What's for dinner? - 2016

Dennis47 said:

 
My friend and I are going to have beans and cornbread later this evening, so I've got white beans simmering slowly in  the crock pot, just added some chicken chunks, pork pieces and a touch of taco seasoning for a bit of zip.Will add chopped onion later. It's only 27 degrees and the temp is steadily falling, so I think it's a good idea.

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Winchester said:

 
Sweet and sour pork. It's been forever since we had that for dinner. I'm going to use leftover pork from the freezer (it's from Christmas), so I should have it ready to go in about an hour or so.  I have some Trader Joe's long-grain rice to serve with it.  

Rick just loves the stuff, too.

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Fyllis said:

 
Toss in a few garlic cloves and a couple bay leaves! Sounds good... pinto beans, ham hock and corn bread is definitely comfort food for a cold night!

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Stewball said:

Spaghetti with tomato sauce with sliced sausages and onions etc cooked inside sort of thing sigh. I'm tired.

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Dennis47 said:

 
Great idea, except that my friend is allergic to the qualities that make up a bay leaf, and alas, no garlic in the cubbard. But the cornbread is baking even as I type this. We're gonna have pecan pie for dessert,  too!

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Fyllis said:

I was at a loss, so I just starts tossing things in a pot and ended up with a homemade pasta dish...

Sauteed onions, mushrooms and garlic. added some oregano, cilantro, salt and pepper, and a few crushed red pepper flakes, crushed up some tomatoes and added a small can of tomato sauce, added some cooked and drained ground chuck and simmered it for a bit. The I poured it over some penne and grated some Grana Padano cheese on it.  Wishing I had some garlic bread, but I didn't. 

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Stewball said:

What is tomato in America. For me that's ketchup!

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Fyllis said:

Tomato sauce and Ketchup are very similar in that they are both a tomato based puree. The only thing I can tell you is that the ingredients in the tomato sauce I used are tomato puree, water, salt, citric acid, and 'spice' (it doesn't indicate the specific spice). The Ketchup ingredients are tomato concentrate, high fructose corn syrup, distilled vinegar, corn syrup, salt and less than 2% of spice and onion powder.

So, as you can see, the Ketchup has sugar and vinegar - two ingredients I wouldn't ordinarily add to a pasta dish, but it could be used if that was all that was available. The sauce is more basic and primarily pureed tomatoes. In the summer, when I can find good homegrown ripe tomatoes, I will use them in a my pasta dishes - simply blanch them and peel the skins, then crush or puree them, add my oregano, cilantro, onions, garlic, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and simmer into a nice sauce. Of course, you can add other ingredients such as green peppers, mushrooms and ground beef or chicken. 

I don't have an 'exact' recipe for my pasta sauce - I tend to 'go with the flow' and use what I have. I might add different spices like cayenne, mace, all spice, paprika, or basil in various combinations depending on my mood. However, when I do used canned tomatoes, I use the whole peeled tomatoes as opposed to diced because those have added preservatives to maintain the shape if the 'dice'. 

Sometimes, just for some added flavor and a little kick, I will add a small jar of picante to my sauce. 

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Artiemom said:

 
Stew ball, there are many recipes for simple, quick tomato sauce.

I make mine without a recipe, but I cook it for 2 hours. Yes, that is a real hearty sauce. You can quick cook it but the flavor really intensifies with the longer cooking..

I sauté some onions, crushed garlic. I add a large can of whole tomatoes which I crush in the food processor before using. I like a chunky sauce. You can use a can of crushed tomatoes in place of the whole. I add tomatoes to onions and garlic, bring to a slow boil; add basil or oregano, salt and pepper to taste. I add some tomato paste also to thicken and add flavor to it. Once it comes to a boil I add whatever meat I want.. sausages, meatballs, chicken; let it cook . I also add a carrot to it. This gets rid of the acidic flavor. Many people add sugar. I keep tasting it for herbs....you can also add some wine if you wish...

That is pretty much my sauce....

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