Roasted Marinara Sauce

• 8 c cherry tomatoes or 24 medium tomatoes
• 2 med onions, quartered
• 8-10 garlic cloves, peeled
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Basil leaves
• 1-3 cans tomato paste

Wash and stem the cherry tomatoes or wash and core the whole tomatoes. Split them evenly, in a single layer, between 2 9×13″ baking dishes. The larger tomatoes can be left whole. Toss the quartered onions and peeled garlic cloves evenly between the two pans. Drizzle with olive oil and season generously with salt.
 
Roast at 425 for 30-40 minutes. For a thicker sauce, cook longer and stir occasionally. Remove the pans from the oven and set on the counter to cool for 10-15 minutes.
 
Place a large colander inside a large bowl and dump the pans into the colander to strain out the juice. Set the juice aside.
 
Scoop the tomato mixture into the bowl of a blender or food processor; add the basil leaves. Puree until it reaches the desired consistency. Dump the pureed tomato sauce into the reserved juice and stir until thoroughly combined. Season with additional salt, if needed.  Add tomato paste, as much as need for the desired thickness of the sauce. 

Serve immediately as pasta or pizza sauce or freeze in plastic containers or bags for later use.

Refried Beans

2 lb pinto beans
1 large onion, chopped
4 tbsp. jarred minced garlic
2 tbsp salt 
1 tsp black pepper
2 tsp cumin
10 c hot water

Rinse the beans in a colander. Pick out any bad beans.

Combine all the ingredients in the crock-pot. Remove any floating beans. Cover, and cook on HIGH for 4 hours and on LOW for 2 hours.

Uncover, and remove extra liquid. Leave enough liquid to reach the desired consistency when the beans are mashed.

Mash beans with a potato masher to desired consistency. 

Pork Tinga

• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 1 1/2 lb pork butt or shoulder, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 sm onion, quartered
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/4 tsp dried marjoram
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• water
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1/2 lb chorizo, casings removed and crumbled
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 15 oz diced tomatoes 
• 2 chipotle chilies in adobo, chopped
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/4 tsp dried marjoram
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp cider vinegar
• 1/4 c cilantro, chopped

Heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat, add the pork and brown on all sides.

Add the onion, garlic, marjoram, thyme, bay leaves and enough water to cover the pork, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer until the pork is tender, about 45 minutes. OR Place the pork, onion, garlic, marjoram, thyme, bay leaves and enough water to cover in a slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Shred the pork, skim the fat from the broth and set both aside.

Heat the oil in pan over medium heat, add chorizo, cook and set aside reserving the oil and grease in the pan.

Add the onion and cook until tender, about 5-7 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about a minute.

Add the shredded pork, 1 cup of the pork broth, the chorizo, tomatoes, chipotle chilies, oregano, marjoram and thyme and bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper, mix in the vinegar and cilantro and remove from heat.

Classic Meat Sauce

• 2 lb lean ground beef
• 1 tbsp garlic, minced
• Salt & Fresh ground black pepper
• 1/8 c vegetable oil
• 1/4 c onions, diced
• 29 oz can tomato puree
• 24 oz can tomato paste
• 15 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1 tbsp beef base
• 1 tbsp chicken base
• 1/2 c grated Parmesan
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp chopped parsley leaves

Brown ground beef with minced garlic and salt and pepper, to taste. Drain ground beef and set aside.

Place oil and onions in a saucepan and saute on high heat until soft. Add all cans of tomato products. Fill the tomato puree can with hot water and dissolve beef and chicken base in this water. Add this water and base mixture to saucepan. Add all other ingredients and heat through. Once hot, add the browned ground beef and simmer on low heat for approximately 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Serve over your pasta or spaghetti squash.

Roast Turkey Breast

• 6 lb fresh turkey breast, on the bone, rinsed and dried
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• Kosher salt 
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 stalk celery, cut into 2 inch pieces
• 1 small carrot, peeled & cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 small onions, peeled & quartered

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Rub the turkey all over with the butter, including the cavity of the breast. Season generously with salt and pepper. Scatter the vegetables on the bottom of a roasting pan just large enough to hold the turkey. Set the meat breast-side up in the pan. Roast for 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the roast registers 160 degrees F. Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and tent loosely with foil for 30 minutes.

