Marinara sauce

Today was a big cooking day. 

Yesterday I went to the farmer's market and picked up a haul -and not just produce, either. After lunch with a friend, I bought some gourmet olive oil - from a store called "Ah Love Oil". It was blood orange infused and I was sold as soon as the assistant mentioned that she makes almond coffee cake using it.

So this morning I made blueberry muffins from scratch using the blood orange olive oil and almond extract. They have a sugar/cinnamon/flour/butter crumb topping.  I already posted this recipe.

Lunch was:
Salmon with a generous helping of olive oil, kosher salt, and pepper. In a baking pan, 30 minutes at 375.
Corn on the cob, in tin foil, olive oil/salt/pepper and wrapped up. In oven next to baking pan.
Lotta fresh squeezed lemon on the salmon when it came out.

Now,  I am making marinara sauce from those gorgeous tomatoes I bought yesterday.

I cut them up while olive oil and a whole lotta garlic was simmering.  A whole lotta means almost an entire small jar of the minced garlic in olive oil. 

I also threw in a handful of the sweet cherries I bought yesterday, also cut up, instead of any sugar.    Douse it good with white wine.  I think I used almost 3/4 of a cup.  I just poured.

So:

Olive oil, a whole lotta garlic, white wine, tomatoes, and the sweet cherries and it's all simmering down. I should have bought some bread, I forgot. That would be great on crusty bread.

MMMMMM

Blueberry muffins made with blood orange olive oil

Trying to play catch up on this blog.  It's futile, but I try.

I made blueberry muffins this morning and used blood orange olive oil (instead of regular) and also almond extract.  This recipe was fantastic.  The crumb topping mix could almost be halved, though.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/to-die-for-blueberry-muffins/

Muffins:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1 cup fresh blueberries

 

Crumb topping:
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

I used Blood Orange Olive Oil, and, added almost a teaspoon of almond extract.

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).     Grease muffin cups or line with muffin liners. 

2.  Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt and baking powder.   Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup.   Mix this with flour mixture.   Fold in blueberries.   Fill muffin cups right to the top, and sprinkle with crumb topping mixture. 

3.  To Make Crumb Topping: Mix together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon.   Mix with fork, and sprinkle over muffins before baking. 

4.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until done. 

He-man Chili

So, I got this recipe from an internet forum and I can't name the person who posted it because he'd probably kill me. Especially since when I cooked it, I changed it.  First, his recipe, next, what I did with it.

His:

2 lbs Ground Venison
2 15 oz cans Diced Tomatoes
2 medium Onions, chopped
1 medium Green Pepper, chopped
4 Garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon ground Cumin
2 tablespoons Chili Powder
1 tablespoon Pepper Sauce (I likeTabasco Chipolte)
1 teaspoon Salt
1 bayleaf
1 finely minced Habanero
I'll usually use beef stock as my liquid, but water with a bit of bullion in it will suffice
Saute onions and garlic in a pan over medium heat. Add ground venison and brown. Add spices to mixture and transfer to crockpot. Place remaining ingredients in crockpot. Stir. Cook on low 8-10 hours, or high 4-6 hours. Enjoy!

Mine:
Hamburger not venison
Fire-roasted tomatoes
RED pepper.  I hate green pepper.  Blech.
No pepper sauce
No habanero
I didn't need any liquid at all.  I didn't drain the burger after I sauteed it all, though, and there was a lot of grease in it.
Crockpot was maybe 3 hours, tops.

It could have used some beans.  Heh.  It was very good and one of the few times I actually did freeze some leftovers - and ate them the following week, too.

Santa Fe Chicken Chili (Gluten Free Goddess)

Good morning!  Long time no post. 

I don't have gluten issues, to my knowledge, but a coworker does and she raved about this to me.  So, last week I decided to give it a try.  It's very easy, and I wonder if it would be even easier if you baked the yam ahead of time - easier cutting.  I liked it a lot and the yam is a nice touch.  Don't forget to get FIRE ROASTED tomatoes, not regular diced tomatoes.

I have to wonder though - isn't chili pretty much gluten free anyway?

http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2006/01/santa-fe-chicken-chili.html

Copied directly:

You can easily make this recipe in your favorite slow cooker or Crock Pot, following manufacturer's instructions for chili or soup using cooked (canned) beans. Add the cooked chicken and lime juice near the end of cooking time, to keep it tender and fresh tasting. Vegans take note: make this vegan with your favorite veggie "sausage" or crumbled "burger" instead of chicken.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 medium sweet onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2-1 teaspoon ground cumin, to taste
1/4-1 teaspoon ground cayenne or chipotle pepper, to taste
1 sweet potato, peeled, diced
2 15-oz. cans pinto or white beans, rinsed, drained
1 28-oz. can Muir Glen Organic Fire Roasted Tomatoes, with juice
8-oz. (1 cup) chopped roasted green chilies- mild or hot
2 cups chicken broth, more if needed
1 tablespoon balsamic or apple cider vinegar
A small drizzle of agave
2 heaping cups cooked chicken pieces- hand torn looks nice
Juice of 1 lime, or to taste

Instructions:

Heat a large pot over medium-high heat and warm the olive oil; cook the onions until they are soft and translucent. Add the garlic and spices and stir for a minute.

Add the diced sweet potato, beans, tomatoes, green chiles, broth, balsamic vinegar, and agave. Stir gently to combine it all.

Bring it to a simmer and lower the heat; cover and cook the chili for 30 minutes or so until the sweet potatoes are tender. Add a touch more liquid if you need to. Add the cooked chicken and some lime juice.

Taste test and adjust the seasonings - more heat? More lime? A tad more sweetness? Good chili has a balance of these flavors.

Warm through and serve when you are ready.

If the chili thickens too much thin it with broth; if the chili becomes too thin cook it longer with the lid off to reduce the liquid.