Spaghetti in Tomato Apple Sauce

Having a good basic pasta sauce included in your cooking repertoire is key to being able to whip up a quick meal when you've just realized you've forgotten, somehow, yet again, that dinner is a meal that happens nightly and, oh yeah, you're the one who plans/shops for/cooks/eats it.

Don't misunderstand me, there's nothing wrong with keeping a few jars of your favorite store-bought sauce in the pantry. I have a few in my own. But sometimes you might want something a little fresher tasting. A sauce with an ingredient list that doesn't include the words "dehydrated" or "natural flavor", but does include apples.

Apples?

Yes! Trust me.

Spaghetti con salsa di Pomodorie e Mele

Spaghetti in Tomato Apple Sauce

Adapted from Lidia's Italy

This sauce is great because it cooks up so quickly and tastes so fresh. Apples may seem a strange ingredient, but shredded, they create a really great texture, feel and flavor.

Ingredients:

3 cups canned Italian plum tomatoes

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 - 3 large celery stalks, cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 1 cup)

1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)

1 teaspoon salt

1 pound apples, tart & firm, such as Granny Smith

1 pound spaghetti

1 cup parmigiano reggiano cheese, freshly grated

1) Pour canned tomatoes into food processor or blender and puree until smooth

2) Heat olive oil in large skillet or pot set over medium heat. Add the chopped celery and onion and cook for about 5 minutes, until they soften.

3) Stir in the pureed tomatoes, season with salt, and heat to a bubbling simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or so. As the tomatoes cook, peel and core the apples, remove the seeds and shred with a grater.

4) Stir the apples into the sauce. Simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and the apple shreds are cooked and tender.

5) As the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil and cook the spaghetti until just about al dente. Drain the pasta and then place it into the simmering sauce. Toss the pasta until all the strands are coated and perfectly al dente (or cooked to your liking). Sprinkle with grated cheese and toss well.

6) Serve, passing more cheese at the table.

Salted Caramel Sauce

This incredibly easy-to-make Salted Caramel Sauce is to be paired with the next recipe I'll be posting in a day or so, but because I can't get enough of it, or stop thinking about other ways to serve it besides on a spoon straight out of the sauce pan, I figured I would post this separately to tempt, tease, and taunt you. And really, so you can start making it and eating it over ice cream, over pie, by yourself in a corner so you don't have to share....you get the picture.

And yes, I realize by now we all know how completely unpredictable my posting schedule has become, so I just want to say thank you for not giving up and still checking in on me. I'm two weeks from my due date and am officially on maternity leave, getting all the important stuff done before Baby arrives. Like making Salted Caramel Sauce.

So stay tuned for the sequel to this to find out what in the world I was drenching in this sauce. Seriously, I'll be posting it. This week! Honest. You can (kind of) trust me...

Salted Caramel Sauce

1/4 unsalted butter

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup whipping cream

1/2 to 3/4 tsp sea salt

In a heavy small sauce pan melt the butter over medium-low heat. Stir in the two sugars and bring to boiling, stirring constantly. Stir in the whipping cream and return to boiling. Boil 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in the salt.

Any unused sauce can be poured into a glass jar and stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. The sauce will thicken, but a good 15 to 30 second zap in the microwave will bring it back to pouring consistency.

Black & Kalamata Olive Spread

The days are getting shorter, both in regards to hours of sunlight and total hours in general. Or rather, it seems that way, because I could use a few more hours in the day, at least for a while (I don't want to be greedy). We're packing up to move to a new place, a place I like to refer to as "the castle", but I'll tell you more about that later. We're also getting ready to fly to Arkansas for the wedding of our friends Ryan and Jennica. Then I have a business trip. And then Ryan & Jennica's Los Angeles wedding reception. But tomorrow, my mom arrives for a quick weekend visit, and I'm really happy about that because I could really use some Mom Time. I just hope she doesn't mind all the boxes or the fact that I've taken a hiatus from cleaning. 

I also hope she likes this olive spread, because there's going to be a lot of it around this weekend. I made it this past Sunday for book club (A Tale of Two Cities = A Tale of An Olive Spread with Two Kinds of Olives in it...see, I'm no good at this) and have been eating it with just about everything since then. With omelettes, in particular. Good heavens, is this spread good with omelettes.

Black & Kalamata Olive Spread

From the Tassajara Cookbook: Lunches, Picnics & Appetizers, by Karla Oliveira

The cook book mentions that this spread is strong and robust, which it is, and that a small amount goes a long way, which it does, but that doesn't stop me from eating it by the spoon full.

