Table for Two - What Can I Do with Canned Clams?

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I know it's a burning question and you've been waiting years for an answer. Fear not, your long wait is over. Not only do I have two recipes that use canned clams, they are also scaled to feed just two people. Around here, we call that a double whammy and as such, they both deserve to be included in our Table for Two recipe collection. Both recipes are fast and simple to execute and, despite their use of canned clams and broth, they both produce a great family meal that I know your crew will enjoy. If you find either dish lacking in flavor or substance, you can, of course, add more garlic or another can of clams, but I think you'll be pleased with the results if you follow the recipes exactly as they are written. I do hope you'll take your can opener in hand and give one or both of them a try. Here is how they are made.

Sweet Barbecue Sauce

      

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...One of the lovelier aspects of summer are those informal family picnics and barbecues that bring young and old together in a stress-free environment that everyone can enjoy. I always want the food for these occasions to be first rate, but I don't want to spend hours preparing it. In my lexicon fussing is a winter affair and I prefer to reserve the difficult and impressive meals for our winter get-togethers. Our family picnic and barbecue meal are simple and while there are generally lots of salads and side dishes, I try to serve just one main dish. That can require some finessing. The youngest at our table does not like spicy foods, so a barbecue necessitates at least two kinds of sauce to keep everyone happy. I found the recipe for this sweet barbecue sauce in Food and Wine magazine and it really is a perfect sauce for small children or adults who do not care for heat. The sauce, which is made from readily available ingredients, can be ready to use for basting in about an hour and it will keep for several days if refrigerated. If you like sweet sauces I think you'll love this one. Here is how this very simple sauce is made.

Sweet Barbecue Sauce...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Food and Wine magazine

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
Salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup apple juice
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped peeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoons unsulfured molasses

Directions:
Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onion and a pinch of salt. Cover and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until richly browned, about 20 minutes. Add butter and melt. Add ketchup, brown sugar, apple juice, lemon juice, ginger and molasses. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced to 2 cups, about 25 minutes. Transfer the sauce to a blender and puree. Season with salt.

One Year Ago Today: Sticky Chicken

Two years Ago Today: Sloppy Joes

Three years Ago Today: Hawaiian Banana Bread

Four Years Ago Today: Morning Glory Petal Bread

Make-Ahead Garlic Sauce

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I love garlic. It's unique sweetness appeals to me and I use it a great deal in my cooking. My children joke that they have to hide the garlic when I'm making cookies for fear I work a clove or two into the chocolate chips. That being said, I do have a line I won't cross. I suspect I'm one of a handful of serious cooks who actively dislike the French bistro chicken that's made with 40 cloves of garlic. I find it way too sharp to be enjoyable and have learned from repeated attempts to make it, that garlic used in large quantities must be blanched before cooking. The garlic sauce I'm featuring today was developed by Wolfgang Puck and I view it as a gift from the kitchen gods. Our meals are still on the bland side and until the Silver Fox has regained his appetite and can eat more flavorful food, I'm using the sauce to mask the blandness on my plate. The sauce really perks up mildly seasoned versions of chicken, pork and shrimp and makes them palatable. It's a lovely sauce to have on hand, but despite the use of roasted garlic it borders on a bitter sharpness. Fortunately, the first time I made the sauce I remembered that some of the bitterness can be alleviated by blanching the cloves before using them. It really helps here and it's worth the bit of extra time it takes to accomplish the task. To blanch the garlic, you'll need a pot of boiling water and a bowl of ice water. Dump the cloves into boiling water for 30 seconds and then into ice water for the same amount of time. Repeat the procedure one more time, then pat the garlic dry and continue with the recipe. The sauce is a bright green when it's first made but it darkens as it sits and will end up khaki colored. It will keep in the refrigerator for about a week. This is not a sauce for folks who like mild food, but those of you who like a bit of added flavor will really enjoy it. Here's the recipe.

Make-Ahead Garlic Sauce...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Wolfgang Puck

Ingredients:
6 ounces garlic gloves, peeled (about 1-1/2 heads)
1-1/2 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
2-1/2 cups chicken broth
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
1-1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano leaves
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Instructions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Blanch garlic cloves in boiling water.
2) In small ovenproof pan, toss garlic cloves in the olive oil to coat well. Roast until garlic is an even light golden brown, about 15 minutes.
3) Transfer garlic to a blender, pour in stock, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Process until smooth. Add chopped herbs and butter and continue to process until smooth. Transfer to a container and allow to cool. If made early in day refrigerate, covered, until needed. When ready to serve, reheat the sauce over low heat. Yield: 2 cups.