Carve the breast and serve.

Homemade Pork Stock

2 1/2 lb ham shanks or ham hocks

2 qts cold water

1 lg onion, chopped

2 carrots, cut crosswise into 1/2" thick slices

2 celery ribs, cut crosswise into 1/2" thick slices

3 lg garlic cloves, crushed

1 bay leaf

2 tsp dried thyme, crumbled

3 whole cloves

1/4 tsp black peppercorns

Combine ham shanks and cold water in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot and bring to a boil, skimming any foam. Add remaining ingredients and simmer, partially covered, until shanks are tender, about 2 hours. Pour stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a large metal bowl, reserving shanks and discarding remaining solids.

Guacamole

• 3 Haas avocados, halved, seeded and peeled
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp cayenne
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
• 2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 1 tbsp chopped cilantro
• 1 clove garlic, minced

In a large bowl place the scooped avocado pulp and lime juice, toss to coat. Drain, and reserve the lime juice, after all of the avocados have been coated. Using a potato masher add the salt, cumin, and cayenne and mash. Then, fold in the onions, jalapeno, tomatoes, cilantro, and garlic. Add 1 tablespoon of the reserved lime juice. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour and then serve.

Sushi Rice

• 3 c uncooked sushi rice
• 3 c water
• 1/2 c rice wine vinegar
• 1/2 c sugar
• 1 tsp salt

Wash the rice and rinse thoroughly until water is clear.

Place rice and water in rice cooker and set to cook.

While rice cooks, mix together the rice vinegar, sugar and salt in a small saucepan; cook over medium heat until sugar has dissolved.  Allow to cool.

Put the cooked rice into a large mixing bowl; pour vinegar mixture over the hot rice and mix.  Allow to cool slightly before using in sushi recipes.

Oven-Braised Pulled Pork Perfection

• 3 lb boneless pork shoulder (butt), or sirloin roast
• seasoning mixture, see below
• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 1 c chicken broth

Rub the season mixture pf your choice (see a few option below) over all sides of the meat, pressing it to adhere (if the meat is tied together with twine or netting, just rub the seasoning right over it). In a large Dutch oven or large ovenproof skillet with a tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat, warm the oil. Add the pork and brown on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the meat to a plate and set aside.

Add the broth to the pan, scraping up any browned bits. Bring the broth to a boil, and then return the pork to the pan. Cover and bake until the pork is very tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

Transfer the meat to a cutting board and let rest 10 to 15 minutes. Use two forks to shred meat into bite-sized pieces. Moisten/season with cooking juices to taste. 

Herb Rub

• 2 tsp sage leaves, dried
• 2 tsp thyme leaves, dried
• 1 1/2 tspsalt
• 1 tsp rosemary, dried

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.

Simple Savory Rub

• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp moregano, dried 

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.

Chili Rub

• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper  

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.

 

Crispy Oven Roasted Bacon

• 8 -10 slices center cut smoked bacon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

 

Place a sheet of parchment paper on a sheet pan.

 

Lay the bacon on top of the parchment paper.

 

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the bacon is really crispy.

 

Drain on paper towels and serve.

Poached Chicken Breasts

• 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves (or 3 full breasts)
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed
• 2 to 3 celery stalks, quartered
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 carrot, quartered
• 1 lemon, sliced
• 1 onion, quartered
• Herb bundle of fresh parsley, rosemary, sage and thyme tied with kitchen string
• Kosher salt

Put the chicken in a medium stockpot. Add the garlic, celery, bay leaf, carrots, lemons, onions and herb bundle and sprinkle with salt. Add enough water to cover the chicken. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes. Remove the chicken from the liquid and let cool. Strain the stock. Remove the skin and bones from the chicken, and shred the meat using your fingers or 2 forks. 

Homemade Chicken Broth

• 5lb bone-in chicken pieces
• 4 celery ribs with leaves, cut into chunks
• 4 med carrots, cut into chunks
• 2 med onions, quartered
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 tspdried rosemary, crushed
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 20 whole peppercorns
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced
• 1/4 c kosher salt (optional)
• 4 qts cold water

Place all ingredients in a soup kettle or Dutch oven. Slowly bring to a boil; reduce heat. Skim foam. Cover and simmer for 2 hours.