1 cup black olives, pitted

2 cups kalamata olives, pitted

1/3 cup capers, rinsed

1 tablespoon garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 cup fresh parsley (I substituted dried, a bit less than 1/4 cup)

Blend all ingredients together in a food processor until smooth.

Cashew Nut Butter

I wanted to post this on Sunday, but I somehow ended up a participant in a 45 mile bike ride through a simulation of the inside of a furnace, otherwise known as the San Gabriel Valley. I made it out alive, but was rendered incapacitated for the rest of the day. I couldn't even pronounce cashew let alone try and spell it. Apologies go out now to those of you who may have visited me Sunday, and were met with only a blank stare and silence. 

However, now that I've regained the capacity for human thought, I want some answers; specifically, from the peanut butter industry. Did you know how unbelievably easy it is to make your own nut butter? It's insanely simple. The people behind the jars of stuff we grew up on have successfully pulled the wool over our eyes, because there is no reason we should be spending good money on jars full of hydrogenated weirdness and unpronounceable preservatives spelled with more "x"s and "y"s than my maiden name. Seriously, folks.

Virtually any nut can be ground into a creamy spread. In fact, here's a link that goes into more detail on what level of creaminess you should expect form different nuts. I chose my favorite (cashews!), dug out my food processor, and within minutes, had the creamy spread you see above. I did find myself having a slight buttercream episode, though, when the nuts were initially ground and just grainy; it seemed as if there wasn't enough there to go any further and produce a butter and I'd be lying if I said a little panic didn't set in. Knowing that slight heart attacks seem to be the obligatory precursor to goodness, I was patient, and was rewarded handsomely. 

Here's where I confess that, despite all the home-cooking that I do, we eat a disturbing amount of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in this household. And not without good reason: they're easy to make, inexpensive, and can be quite tasty. So, did you see where I was going with these last few posts? I'm making my own sandwich bread, I've got jars and jars of jam rubbing elbows in the fridge with my local produce, and now, cashew nut butter: it's the makings of a homemade, 100% from scratch, no artificial anything pb&j sandwich. 

 

Best Sandwich Ever

Cashew Nut Butter

Any quantity of cashews

A food processor

Like I mentioned above, the nuts will process into a creamy spread, you will just need patience and something to occasionally scrape down the sides of the food processor. 

Peach Jam

I often joke to people that there's a little old 80 year old woman trapped inside my body. Normally, people laugh this comment off until I point out my tendency to nod off around 9:00 PM, or my fondness for sensible shoes, or the fact that it's not uncommon to hear me utter the phrase "what is wrong with kids today?" (seriously, can you tell me?)

So, I channeled my inner-grandma - and made my own homemade jam. It's not that I think non-octogenarians don't or wouldn't enjoy making jams, jellies or preserves, it's just that this in particular reminds me of my own grandmother so much, because she made the best homemade jam in the world.

My grandma, when she wasn't chasing my grandpa around the kitchen with a frying pan (true story), was the textbook definition of the ideal grandmother, always doling out big smooshy hugs or homemade treats at every possible turn. She was a phenomenal cook in that cozy, old-fashioned way that is sadly absent from today's ho-hum, fast-food, pre-packaged society.

Some of my favorite food memories involve venturing down the treacherous stairs to my grandparents' cave of a basement, wading through the piles of yellowing newspapers and old cola bottles, to pick out a can of homemade jam from amongst the selection of fruits, vegetables and meats that were arranged in neat rows on the dusty shelves. Those were the good ol' days.

Whereas the grandmothers of the world would have cooked a huge batch of this jam and preserved it in sealed jars to store in the pantry, I knew this wouldn't last long here because we use jam a lot -- on toast, in sandwiches, mixed in plain yogurt, on top of veggie burgers, straight from the jar (don't judge). I also lack good canning jars and that wondrous, mythical creature called a pantry. 

Please feel free to post comments down yonder, in that area conveniently labeled, you know, comments -- especially if you have any questions about this or any other recipe, if you want to share your favorite food memory, or if you simply want to brag to me about all of your available storage space.

Peach Jam

Adapted from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food 

This recipe is for a simple jam made without pectin, so it won't gel quite like one purchased at a store; I spoon it from the jar instead of using a knife.  Cooking down mashed pieces of fruit with some sugar and a little lemon juice produces one of the most sublime things you can spread on a piece of homemade bread. It is, literally, summer in a jar.

2 lbs peaches, peeled, pitted and cut into 1/2" chunks (see note below)

1/4 cup water

3 cups sugar

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1) Combine peach chunks with water in large saucepan; bring to a simmer. With a potato masher, mash into a coarse puree. Simmer 10 minutes, stirring often.

2) Stir in sugar until dissolved. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer approximately 15 minutes, stirring often. You can test doneness by spooning some jam onto a plate; when you run your finger through it a trail should remain for a few seconds. 

