Tag Archives: sauce

Berry Delicious Strawberry Sauce

Posted in Sauces and Condiments by

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You can spoon it over a scoop of vanilla ice cream, drizzle over freshly made waffles, use it to dunk pancake bits cooked in ebelskiver pan or use it in whatever else you like! I am talking about a simple yet berry delicious strawberry sauce!

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So, you already saw my post about my first ever strawberry preserve recipe! So, here is another recipe using the gorgeous berries! Feel free to cut down the sugar as much as you want – less sugar you use, chunkier the sauce will be, but I promise you, it will still be super delish!

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All you need for this recipe is a good amount of fresh berries, bit of sugar and a splash of water! Yes, just three ingredients!

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Berry Delicious Strawberry Sauce

  • Servings: About 1 1/4 cups
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Ingredients
2 heaping cups fresh strawberries, washed, hulled and patted dry
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water

Preparation
1. Combine sugar and water in a small pan and bring to a simmer.
2. Add 1/2 the strawberries to the pan to lightly soften the berries. Scoop the berries out of the sugar syrup and set aside in a small bowl.
3. Repeat with remaining berries.
4. Bring the syrup to a low boil and continue cooking till it reduces to a syrupy consistency. If any juices accumulate in the bowl with the berries, strain into the simmering sauce.
5. When syrup is your preferred consistency, turn the heat off and pour over the berries.
6. Chill the sauce in the refrigerator till ready to use.

 

Weeknight Spaghetti in Spicy Diavolo Sauce with Shrimp

Posted in Non-Vegetarian Main Dish, Pasta, Simple and Delicious by

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Weeknight meals are tough, even for the most seasoned cook. You are dealing with kids’ after school activities, homework, house work, other errands etc., that even if you love cooking, it sounds like a grueling task! It doesn’t have to be an arduous task if you have a quick, delicious and not to mention rather healthy recipe!

That brings you to this spaghetti dish in a spicy tomato sauce. As an option, you can add in seafood of your choice – shrimp, mussels, lobster meat, or even scallops! I used shrimp in mine because I had it on hand.

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Instead of grabbing a bottled pasta sauce, I wanted to make something from “scratch” – in quotes because I didn’t quite blanch the tomato and crush it. I opted for a can of no-salt added crushed tomato, saving precious time in the kitchen! 🙂 Grated lemon zest, chopped fresh basil and a good sprinkling of crushed red peppers lend a wonderful blend of spicy, citrusy note to the sauce that goes so perfectly well with the seafood. Yum! The sauce itself is a keeper even for a simple vegetarian meal!

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You can save even more time if you already have leftover cooked pasta of any kind. If you are really in a pinch, use a low-sugar bottled pasta sauce AND add in extra basil, lemon zest and crushed red pepper. By using a can of crushed tomato, you can adjust the salt and other seasonings to your own specifications – now who wouldn’t want a tailored sauce??!!

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Weeknight Spaghetti in Spicy Diavolo Sauce with Shrimp

  • Servings: 4
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Ingredients
1/2 package spaghetti of your choice (regular, whole grain etc.)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup chopped onions
2 cloves garlic, minced finely
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes (adjust to your taste)
1 1/2 cups no-salt added crushed tomato
Grated zest from half lemon
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt to taste
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/2 lb large shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley for garnish
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Preparation
1. If not using leftover cooked pasta (a time saver), cook pasta according to package directions and set aside.
2. Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan over medium high heat and sauté the shrimp till cooked through. Sprinkle with a dash of salt. Remove from pan and set aside, covered to keep warm.
3. Heat a small sauce pan over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sauté onion and garlic.
4. Add crushed red pepper flakes, crushed tomato, basil, lemon zest, lemon juice and salt. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and let simmer for 12-15 minutes till all flavors meld well.
5. Stir in the basil and remove from heat.
6. Toss the pasta with 1/2 cup of sauce and shrimp. Serve on individual plates. Top with remaining sauce distributed among four plates. Garnish with a sprinkling of parsley and freshly grated parmesan cheese. Serve immediately! Bon Apetit

Harissa Sauce

Posted in Sauces and Condiments by

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Harissa is a fiery hot sauce used in North African cuisine. As you might have guessed, primary ingredient is PLENTY of dried hot peppers. I used dried cayenne peppers this time around. Next time though, I would love to incorporate some fiery harbanero or other super spicy pepper for added heat.

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This sauce can be used as a condiment or as a seasoning for meats and seafood. I even used some of it to spice up pasta sauce and it was amazing. I also tried it spread on a cracker. Delicious! Who knows, if you like spicy things, this might become your new favorite dip for chips or veggies.

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Harissa Sauce

Ingredients
20-25 Dried hot peppers (I used cayenne)
1 dried Pasilla pepper
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
3-4 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons oil
2-4 tablespoon water
Sea salt to taste
Juice from 1/2 lemon

Preparation
1. Soak dried peppers in hot water for 10 minutes.
2. Dry roast coriander, cumin and caraway seeds for 3-5 minutes under low heat.
3. Grind them to powder using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.
4. Drain the peppers and transfer to a blender or food processor along with all other ingredients except water.
5. Grind to a paste adding just enough water.
6. Transfer to a container and refrigerate.

Harissa can easily be stored in the refrigerator for few weeks – if it lasts you that long.