Strain broth, discarding vegetables, seasonings and chicken pieces. Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. Skim fat from surface.
Yield: about 12 cups.

Homemade Vegetable Stock

• 1 ounce dried mushrooms
• 4 Tbsp olive oil
• 4 cups chopped onion
• 2 cups chopped celery
• 3 cups chopped carrot
• 1 cup chopped fennel bulb
  
• Salt
• 2 large garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 4 bay leaves
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley

Place the dried mushrooms in a large bowl and pour 1 quart of boiling water over them. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil over high heat in a large stockpot. Add the chopped onions, celery, carrots, and fennel (if using) and stir to coat. Sprinkle with salt. Cook over high heat for several minutes, stirring only occasionally. Given that there are so many vegetables, and they have a high moisture content, it may take more heat and longer time to brown than you would expect. Cook until the vegetables begin to brown.

Add the garlic and tomato paste and stir to combine.Cook, stirring often, for 2-3 minutes, or until the tomato paste begins to turn a rusty color. Add the mushrooms and their soaking water, the rosemary, thyme, onion skins if using, peppercorns, bay leaves, parsley and 4 additional quarts of water. Bring to a simmer and then drop the heat until you just get a bare simmer. The surface of the stock should just barely be bubbling. Cook for 1 1/2 hours.

Using a spider skimmer or slotted spoon, remove all the big pieces of vegetable and mushroom. Discard or compost. Set up a large bowl or pot with a sieve set over it. Line the sieve with a paper towel and pour the stock through it. When you have about half the stock poured through, stop, let what's in the strainer filter through, and change the paper towel; the old one will be gunked up with debris. Filter the rest of the stock.

To store, pour into glass jars and refrigerate for up to a week, or freeze. If you freeze in glass jars, leave at least an inch and a half of headroom so the stock can expand without breaking the glass of the jar.

Oven Roasted Chicken

Using a roasting rack set over the pan will help the chicken cook more evenly, since air can circulate freely. (A roasting rack will also give you crispier skin, since the chicken won't be resting in its own drippings.) For easier cleanup, you can line the pan with aluminum foil. I typically will "butterfly" my chickens by cutting through the back of the chicken and laying out on a cooking rack set inside of a sheet pan.

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Season entire chicken with your choice of seasoning (salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika and oregano are always a great option)
  
• Roast whole (thawed) chickens for 20 minutes per pound, plus an additional 15 minutes.

Roasting Times Chart

Weight (in lbs.)	Regular Method	High Heat Method
2.5 to 3	1 hour 15 minutes	1 hour
3 to 3.5	1 hour 25 minutes	1 hour 10 minutes
3.5 to 4	1 hour 35 minutes	1 hour 20 minutes
4 to 4.5	1 hour 45 minutes	1 hour 30 minutes
4.5 to 5	1 hour 55 minutes	1 hour 40 minutes
5 to 5.5	2 hours 5 minutes	1 hour 50 minutes
5.5 to 6	2 hours 15 minutes	2 hours
6 to 6.5	2 hours 25 minutes	2 hours 10 minutes
6.5 to 7	2 hours 35 minutes	2 hours 20 minutes
7 to 7.5	2 hours 45 minutes	2 hours 30 minutes

Oven Roasted Garlic

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Peel away the outer layers of the garlic bulb skin, leaving the skins of the individual cloves intact. Using a knife, cut off 1/4 to a 1/2 inch of the top of cloves, exposing the individual cloves of garlic.

Place the garlic heads in a baking pan; muffin pans work well for this purpose. Drizzle a couple teaspoons of olive oil over each head, using your fingers to make sure the garlic head is well coated. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 400°F for 30-35 minutes, or until the cloves feel soft when pressed.

Allow the garlic to cool enough so you can touch it without burning yourself. Use a small small knife cut the skin slightly around each clove. Use a cocktail fork or your fingers to pull or squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins.