Sun Dried Tomato Cream Sauce

This is a yummy sauce.  We like it by itself over ravioli, or with some added grilled chicken or shrimp.  It reminds me of a yummy sauce you would get at a restaurant.

2 Tbsp. butter
1 garlic clove, minced (more if you want)
1 c. chicken stock or broth
1/2 c. sun dried tomatoes
2 cups whipping cream
3 tsp. cornstarch
8-12 oz. fresh or frozen ravioli/ or noodle of choice

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil or 2 tsp. dried
2 T. chopped fresh parsley (only if using dried basil)
salt & fresh ground pepper

Melt butter in med. saucepan over low heat. Add garlic and cook 30 secs. Add stock and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Simmer uncovered over medium heat about 10 mins. or until tomatoes are tender. Remove tomatoes with slotted spoon. Cut into smaller pieces. Return tomatoes to saucepan. Add cream and bring to a boil, and add your corn starch stirring consistantly. While this is simmering cook ravioli according to directions. Drain well. Add basil and/or parsley to sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix with your pasta, and that's it.

Peruvian Style Roast Chicken with Green Sauce

When I was pregnant with my first born we drove from Ohio to D.C. so that we could go to the temple.  Sperry lived there,so we stayed with him and he took us to eat at this Peruvian restraunt.  I had a dish with potatoes- like fries, chicken, tomatoes and an amazing green sauce.  I dream about that green sauce.  It was so good!!! So I have been on the search for it.  This is NOT that green sauce, but it was really tasty.  I didn't use a roasting bird, just tenderloins and roasted them in the oven until they were done. I also roasted potatoes and cut tomatoes into wedges and served it all together with the green sauce on the side.  Loved it, but I am still searching. I also didn't add the olive oil to the sauce.  Just didn't need it in my book.  This recipe is adapted from www.onceuponachef.com, the picture is also from there.

For the Chicken

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup lime juice, from 2 limes
• 4 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons paprika

• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 4 pound whole chicken

For the Green Sauce

• 3 jalapeño chili peppers, seeded if desired (I use about half the seeds for a medium-hot sauce), and roughly chopped
• 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise, best quality such as Hellmann's
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, from one lime
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

For the Chicken

1. Combine all of the ingredients except the chicken in a blender or mini food processor, and blend until smooth. Remove the giblets from the inside of the chicken and pat the outside of the chicken dry with paper towels; place in a bowl, breast side up with the legs facing you. Using the handle of a wooden spoon or your fingers, loosen the skin from the flesh over the breasts and legs, being careful not to tear the skin or push all the way through (you want the marinade to stay inside the bird). Spoon about 2/3 of the marinade evenly underneath the skin, and spread the remaining 1/3 evenly over the skin. Marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight.
2. Adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position, and preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil for easy clean-up. Spray a rack (preferably a v-shape) with non-stick cooking spray and place the chicken on top. Tie the legs together with kitchen string. Roast for 20 minutes, until the skin is golden. Turn the heat down to 375 degrees, and continue to roast for about an hour and ten minutes more, or until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and thigh. (Keep an eye on it -- if it's browning too quickly, cover it loosely with foil.) Tent the chicken with foil and let rest for about 20 minutes. Tilt the chicken over the roasting pan to release the juices, then transfer to a cutting board. Carve the chicken and serve with green sauce.

For the Green Sauce

1. Combine all of the ingredients except the olive oil in a blender or food processor and blend into a smooth sauce. With the motor running, open lid and slowly drizzle in olive oil. It will seem very runny at this point but, don't worry, it will thicken up as it sits. Transfer the sauce to a bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Marmalade Dipping Sauce

Our Favorite Dipping Sauce

1/2 cup  Apricot Pineapple Jam
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup Spicy Brown Mustard- or whatever type you have- Dijon is good
1/8 tsp ginger powder

Mix it all up.  Warm it up if you like.  Serve with Coconut shrimp, egg rolls, chicken nuggets.  My kids love it over rice!

Brown Butter Sauce

from I Like To See My Recipes When I Grocery Shop

Brown Butter Sauce

8 T Butter
1/2 t salt
1 1/2 t chopped fresh sage, rosemary or basil (I used Sage)
4 T heavy cream
1/2 C grated parmigiano-reggiano

In a small saucepan, melt 8 T butter and 1/2 t salt over med-low heat.  Add 1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage and cook, stirring often, unitl the butter begins to brown, about 5 minutes or less.  Stir in 4 T heavy cream and bring to a boil for  20 seconds or so to combine cream with butter.  Remove from heat.  Add 1/2 C grated parmigiano-reggiano when tossing with pasta.

**It is September, so the garden is abundant.  Spaghetti squash, yellow squash, zucchini, sage and tomatoes all from our garden.  This is garden heaven!
**This sauce is quite thin, flavorful and salty, so a little goes a long way.  I haven't ever tossed it into a pasta, I have always added the cheese to the sauce and then drizzled it over the plated pasta, or spaghetti squash.

Wasabi- Cucumber Ranch Dip

Wasabi-Cucumber Ranch Dip
1/2 cup Hiddert Valley Ranch bottled salad dressing
1/4 cup minced cucumber (peeled and seeded)
1 tablespoon whole milk
1 1/2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon powdered wasabi1/8 teaspoon salt
pinch ground cayenne pepper


Make the dip by combining all of the ingredients in a blender on high speed until smooth. Cover and chill. The dip will thicken as it chills. 

Hot Fudge Sauce

Hot Fudge Sauce
This makes a really yummy sauce.  It is kind of chewy when put on ice cream.  I have tried a few versions and this is my favorite so far.

*Makes about 4 cups of sauce
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon distilled white vinegar (weird- but it turned out great)
4 ounces (about 2/3 cup) semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped and divided- (I just used semisweet chips)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Mix sugar, cocoa and salt in a large, heavy saucepan. Whisk in the water until well blended. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cream, corn syrup, vinegar and 2 ounces (about 1/3 cup) of the chopped chocolate.
Return to medium-high heat and boil. Whisk frequently until the bubbles become small and the syrup is thick and sticky, 5-7 minutes (or 225 degrees on a candy thermometer). Remove from the heat and add the rest of the chopped chocolate, butter, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth. Serve at once, or let cool. Cover and refrigerate up to 2 weeks. Reheat over low heat or in the microwave on 50% power.
Recipe Source: from Joy of Cooking

Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce- for lettuce wraps, Maryelle

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp fish sauce
1/4 cup hot water
2 Tbsp sugar
1 lime juiced
1 tsp garlic minced
1 tsp red chili paste

Blend until smooth