paste, onion powder, oregano, marjoram, basil, ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes and salt; mix together, breaking up any clumps of cheese.
2. Sauce should sit for 30 minutes to blend flavors; spread over pizza dough and prepare pizza as desired.

Blue Cheese and Cabernet Sauvignon Demi Glace

Ingredients

• 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons shallots, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup Cabernet Sauvignon
• 1 cup Demi Glace*
• 2 ounces Maytag Blue Cheese, crumbled

Preparation

1. In a sauce pan heat olive oil. Sauté shallots and garlic until transparent.
2. Add Cabernet Sauvignon to pan and reduce by half.
3. Add Demi Glace to pan and slowly bring to a boil.
4. Stir in blue cheese.
5. Serve with Beef Roast or Steak.

Carol's Alfredo Sauce

Ingredients

2 C Shredded Parmesan cheese
1 C Heavy cream
1 C butter

Directions

Combine ingredients over medium low heat until smooth.

Pasta Bolognese

Ingredients

• 4 slices of thick-cut bacon, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 medium carrots, diced
• 2 stalks of celery, diced
• 2 pounds of ground pork
• 1 pound of ground veal or beef
• 1/3 cup tomato paste
• 1 1/2 cups of red wine
• 1 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes in puree
• 1 1/2 cups of half and half
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 pound of pasta, cooked according to package directions
• Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium low heat. Add bacon and cook until fat is rendered and bacon is crisping slightly, about 5 minutes. Add onions, carrots, and celery and cook for 5 minutes, or until veggies are tender.
2. Add ground meats and break apart with a spatula. Cook until no longer pink, about 7 minutes.
3. Add tomato paste and stir so that all the meat is evenly coated. Add the wine, raise heat to high and boil for 5 min.
4. Add the crushed tomatoes and bring to a boil for 5 minutes more. Add the half and half, bay leaf and thyme and stir well. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for one hour. Alternately, place the sauce in your slow cooker set on low, cover and cook for 6-7 hours.
5. Taste for seasoning and serve over hot pasta, garnished with parmesan cheese.

Stacey's Teriyaki Sauce

Ingredients:

¾ C water

½ C soy sauce

¾ to 1 C brown sugar

¼ tsp garlic powder

1/8 tsp ground ginger

1 T cornstarch

Plus Karo syrup

Directions:

Combine ingredients and whisk to mix well.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens slightly.  Cool to room temperature.  Yield: about 1½ C sauce

Berry Poppy Seed Vinaigrette

Ingredients

1/2 c. white wine vinegar
1/2 c. honey (or sugar)
1-2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon grated onion
1 tsp. kosher or other coarse salt
About 10 cracks of freshly ground black pepper
1 c. raspberries, blackberries, or strawberries
2/3 c. canola oil
1 1/2 tsp. poppy seeds

Directions

Combine the vinegar, honey, garlic, onion, salt, pepper, and berries in the jar of a blender. Blend until smooth and then, with the blender running, add the oil in a steady stream. Turn off the blender and whisk in the poppy seeds. If possible, refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

Cranberry Relish

3 pkg. Whole, Fresh Cranberries

3 Granny Smith Apples; peeled, cored, divided into 8 sections and sliced into ¼ inch slices

6 Oranges; juiced plus enough water to make 4 cups of liquid (or you can simply use 4 C of orange juice)

1 C Raisins

3 Tsp. Cinnamon

1 Tsp. Cloves

¼ Tsp. Nutmeg

1 Box MCP Pectin

4 C Sugar

In large pot fold all ingredients EXCEPT sugar.  Cook over medium heat until fruit comes to a gentle rolling boil.  Slowly add sugar and bring to rolling boil and let boil for 1 minute.  Ladle into prepared canning jars, place flat lids, screw on rings and invert for 1 hour.  Jars will self seal.  You may do a water bath to seal if you wish.  Yields 12 ½ pint jars or 7 pint jars.  This will keep in the pantry for 5 years (in my experience) but refrigerate once opened.  

Stacey's Alfredo

Ingredients
1/2 C butter
1 8oz cream cheese
2 tsp garlic powder
2 C milk
6 oz grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 tsp pepper

Directions
Combine ingredients over medium low heat, stirring until smooth. Serve over fettuccine noodles.

Yummiest Salsa Ever

Ingredients:
2 cans (7 oz) Herdez brand green salsa
1 can (7 3/4 oz) El Pato tomato sauce
1 bunch green onions, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
2 or 3 avocados, chopped
1 tsp cumin
salt & pepper to taste
1 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp chili powder

Directions:
Blend, mix, whatever... just put it all together and enjoy!

Super Yummy Additions:
3-4 tomatillos, 2 jalepenos, 1 lime (juice squeezed from), lots of cilantro. We also chose to eliminate the avacodos so it would last longer, but added them as we were eating it, good with and without.

Cilantro Cream Sauce

Ingredients
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon sour cream
1 (7 ounce) can tomatillo salsa
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Directions
Combine cream cheese, sour cream, salsa, pepper, celery salt, cumin, garlic powder, cilantro and lime juice in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy. Place in a serving bowl.

Green Olive and Roasted Tomato

Ingredients
1 sheet (about 8 oz.) frozen puff pastry, thawed
3/4 c Made in Napa Valley Green Olive and Roasted Tomato Tapenade
4 oz. fresh mozzarella, grated
1 pound ripe tomatoes (about 4 medium), sliced 1/8-inch thick
1/4 c. grated Parmesan
4 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
Olive oil, for brushing

Directions
Preheat oven to 425°. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Unfold the thawed puff pastry sheet and cut in half. Place the first half between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and roll out to 1/8-inch thick, maintaining the rectangular shape. Remove the top sheet of plastic wrap and turn onto one half of the baking sheet and remove the remaining sheet of plastic wrap. Repeat with the other half of the puff pastry sheet. Trim any edges to even up the rectangles, if necessary. Brush the edges with water and turn over 1/2-inch all around. Dip the tines of a fork in flour and press them into the edges, sealing them all around. Divide the Green Olive and Roasted Tomato Tapenade between the two rectangles and evenly spread out to cover the pastry. Top each tart with half of the mozzarella, an even layer of tomatoes (do not overlap), a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese, and thyme. Using a pastry brush, brush the edges of each tart with olive oil and place in the middle of the oven. Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown. Serve immediately. The tarts can be made one day ahead and reheated in a 400° oven for 5 minutes. For individual tarts, cut the pastry into 12 rectangles and follow the same directions as above.

Simple Fresh Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

HERB PUREE
1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
¼ cup olive oil
1/3 cup pine nuts

RED SAUCE
5 pounds beefsteak tomatoes (or other juicy tomatoes), as ripe as possible
1 1/2 pounds fresh, ripe plum tomatoes
¾ cup fruity Italian olive oil
2 large onions, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 sprig fresh oregano
½ CUP packed fresh basil leaves
2 sprigs fresh Italian (flat leaf) parsley
1 dried red Chile, crumbled
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Salt, to taste

Directions
1. make the herb puree Place the basil in a colander, rinse with boiling water, and drain.
2. in a blender or food processor, combine the drained basil, olive oil, pine nuts, and ¼ cup water. Puree at medium speed until smooth; set aside.
3. Make the red sauce: Dip both types of tomatoes in boiling water and place in a colander to cool. Slip off the skins, then squeeze the tomatoes over a bowl; reserve the juice. Cut the tomatoes into quarters and scoop out the seeds (or if you like a more astringent sauce, leave the seeds in). Coarsely chop the tomatoes; add to the bowl of reserved juice.
4. In a nonreactive, large Dutch oven or other ovenproof heavy pot, warm 1/4cup of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the celery, onions, and garlic and saute until the onions are translucent, 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice and the tomato paste and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, partially cover the pot, and simmer for 2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes. At each stirring, drizzle in I tablespoon olive oil.
5. Preheat the oven to 350' F.
6. After the sauce has cooked for 2 hours, stir in the oregano sprig, whole basil leaves, and parsley sprigs, Add the dried chile, vinegar, brown sugar, and black pepper. Transfer the pot to the oven. Cover and cook until the sauce is dense and thick, I to I 1/2hours.

White Clam Sauce

Ingredients
2 cans (7¼-oz) minced clams
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup butter
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbls. chopped parsley
1 ½ tsp. salt

Directions
Drain clams, reserving ¾ cup liquid. In skillet slowly heat oil and butter. Add garlic and saute until golden. Remove from heat. Stir in clam liquid, parsley and salt; bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 10 min. Add clams; simmer 3 min. Enough for ½ to 1# linguine.

Alfredo Sauce

Ingredients
½ cup butter
1 cup whipping cream or half-and-half
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions
Heat slowly over low heat, stirring, until blended and smooth. Add to cooked, drained noodles and sprinkle with freshly grated cheese.

Avocado Egg Rolls

From the California Avocado Commission. This recipe is similar to the "The Cheesecake Factory" version

Ingredients
1-1/2 lbs chopped red onion
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
1-1/4 cups fresh lime juice
6 oz chopped dried tomato (packed in oil)
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1-1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
1-1/2 tablespoons salt
12 medium California Avocados, seeded and
peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 6 lbs)
24 egg roll wrappers (6 inches)


Directions
Saute onion in oil until soft, about 5 minutes.
Stir in garlic; cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in lime juice, tomato, cilantro, cumin, and salt; fold in avocado.

Cool to room temperature.

For each roll, lay an egg roll wrapper on a work surface with corner at top.Put 1/2 cup cooled filling in a line from left to right on the center of the egg roll wrapper, leaving a 1-inch border on each side. Pull top corner over filling; fold in sides.
Roll once toward bottom corner. Moisten remaining corner with water; press firm to roll. Reserve on a lightly floured sheet pan, sealed side down.

Cover and refrigerate until service.

Note:
Egg rolls may be prepared to this point a few hours before service.

Per Serving
Deep fry 2 egg rolls at 375 degrees F until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Cut on the diagonal. Serve immediately.


Cheesecake Factory Tamarind-Cashew Dipping Sauce

Ingredients
1/4 c. chopped cashews
2/3 c. chopped fresh cilantro
2 cloves garlic, quartered
2 green onions, chopped
1 T. sugar
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. cumin
4 tsp. white vinegar
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp. tamarind pulp
1/2 c. honey
Pinch ground saffron
1/4 c. olive oil

Directions
Combine 1st 7 ingredients in food processor. Blend with
short bursts until the mixture is well blended, and the
cashews and garlic have been chopped into pieces about
half the size of a grain of rice. Combine the vinegars,
honey, tamarind, and saffron in a small bowl. Heat the
mixture for about 1 minute in microwave then stir until
tamarind pulp dissolves completely. Pour mixture into
blender or food processor and mix with cashew mixture
(about 20 seconds). Pour sauce into bowl. and the oil and
stir by hand. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.