One Year Ago Today: Strawberry and Rhubarb Crisp

Two Years Ago Today: Pink Lemonade Granita

Three Years Ago Today: Hasselback Potatoes

Asparagus Pesto

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Here, as promised, is the asparagus pesto I spoke of yesterday. It's made with the odd bits and trimmings left from yesterday's pickling marathon. The pesto can, of course, be made with perfect spears, but because all the ingredients used here are pureed, that would be a waste of lovely vernal green. I love the mild flavor of this sauce and serve it with pasta, fish or chicken. I am aware of how limiting its color is. The Silver Fox has dubbed this Shrek Sauce and, of course, our older grandsons have picked up on it. It's best we keep that our little secret. I'd rather Mark Bittman, who develop the recipe, not know how my family has defamed his lovely pesto. You will need a food processor or blender to make this. The recipe is a study in simplicity. Everything goes into the bowl of a blender or food processor and is pulsed until you have the texture of you are looking for. I've taken mine to a sauce-like consistency. That's all there is to it. While the pesto can be refrigerated for up to a day, its color does not improve with age. If you want a lovely vibrant sauce make it just before it is to be served. Here's the recipe.

Asparagus Pesto...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Mark Bittman

Ingredients:
Salt
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch segments
1 clove garlic, or more to taste
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup olive oil, or more as desired
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
Juice of 1/2 lemon, or to taste

Directions:
1) Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Add asparagus and cook until fully tender but not mushy, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain well, reserving some cooking liquid, and let asparagus cool slightly.
2) Transfer asparagus to a food processor and add garlic, pine nuts, 2 tablespoons of oil, Parmesan, a pinch of salt and, if needed, a couple of tablespoons of the cooking liquid. Process mixture, stopping to scrape down sides of container as necessary, and gradually add remaining oil and a bit more of reserved cooking liquid to moisten if it is needed. Add lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste, pulse one last time, and serve over pasta, fish or chicken. The pesto can be refrigerated for up to 1 day. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.








One Year Ago Today: Asparagus Soup















Two Years Ago Today: Fresh Mint Ice Cream







You might also enjoy these recipes:
Artichoke Lemon Pesto - Ciao Chow Linda
Broccoli Pesto - A Thought for Food
Basil Mint Pesto with Walnut Sauce - Pinch My Salt
Wild Garlic Pesto - Nami Nami
Lemon Arugula Pesto - Dixie Chik Cooks
Mom's Pesto Genovese - Chef Tom's Blog
Basil-Walnut Pesto - Smitha's Spicy Flavors
Cilantro Walnut Pesto - Little Corner of Mine
Dandelion Pesto - David Lebovitz
Roasted Zucchini Pesto - Angie's Recipes

Mango Salsa

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Before getting to today's recipe, I wanted to let you know about an article in Gourmet Live that lists the 50 most important women in food. The list is fairly comprehensive and contains some entries and omissions that might surprise you. At the very least, it will give you something to talk about with other foodies and friends. Over the course of the next year, I'm going to try to make one dish created by each of the women on the list. If you'd like to join in the fun, email me and we can formalize a schedule. Otherwise, I'll aim to publish one recipe each Friday starting the second week in June. I hope to hear from you.

The hail was a bit much, but other than that we've had a great day. The fajitas and tacos were both well-received and everyone loved the mango salsa I'm featuring here tonight. This simple condiment is a feature of Mexican, Asian and Indian cuisine. This version has a decidedly Mexican bent and, like yesterday's pico de gallo, a recipe is needed only to list the ingredients required to make it. Once they are assembled the dish becomes a chop, combine and chill affair that can be tailored to your liking. I do hope you will give it a try. Here's the recipe.

Mango Salsa...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups diced mango
3 tablespoons finely chopped jalapeno pepper
3 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon lime juice

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a storage container. Cover and chill for up to 3 days. Yield 2 cups.








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Two Years Ago Today: Blueberry Fool











You might also enjoy these recipes:
Mango Cream Pie - Cookie Madness
Mango Paletas - Sweet Life
Mango Chile Ice for Dessert - A Spoonful of Thyme
Coconut Mango Granola - Kitchen Runway
Mango Lassi - Niya's World
Mango Lava Cake - Home Cooking and Baking
Green Mango Relish with Whole Spices - Love Food Eat
Mango Pound Cake - Home Cooking and Baking
Black Bean Mango Salad - Mommy's Kitchen
Mango Margarita - Home Cooking Rocks

