simple sauce

1/3 c butter

1 lb. tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped

1 onion, thinly sliced crosswise

8 fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces

Fry pan, medium heat melt butter. Add onion, cook until translucent -10min. Add tomatoes to pan, simmer until desired thickness -20min. Remove from heat and stir in salt to taste and basil.

peanut butter and banana french toast

1 egg
1 dash vanilla extract
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
2 slices bread
1 small banana, sliced
2 tablespoons butter

In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg and vanilla together.
Spread 1 tablespoon of peanut butter on top of each slice of bread. Place the banana slices on top of one of the slices of bread. Place the other slice of bread on top of the first, to make a peanut butter and banana sandwich.

In a skillet or frying pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Dip the sandwich into the egg mixture and place in the heated skillet. Cook until brown on both sides. Serve hot.

oreo ice cream cake

24 OREO Cookies, divided

2 cups Strawberry ice cream, softened (I used vanilla instead, and abt 3 cups)

2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, divided

2 cups Chocolate ice cream, softened (3 cups also)

2 Tbsp. Hot fudge ice cream topping (I used crushed oreos instead)

LINE 9-inch round pan (I used a 10 in springform pan. Didn't have to use the plastic wrap) with plastic wrap, with ends extending over side of pan. Stand 14 cookies around edge of pan. Crush remaining cookies. Reserve 1/2 cup crumbs for later use; sprinkle remaining crumbs onto bottom of pan. Spread strawberry ice cream over crumbs; top with 1 cup COOL WHIP and reserved crumbs. Cover with chocolate ice cream.

FREEZE 4 hours.

REMOVE dessert from freezer 10 min. before serving. Use plastic wrap handles to lift dessert from pan. Carefully peel off plastic wrap; place dessert on serving plate. Let stand at room temperature to soften slightly. Top with remaining COOL WHIP; drizzle with fudge topping.

vodka sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 cup good quality vodka
2 (15 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
1 (14.25 ounce) can tomato puree
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried, ground rosemary
1/4 cup water (optional)
1 cup heavy cream, or as needed

Directions:
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir the tomato paste into the onion mixture, working all of the lumps out. Pour in the vodka and bring to a boil over medium-high heat; boil for 1 minute. Add the crushed tomatoes and tomato puree. Season with oregano, pepper, salt, thyme, parsley, and rosemary.
Return to a simmer; reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add water if the sauce becomes too thick as it cooks, but remember that you'll be adding the cream soon, so don't thin it too much. Once the sauce has cooked, stir in the cream until the consistency and color are to your liking. Cook another 5 to 10 minutes to reheat.

Sweet and Sour Sausage

1 package cooked sausage(I used Hillshire farm Beef sausage)

1 green pepper

1-2 red peppers (I had some already cut up so I think I tossed in extra)

1/2 large red onion

1 20 oz can chunk pineapple drained(save the juice)

For Sauce

1/4 C brown sugar

1/2 C white sugar

1/4 C pineapple juice

1/4 C. Ketchup

1/3 C white vinegar

1/4 C Soy sauce

2 Tbs cornstarch or flour

1 1/2 C rice

3 C water

1 chicken bouillon cube

Put water, rice and bouillon cube on to boil in a medium pan. Once it boils, turn to low and set timer for 20 minutes.

Cut the sausage in half lengthwise and then chop into 1/4 inch slices. Add to large Saute pan and start cooking. While cooking chop up onions and peppers. Continue cooking sausage until it is getting browned spots on it. Drain grease or wipe it out with a couple paper towels, leave a little bit of grease. Add peppers and onions. Stir every couple minutes. Get out a small saucepan for the sauce. Add in the sugar and ketchup, let it liquefy a little then add all your liquid ingredients, use a wisk to stir. Add drained pineapple to sausage mix. Let the sauce come to a boil and then turn it down to a simmer. Get a little cold water, about 1/4 cup in a glass and stir in the 2 Tbs of cornstarch or flour, I used flour, stir until combined. Add to the sauce and turn the heat up a little, watch so it doesn't boil over. Let the sauce thicken a little and then add it to your sausage mix. Your rice should be done and you are ready to eat!! I love those little Chinese noodles that add a little crunch to it. Have fun with the recipe.

Vegetarian Curry

Punjabi Garam Masala

1 Tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
1/2 tsp cardamom seeds
3 cinnamon sticks, 3″ long, broken into smaller pieces
3 bay leaves

Heat a small skillet over med-high heat, and toast all the spices until warm and fragrant- usually 1-2 minutes. Take care not to burn. Immediately transfer nutty-smelling hot spices off pan to cool. Once cool, place them in a spice grinder and grind until powdered. The blend will be dark reddish brown, and will be fragrant and complex- every different from untoasted spices.

Cashew Garam Masala- Vegetarian Style

2 small onions, 1 chopped, 1 sliced in thin half-moons
1/4 cup raw cashew nuts
1 can chopped tomatoes with juice, 14.5 oz.
2 Tbsp canola or other high-heat oil
1 1/2 lbs cauliflower florets (or chopped potatoes, or canned garbanzo beans, or chicken breasts, cut into 1″ strips- use whatever you enjoy most)
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp fresh Punjabi Garam Masala powder (yay for making it!)
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

In a blender, add 1/2 cup water, the chopped onion, the cashews and the can of tomatoes with juice. Puree, scraping the sides of the blender if needed, until the mixture is smooth.

Heat oil in a large skillet over med-high heat. Add the sliced onion and cook until onion is caramelized, about 3-5 minutes. Pour in the tomato/cashew mixture, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid evaporates.

Add the cauliflower florets (or whatever you are using) and stir-fry until you develop a brown fond on the bottom of the pan. Add 1/2 cup water to release the fond, stirring to create a rich sauce.

Add the Punjabi Garam Masala powder, salt and cayenne pepper. As sauce comes to a boil, reduce heat and cover, simmering until the vegetables are tender (or chicken is done) 6-10 minutes.

Serve with rice. Yum!!

chicken tikka masala

Marinade
2 Cups plain yogurt
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch piece ginger, minced
1-2 tsp. Garam Masala
1-2 tsp. Cayenne (more or less for heat)
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp. vegetable oil

Marinate one pound of chicken cut up in bite-sized pieces for 1 hour to over night. Once done marinating, grill chicken pieces until cooked through (The recipe says to cook them on skewers on the bbq. I do this step on the george forman grill, but I should warn you, there's a lot of run-off). Set aside.

Tikka Masala Sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch piece ginger, minced
1 medium/large onion, diced
32 oz (the big one) can tomato sauce
2 tsp. garam masala
1-2 tsp. Cayenne (more or less for heat)
1 tsp. cumin
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup cream
fresh cilantro for garnish

In a large sauce pan saute garlic, ginger and onion in a little oil until onion is softened. Add tomato sauce and seasonings, simmer for 10 minutes. Add cooked chicken and cream, simmer one minute. Serve over rice with cilantro garnish. Tasty!