Day 348 Cranberry Sauce

Cranberry Sauce

1 Cup Cranberry Juice Cocktail
1 Tablespoon Arrowroot
1/3 Cup Sugar
3 Tablespoon Dark Rum

Cranberry juice

Combine juice and arrowroot in a small saucepan, stirring until arrowroot is blended.  Stir in sugar; cook over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture thickens.  Remove from heat and stir in rum.  Let sauce cool before serving.

Goes well over fruit salad.

Soundtrack Spotify's Folksy Christmas Playlist

Day 333 Pear-Apple Sauce

Pear-Apple Sauce

4 Apples, peeled and chopped
3 Pears, peeled and chopped
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/3 Teaspoon Ground Cloves
1/8 Teaspoon Nutmeg

Ingredients

  Bring all ingredients to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat.  Reduce heat, and simmer until the fruit breaks down, 20 - 30 minutes.  Transfer to jars and refrigerate.

Cooking the sauce

Goes well with salad.

Finished sauce

Soundtrack Ellie Goulding - Delirium

Day 330 Herb Buttery Sauce

Herb Buttery Sauce

1/2 Cup Butterless Butter (Day 328)
1/4 Cup Lemon Juice
2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
1 Green Onion, minced
1 Sprig Sage, chopped
Several Sprigs Thyme, leaves removed
1 Teaspoon Dried Marjoram
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Pepper

Melt the butter in a small saucepan.  Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.  Remove from heat.

Use to seasoning anything that is being roasted in the oven.

Soundtrack Charlie Daniels Band - Off the Grid, Doing it Dylan

Day 321 Barbecue Sauce

Barbecue Sauce

2 Tablespoons Earth Balance
1 Small Onion, finely chopped
1 Cup Ketchup (Day 303)
1/3 Cup White Vinegar
4 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce (Day 297)
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1/8 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Chinese 10 Spice Mix
2 Teaspoons Pepper
1 Tablespoon Chili Powder

In a 2 quart glass dish, place Earth Balance and onion.  Microwave 3 minutes.  Add remaining ingredients. Microwave 5 minutes.  Stir and continuing microwaving for 6 minutes until sauce is thickened.  Stir after 3 minutes.

Makes 2 Cups

Soundtrack The Weeknd - Trilogy

Day 300 Oriental Neatballs

Oriental Neatballs

1 Pound Mushrooms
1 Cup Cooked Brown Rice
1/2 Cup Canned Water Chestnuts, drained and chopped
1/4 Cup Green Pepper, chopped
3 Green Onion, chopped
2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
2 Tablespoons Pineapple Juice

Sauce:
1 Pineapple, chunked
1/4 Cup Packed Brown Sugar
2 Tablespoons Arrowroot
1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
2 Tablespoons Plum Vinegar
2/3 Cup Water

1. In a food processor, combine the ingredients for the neat balls.  Process until finely chopped and sticky.

2.   Roll the mixture into 2 inch balls. Set on a large glass buttered baking dish.  Cook in a Advantium oven at Upper -10 Lower - 10 Microwave - 10 Convection  - 10  for 10 minutes.

3.  Combine all the sauce ingredients in a food processor and blend until the pineapple has liquefied.  Pour into a saucepan and cook over medium heat until thickened.

Pineapple sauce

4.  Pour sauce over neatballs.

Goes well with a spinach salad

Soundtrack Now That's What I Call  Music, Vol. 60 - Various Artists

Day 288 Tahini Rubbed Tofu and Bok Choy with Turnip Sauce

Tahini Rubbed Tofu and Bok Choy with Turnip Sauce

1 Pound Extra Firm Tofu
1 Cup Tahini
6 Heads Baby Bok Choy, halved
2 Turnips, cubed
2 Cups Veggie Stock
1 Teaspoon Ginger, grated
1 Teaspoon cilantro, chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste

Ingredients

1.  Grill the bok choy until tender.

Grilled bok choy

2. Slice the tofu into 1/4 to 1/2 inch slices. Place the slices on a baking sheet rubbed with olive oil. Season with pepper. Spoon the tahini over the slices.  Bake at 400 F for 10 minutes.

Baked tofu

3.  Heat the stock and ginger in a sauce pan.  Add the turnips and cook until soft.  Remove from heat and add the cilantro and salt.  Using a immersion blender, blend the veggies into a sauce.

Cooking turnips

4.  To serve, pour the sauce over the bok choy and eat with the tofu slices.

Pairs well with 2012 Domaine Weinbach Riesling Schlosberg Grand Cru

Soundtrack - Extreme Metal 101, Vol. 2 - Various artists

Day 269 Almond Sauce Pasta

Almond Sauce Pasta

1/2 Cup Almond Butter
1 Tablespoon Ginger, chopped
3 Dates, pitted and chopped
3 Cloves Garlic, chopped
2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
1 Jalapeno Pepper, chucked
1/2 Cup Water to thin if needed
1 Pound Whole Wheat Pasta
1 Carrot, peeled and diced
1 Small Head of Broccoli, chopped
1/2 Cup Snow Peas, trimmed and chopped
1/4 Cup Basil, chopped
3 Tablespoons Mint, sliced

1.  Cook the pasta.  Drain. Quickly blanche the carrots, snow peas and broccoli in water.

Almond Sauce

2.  In a blender, add the almond butter, ginger, dates, garlic, soy sauce and jalapeno and blend until smooth.  Add the water if needed to thin.

Blanched veggies

3.  Add the almond sauce, basil, veggies and mint to the pasta. Mix well.

Soundtrack  Luke Cage Soundtrack - Various Artists

Day 258 Tomatillo Sauce

Tomatillo Sauce

1 Pound Tomatillos, husked removed and halved
1/4 Cup White Onion, chopped
1 Jalapeno Pepper, sliced
1/2 Cup Cilantro
1 Lime, juiced
Salt and Pepper to taste

1.  Preheat oven to 400 F.  Place tomatillos and jalapeno in a baking pan.  Roast until browned, 20 -30 minutes.

2.  Place all ingredients in a food processor.  Pulse until finely chopped and mixed.

Goes well with pizza.

Soundtrack Approaching Nirvana - Cinematic Soundscapes, Vol. 2

Day 236 Herb Bechamel Sauce

Herb Bechamel Sauce

2 1/2 Cups Soy Milk
1 Tablespoon Onion, chopped
1 Bay Leaf
6 Peppercorns
4 Branches Thyme
1 Branch Sage
2 Tablespoons Parsley, coarsely chopped
1 Tablespoon Earth Balance
Salt to taste
3 Tablespoons Parsley, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon Basil, chopped
1 Teaspoon Thyme Leaves
1 Clove Garlic, finely chopped

1.  Combine the milk, onion, bay leaf, peppercorns, thyme branches, and sage in a saucepan and slowly bring to a boil.  Lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.  Turn off the heat and let the milk set for a few minutes.  Strain the herbs out.

Roux

2.  Melt the Earth Balance, stir in the flour and cook the roux over medium heat for 1 minute while stirring.  Whisk in the milk all at once.  Season with salt.  Cook for 25 minutes stirring frequently.

Finished sauce

3.  Remove from heat.  Add the remaining herbs and garlic.

Goes well with asparagus.

Soundtrack Handel - Water Music

Day 150 Teriyaki Sauce

Teriyaki Sauce

1/4 Cup Sesame Seeds
1/2 Cup Soy Sauce
1/2 Cup Mirin
1/3 Cup Sugar
1 1/4 Cup Water
1 Tablespoon Potato Starch

1.  Put the sesame seeds in a dry skillet and toast over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes. They can burn fast, so remove from the heat when they start to pop.

2.  Combine the soy sauce, mirin, sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a simmer of medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes.  In a small bowl, dissolve the starch in a small amount of the liquid. Whisk into the sauce to thicken.  Stir in the sesame seeds and remove from the heat.  Store in the refrigerator.

Soundtrack Tortoise - Millions Now Living Will Never Die

Day 86 Neopolitan Sauce

Neopolitan Sauce

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1/2 Onion, chopped
1 Carrot, peeled and chopped
1 Celery Rib, chopped
4 Garlic Cloves, chopped
2 Pounds Plum Tomatoes, quartered
1/2 Cup Red Wine
Thyme, Basil, Salt and Pepper to taste

Vegetable base

1.  In a large pan, heat the olive oil.  Saute the onion, carrot, celery and garlic until soft.

Added tomatoes

2.  Add the tomatoes and wine.  Cook at a simmer until the tomatoes are broken down.  Use an immersion blender to make a smooth sauce.  Add the herbs and spices.

Ready to blend

Goes well with pasta.

Soundtrack Easter - The Softest Hard

Day 58 Vodka Sauce

Day 58 Vodka Sauce

2 Tablespoons Earth Balance
1 Large Onion, minced
3 Cloves Garlic, minced
1/2 Cup Vodka
1 - 28 Ounce Can Pureed or Diced Tomatoes
1/4 Cup Tomato Paste
1 Cup Hemp Milk
1 Cup Vegan Sour Cream
2 Tablespoons Nutritional Yeast
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Ingredients

1.  In a deep skillet over medium heat, melt the Earth Balance and saute the onion until tender.  Add the garlic and saute another minute.  Add the vodka and simmer for about 5 minutes.

Simmering Sauce

2.  Add the tomatoes and paste and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the milk and sour cream, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper.  Simmer for a few minutes.  Serve immediately or store in a covered container.

Works well as a pizza sauce.

Soundtrack The Struts - Everybody Wants

Day 57 Marinara

Day 57 Marinara

2 Pounds Fresh Ripe Tomatoes, any variety
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
3 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 Teaspoon Sea Salt
Several Springs of Fresh Basil and Rosemary

This recipe can easily be doubled, tripled, or more depending on how many tomatoes you have.

This is a simple recipe that does not call for removing the skins or seeds on the tomatoes.  Cut the tomatoes in halves or quarters, depending on the size of the tomatoes.  If using cherry tomatoes, halve them.

In a large, heavy skillet, heat the oil.  Throw in the garlic for a minute, then add the tomatoes.  Add the salt and let simmer for 30 minutes.  Stir frequently, until the tomatoes develop a saucelike consistency.  This will be a chunky sauce.  Add the fresh herbs and let simmer for a few more minutes.

Goes well with Baked Polenta and Vegetables

Soundtrack John Hiatt - The Best of John Hiatt