Pico de Gallo

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Our plans for the weekend are in place, and, despite predictions of heavy rains, we plan to soldier on. We'll simply move everything, save for grilling, inside. Should you drive by and look up the hill, you'll see a huge umbrella on the deck of the topmost house. We'll be the folks you see grilling under its protective cover. I've planned two themed meals for the holiday. I'm leaving the third in the hands of the kitchen gods and praying they'll be kind to me. I've been working on condiments for the Mexican-style meal I've planned for tomorrow night. If all goes according to Hoyle, we'll be having fish tacos and fajitas along with numerous sides and sundry Southwestern fixin's. I thought this weekend would be an ideal time to add some of these condiments to my recipe collection. Fast and simple has real appeal to me on these long holiday weekends. I hope it does for you as well. I realize that you can buy any of the condiments I'll be featuring, but I've always had a quiet chuckle when I see "fresh" pico de gallo or "fresh" mango salsa with an expiration date stamped on their containers. Tomatoes are still being imported here. They look very anemic, so I've been ripening them in a brown paper bag, hoping to get better color and flavor for the salsas I'm preparing. The technique helps, but it will never replace the blood red color and sweet flavor of garden grown tomatoes. We make do. Pico de gallo is a fresh tomato salsa that is served with many Mexican dishes. It is very easy to make and homemade versions have far more flavor than anything that can be purchased in the supermarket. A recipe is needed only to list the ingredients required to make the salsa. The directions can be summed up in three words, chop, combine and chill. That, literally, is all there is to it. Here's the recipe.

Pico de Gallo...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1- 1/2 cups seeded, diced tomatoes
1/4 cup diced red onion
1 tablespoon diced jalapenos
1 tablespoon minced garlic
Juice of 2 limes
2 tablespoons cilantro, plus extra for garnish
Salt and pepper

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Yield: 2 cups.








One Year Ago Today: Funeral Pie












Two Years Ago Today: Blueberry and Lemon Cake-Style Muffins








You might also enjoy these recipes:
Sun-Dried Tomato Salsa - My Favorite Recipe Collection
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Fire Roasted Salsa Verde - Gastronomical Sovereignty
Pineapple and Banana Salsa - Closet Cooking
Peach Salsa Cruda - Wicked Good Dinner
Black Bean Mango Salsa - Mommy's Kitchen
Fire Roasted Corn Salsa - No Recipes
Strawberry and Mango Salsa - Two Peas and Their Pod
Black Bean Salsa - Christine's Pantry
Tomatillo Chipotle Salsa - Perry's Plate

Luscious Lemon Sauce

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I'm really fond of this sauce and always try to keep a jar of it in the refrigerator. I can't imagine having gingerbread without it and, because lemon is my chocolate, I generally put it on ice cream and bread pudding as well. It has the velvety texture and flavor of a good lemon curd, but it flows with the easy grace of a well-made chocolate sauce. This is really easy to make and I'm featuring it here because I think any serious collection of recipes should include a great lemon sauce. This is a great, if simple sauce. It keeps for up to a month in the refrigerator. That being said, it is still best served warm. You can warm the sauce in the microwave or in a pot of barely simmering water. Here's the recipe.

Luscious Lemon Sauce...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Gourmet magazine

Ingredients:
1 large egg - very well beaten
1/4 cup cold water
juice of 1 lemon - approximately 3 tablespoons
finely grated peel of half a lemon
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter

Directions:
In a small saucepan, whisk beaten egg, water, lemon juice and peel until well blended. Place pan on medium heat and whisk in sugar. Add butter and cook, stirring constantly, until butter is melted and sauce comes to a full boil. Remove from heat, cool slightly and serve warm. Yield: 1-1/2 cups.

You might also enjoy these recipe:
Chocolate Sauce - The Galley Gourmet
Killer Chocolate Sauce - Bon Appetit Hon
Chocolate and Salted Caramel Sauces - It's a Big Cookie, Dude
Dulce De Leche - Being Susie Homemaker
Hot Fudge Sauce - In Flora's Kitchen
Mocha Hot Fudge Sauce - Joy the Baker
Chocolate and Butterscotch Sauces - H.O.G. Food Blog
Ridiculously Easy Butterscotch Sauce - Smitten Kitchen
Vanilla Sauce - Southern Food
Caramel Sauce - Buttercream Barbie

Hot Fudge Sauce

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This simple recipe was adapted from one created in the test kitchens of the Hershey Chocolate Company. It came my way as the result of some volunteer activity I was involved in a few years ago. The adaption was develop for a fundraiser, specifically an ice cream social, to which the immediate world had been invited. It was expected to be a huge affair and to assist in cost containment, twenty women were each asked to make a triple batch of the hot fudge sauce featured here today. The plan, of course, was an attempt at quality control and mess containment and it worked pretty well. On the appointed afternoon, approximately 60 quarts of sauce were reheated and served with hot fudge sundaes and banana splits. Despite a volume of hot fudge the size of a rogue wave, the organizers of the event ran shy and had to make a frantic scramble to find enough commercial syrup to assure everyone would get what they paid for. Sticking with my nautical allusions, I can tell you they raised a boat load of cash that day and those of us who made the sauce inherited a nice recipe to keep our dessert collections afloat. I promise you the sauce is better than my humor and I hope you will try it. I also hope you will put your own mark on the recipe. I use a top quality cocoa powder and hazelnut extract when I make this for my family, but bittersweet chocolate and almond extract would also work well. The sauce is best served warm and it will keep for up to a month in the refrigerator. Here's the recipe.

Hot Fudge Sauce...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Hershey Kitchen

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup golden or light brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup dark, unsweetened cocoa
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-3/4 cup light cream or half-and-half
1 cup water
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:
Combine sugar, cocoa, flour, and salt in saucepan. Add cream, water, and butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until boiling. Cook 5 minutes longer. Remove hot fudge sauce from heat, cool, then stir in vanilla. Yield: 3-1/2 cups.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Salted Caramel Sauce - The Amateur Gourmet
Strawberry Dessert Sauce - Drick's Rambling Cafe
Creme Anglaise - Stumptown Savory
SSeedless Chocolate Raspberry Dessert Sauce - Megan's Cookin'
Easy Microwave Mixed Berry Syrup - Baking Bites
Chocolate Sauce - The Galley Gourmet
Mexican Hot Fudge Sauce - Gluten-Free Goddess
Caramel Sauce - Carol Egbert

Spaghettini with Garlic and Lemon

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I love the spare simplicity of Shaker and Bauhaus design, and, on very busy days, I appreciate that same simplicity in my food. Today was a day made busy by a wonderful break in the weather. The almost balmy day kept me outside for far too long and made dinner preparation a rushed affair. On nights like this, I grill a steak or chicken and pair them with a simple, nearly naked, pasta that I like to sauce with lemon and garlic and very little else. It makes for an easy meal that can be on the table in minutes and the leftover pasta is good for a lunch or two as well. The recipe on which my lemon pasta is based originally appeared in Gourmet magazine. Giada De Laurentiis has a similar recipe that is enormously popular with her fans and readers. If you like simply sauced pastas, you'll quickly make this dish your own and not bother with recipes at all. Before you do that, however, there are a few things you'll have to keep in mind. Your first consideration should be the garlic. It burns quickly and should be cooked only until it colors. If it burns, you'll have to toss the oil in which it cooked and that's a waste of time and money. Another concern, especially for those of you who still have young children at the table, is how hot you want the dish to be. The heat here is provided by red pepper flakes and a range of measure is given for their use. Only you know your family's tolerance for heat. Most folks, at least initially, will be more comfortable at the lower end of that range. You also can control the amount of lemon and garlic you use in the recipe. I offer my choices only as suggestions, but, I hasten to add, they are suggestions that work, and they are sound choices for your first execution of the recipe. It's also important to remember that pasta never waits for sauce, the sauce should be waiting for the pasta. I think you'll like this dish. It's inexpensive, easy to make and really tasty. It is also a great entree for Meatless Mondays. Here's my version of the recipe.

Spaghettini with Garlic and Lemon...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite adapted from Gourmet Magazine

Ingredients:
1 lb spaghettini or capellini
6 large garlic cloves, minced
1/4 to 3/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Finely grated zest of 1 large lemon
Juice of 1 large lemon
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions:
1) Cook pasta in a 6-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup cooking water and drain pasta in a colander.
2) While pasta is boiling, cook garlic and red pepper flakes (to taste) in oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until garlic is golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in zest, then juice, salt, pepper, and 1/2 cup reserved cooking water and bring to a simmer.
3) Add pasta and toss with sauce and parsley. Add more water if sauce seems too dry. Yield: 4 main course servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Spaghetti Sauce (Rule of One) - Moogie and Pap
Bolognese Sauce - Radishes and Rhubarb
Fresh Tomato Basil Sauce - Adventures in the Pioneer Valley
Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Sauce - Simply Recipes
Fresh Tomato and Zucchini Pasta Sauce - Coconut and Lime
Pork Bolognese - A Dash of Sass

