Sun dried tomato and basil pesto

1 - 3oz package sun dried tomatoes
1 bunch fresh basil
3 cloves garlic
1/4C finely grated Parmesan cheese
1/4-1/3C olive oil

Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until combined.  Use on pasta, slather on bread, or use it for my wild rice sausage egg bake.

Honey Dijon Dip/Marinade

1C mayo
1/4C whole grain mustard
1/4C honey
salt and pepper to taste

Combine and 1) Serve with pretzels or 2) Place in a Ziploc bag with 3-4 chicken breasts. Let marinade in refrig for 2-3 hours. Pour entire contents of bag in a baking dish and bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Mama B's Marinara Sauce

Makes 12, 16oz jars

1 stick butter
4 large onions
8 cloves garlic
1/3 C balsamic vinegar
1/4 C soy
3T Worcestershire sauce

1C Cabernet (I use 3 buck Chuck from TJ's)

2- 6lb cans crushed tomatoes (the institution sized can at you're local warehouse store - they're less than $3/each)
10-12 leaves of basil
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper to taste

1. Slice your onions and place in large stock pot (I'm talking LARGE). Mince garlic and add to pot as well. Add butter, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, Worcestershire and Cabernet to onions and garlic and simmer covered over low/medium heat for 1 hour.

2. Remove stock pot from heat and spoon onion mixture (juices included) into blender of food processor and puree until smooth (unless you like chunky sauce, then just set to grind for 20 seconds). Pour mixture back into stock pot.

3. Puree crushed tomatoes if desired. Add to stock pot with onion mixture.

4. Chop and add basil, lemon juice, salt and pepper to sauce. Cover and simmer over low heat for 2 hours. Be sure not to scrape the bottom of the pot with the spoon. If there is any sauce burnt to the bottom and you scrape it up, it will ruin the sauce.

5. Remove from heat and spoon into 12 quart sized containers (I have been using these and LOVE them - they have a twist top). Freeze for future use.

This sauce ended up costing me $0.83/jar vs. the $5 I usually spend. I use red sauce in cooking about once/2 weeks, so this is a cost savings of over $100/yr!

Ginger Soy Glaze

1/4C honey
1/4C soy sauce
1/4C balsamic vinegar
3T olive oil
1 1/2tsp ground ginger
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2T parsley, finely chopped
chives, for garnish

Combine all ingredients. Pour over your favorite fish or chicken. Cover dish and refrigerate for several hours. Place in baking dish and bake in marinade. When serving, pour remaining from baking dish over meat and top with chives.

My experience:
Bake salmon at 400 degrees for 18 minutes.
Bake chicken at 400 degrees for 22 minutes.

This would also make a wonderful dipping sauce for pot stickers or egg rolls, or a stir-fry sauce.

Sea Salt Caramels

Adapted from the Country Living Magazine

Vegetable oil, for greasing

1C Sugar
1C heavy cream
1/2C (1 stick) butter at room temperature
1C light corn syrup
1T Grey Fleur De Sel (I get mine at Penzeys), or a coarse ground white sea salt

Line an 8 inch pan with foil, and generously brush with oil. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan over high heat, cook sugar, without stirring, until it begins to melt and bubble. Using a metal spoon, stir slowly until sugar has completely melted, about 1 minute.

Remove from heat and add cream (sugar will seize into a solid mass).

Add butter and corn syrup, stir. Fit a candy thermometer to saucepan (****making sure it does not touch the bottom of the pan****), return to stove top, and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally until mixture liquefies, about 30 minutes.

Increase heat to medium-high and cook until caramel mixture reaches 238 degrees F. Do NOT stir. Immediately remove pan from heat. Carefully pour hot caramel into prepared pan. Using a spatula coated in vegetable oil, smooth any bubbles on surface. Sprinkle as much or as little of the salt as you'd like using your fingers.

Cool caramel until firm but still slightly warm, about 35 minutes.
Lift caramel from pan and peel away foil. Place on an oiled cutting board Sprinkle sea salt on the back side if desired and cut into 1-inch squares, using an oiled knife. Wrap individual caramels in waxed paper. Store in an air-tight container.

Mama B's TIPS:
1. Stirring the caramel when in its 2nd boil introduces more air and therefore takes longer for the caramel to reach 238 degrees.

2. When making any caramel, make sure you don't scrape the bottom of the pan. It will release any burnt pieces and make your whole batch of caramel taste burnt.

3. To make salted caramel sauce for cakes, ice cream etc, follow all instructions, but add 1 tsp sea salt to the caramel mixture, and let boil to 225 degrees. Remove from heat and place in glass jars.

4. Invest $10 in a digital food thermometer. It has an adjustable clip that holds the probe on the side, and you can set an alarm to go off when your food reaches the desired temp, which is so important in any candy making.

5. Placing salt on both sides of the caramel gives every bite a nice salty crunch!

Lemon Marinade

Juice of 2 lemons
Rind of 2 lemons
1/4 C Olive Oil
1/2 C White wine (I used Chardonnay)
Fresh basil, finely minced
Fresh oregano, finely minced
1tsp crushed garlic (I use Trader Joe's)
1T stone ground Dijon mustard
Salt and Pepper to taste

Whisk together for approx 2 minutes. Pour over chicken or fish and marinade for 3-4 hours. Grill over low heat. You can also use this as a vinaigrette for a lettuce, veggie or pasta salad.

Sugo Sauce

2T olive oil
1/2C white wine
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2C kalamata olives, pitted and quartered
1pkg baby bella mushrooms
2T capers, drained
1/2 bunch fresh basil, chopped
2 - 28oz cans stewed/crushed tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste

Saute mushrooms, onion and garlic in white wine and olive oil. Add remaining ingredients and simmer down until sauce is thick, about 20 minutes.
Servo over pasta with meatballs.

Fruit Dip

From SB

1 - 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1 small container marshmallow cream
1tsp vanilla

Combine all ingredients and serve with fruit.

SUGGESTION
I make mini fruit tarts using this sauce. Use a roll of pre-made sugar cookie dough. Slice per directions on roll. Using muffin pan, place 1 slice of cookie dough per opening. Using fingers, press cookie dough on bottom and halfway up sides of pan. Bake 3 minutes less than indicated on package. Allow to fully cool before removing from pan (I put it in the snow). Spoon in about 1T fruit dip and fill with fruit. Delicious and so cute, great for a baby or wedding shower.

Aioli

2T mayo
2tsp horseradish
1tsp garlic, minced
1/8 tsp salt

Combine ingredients and use for spread on sandwiches or burgers.

Asian Sauce

1C mayo
1/4C apricot preserves
1T soy sauce
1T dijon mustard
1/4tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp freshly grated ginger

Combine all ingredients and place in covered bowl. Chill for at least 30 minutes.

USES

• Dipping sauce for chicken
• Stir fry with chicken or beef, add veggies and cashews. Serve with rice.
• Pretzel dip
• Brush over tillapia or salmon, and bake