3) Skim foam from the surface and stir in 1 tbsp of fresh lemon juice. Let cool and pour into glass jars. Store in refrigerator.

How to peel peaches:

1. Blanch

Bring a large pot of water to a boil; reduce to a simmer. Add peaches and simmer for 1 minute.

2. Shock

Using a slotted spoon, transfer peaches to a large bowl of ice water; let soak until the skin begins to wrinkle, about 5 minutes.

3. Peel

With your fingers, gently rub off the skin. 

"Faux" Pasta Cream Sauce

Things have been a little crazy around Lisa’s Cocina lately. Getting laid off from your job can have that effect, I suppose. That said, you’d probably think that I would be posting about some amazingly sinful chocolate whatever that I’ve been eating non-stop by myself on the couch in my sweatpants, right? Well, that recipe is coming, but first I actually have something healthy to tell you about.

Healthy and tasty, I might add. Oh, and you also probably want to know what the “faux” is all about, don’t you? Beans, people, wonderful cannellini beans, known also as white kidney beans.

I love cream sauces on pasta, yet I rarely eat them because my arteries sat me down once and gave me a stern talking to. So when I stumbled upon this recipe I was intrigued.

In this sauce, the cannellini beans are puréed with milk and then cooked with cheese, bell peppers and herbs to create a sauce that makes my heart and palate very happy.

I do want to mention that this sauce is best paired with a ravioli or tortellini type pasta stuffed with cheese or vegetables or meat (I used a pre-packaged Portobello mushroom ravioli). In my opinion, the sauce was a little bland over simple spaghetti.

“Faux” Pasta Cream Sauce

adapted from the Canton Repository

15-oz can cannellini (white kidney) beans, rinsed and drained
2/3 cup lowfat milk
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/3 cup bell pepper (red, green, yellow, or mixed), slivered
1 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped (or 1 tsp dried)
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp nutmeg, preferably freshly grated
1/8 tsp ground black pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain. Meanwhile, place the beans and milk in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.

Transfer to a large skillet. Stir in grated Parmesan cheese, bell peppers, oregano, salt, nutmeg and ground black pepper. Cook and stir until heated through.

Serve sauce over pasta. If desired, sprinkle with freshly shredded Parmesan cheese and garnish with fresh oregano.

Praline Fondue

Enough with all the vegetables already, right? When are you going to tell us about something sweet and sugary and gooey enough to rot our teeth, you ask? Your wait is over. Grab your fondue forks and read on.

A few years back I flew out to Maryland to visit my friend Glenn -- the very same Glenn who was the reason Chicken Marbella came into my life. Around the time of this visit it seemed that fondue was all the rage again. Were you as caught up in this as I was? All social gatherings started to revolve around pots of melted cheese or chocolate or divine goodness. So, when I was out visiting Glenn, he suggested we stop by his friend’s house for a party. What he had failed to mention was that it was a fondue party. It was amazing. There were probably 6 or 8 fondue pots set up in strategic locations throughout the apartment, each filled with different, wonderful sauces. (I know, who owns that many fondue pots, but, really, who cares as long as these people are inviting you to their parties). I’m sure Glenn wanted to introduce me to his friends, but I didn’t have time for mingling with so much fondu-ing to do. The fondue pot I ended up sneaking into a closet with– I mean, the clear party hit was the Praline fondue. To. Die. For.
I left the party with a smiling face and a belly full of fondue. And the recipe.

Praline Fondue

1/2 cup superfine sugar
3/4 cup blanched almonds (I used sliced raw almonds)
8 oz white chocolate
2/3 cup heavy cream
Few drops vanilla extract

1) Put sugar and almonds into a pan until sugar melts. Be careful not to burn the almonds. Pour mixture onto greased cookie sheet (I covered a cookie sheet with tin foil and then sprayed with Pam). Cool to harden.

2) Once mixture is hard, break up and blend in a blender to form a powder.

3) Melt chocolate and cream in fondue pot. (I did this on the stove top, per my fondue pot's use instructions)

4) Stir in praline powder and vanilla

Serve with pound cake, bananas, apples or any other fruit or cookies. Invite friends over only if you're into that whole "sharing" thing.

*Notes:
Superfine (castor) sugar is regular cane sugar that has been more finely ground to increase it’s ability to dissolve. You should be able to find this in the supermarket. Powdered (confectioner) sugar has been completely pulverized into a fine powder with a little added cornstarch. You cannot substitute powdered sugar for superfine.

If you can’t find superfine sugar or don’t want to spend the extra money, you can take regular sugar and put it in a blender or food processor to grind into a finer powder. This is what I did with no problem.