Broccoli Pesto and Pasta with Pesto and Peas

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...A three pound bag of broccoli and a request for pasta salad figured, in equal measure, into the selection of recipes I'm featuring today. The broccoli, which seemed like a great idea a week ago, had become an irritation, a reminder of poor planning on my part, and it was demanding to be used or tossed. I'm really bad with the whole tossing thing, so, I decided to use at least some of it in a pasta salad that I had promised for a potluck supper. I had just seen a recipe on Serious Eats that used broccoli to make pesto and thought I might be able to use it in my potluck offering. Years ago, Ina Garten published a recipe for Pasta, Pesto and Peas. I had saved the recipe, but never made the dish and thought the potluck was a perfect opportunity to give it, and the broccoli pesto, a try. The pesto, developed by Carolyn Cope, is wonderful. It lacks the eyeopening brightness of its basil cousin but it is delicious in its own right. The pasta salad is a mixed bag. While it's delicious, it lacks visual appeal. Its drab muddy color is unfortunate and may be off-putting to some. Both recipes are easy to do and inexpensive to prepare. Both are also delicious. Here's how they're made.

Broccoli Pesto...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Carolyn Cope

Ingredients:
1 pound broccoli florets (about 1 quart)
1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Directions:
1) Bring large pot of well-salted water to boil over high heat. Add broccoli florets and cook for two minutes. Drain broccoli well and set aside.
2) In food processor, combine broccoli, walnuts, garlic, lemon juice, and salt. Pulse until broccoli and nuts are finely chopped. Then, with motor running, pour in olive oil in slow stream. Mix in grated cheese.
3) Toss with pasta, spread onto toasted baguette slices, or as sauce for chicken or fish. Pesto will keep in sealed container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Yield: 1-1/2 cups.

Pasta with Pesto and Peas ...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Ina Garten

Ingredients:
3/4 pound fusilli pasta
3/4 pound bow tie pasta
1/4 cup good olive oil
1-1/2 cups pesto
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1-1/4 cups good mayonnaise
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1-1/2 cups frozen peas, defrosted
1/3 cup pignoli (pine nuts)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
1) Cook fusilli and bow ties separately in a large pot of boiling salted water for 10 to 12 minutes until each pasta is al dente. Drain and toss into a bowl with the olive oil. Cool to room temperature.
2) In bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, puree pesto, spinach, and lemon juice. Add mayonnaise and puree. Add pesto mixture to cooled pasta and then add he Parmesan, peas, pignoli, salt, and pepper. Mix well, season to taste, and serve at room temperature. Yield: 12 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Coriander Chutney (Cilantro Pesto) - My Favorite Recipes Collection
Wholewheat Penne with Arugula Pesto - Angie's Recipes
Genoa Basil Pesto - Foodie Journey
Walnut Cheddar Pesto - Baking Bites
Mexican Pumpkin Seed Pesto - My Man's Belly
Asparagus Pesto with Lemon and Mint - Family Spice
Sun Dried Tomato Pesto - Closet Cooking

Green Tomato Mincemeat - Daring Cook's September Challenge

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The September 2010 Daring Cooks’ challenge was hosted by John whose work can be found at Eat4Fun. John asked the Daring Cooks to study and experiment with food preservation, particularly canning and freezing. Participants in the challenge were asked to make a recipe and preserve it. His post, which can be found here, contains advice and recipes so clear, that those new to food preservation would have no trouble duplicating the recipes he provides. The years when the jewel tones of tomatoes, peaches, pears and sundry condiments swayed my pantry shelves have passed, but I still dabble with canning and thought it would be fun to share something a little different as my response to John's challenge. It probably gets no different than green tomato mincemeat. This recipe is very similar to ones used at the turn of the century by farm wives preparing for the holidays. Their large gardens were laden with green tomatoes that would become pig fodder were it not for relish, mincemeat and that old Southern favorite fried green tomatoes. It has been years since mincemeat contained meat. While some recipes call for suet, they have fallen from grace and are rarely used by food preservers. I can't attribute today's recipe to an individual, but it can be found in the recipe files of most extension services throughout the country. It is very easy to do and uses the most common of canning paraphernalia. Mincemeat has become very expensive and this is an inexpensive alternative to a holiday staple that is still loved by many. I'm featuring the recipe as it was written, but I actually double the amount of spice when I make this. If you like mincemeat, I think you'll like this recipe. Here's how it's done.

Green Tomato Mincemeat

Ingredients:
3 quarts finely chopped green tomatoes
3 quarts peeled and finely chopped apples
1 cup vegetable oil or butter (a substitute for suet)
1 pound raisins
2 tablespoons grated orange rind
2 tablespoons grated lemon rind
5 cups well packed brown sugar
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
2 teaspoons salt

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a large kettle, and bring to boiling, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer until dark and thick - about 2 1/2 hours. Stir occasionally. Pour boiling hot into pint jars, allowing 1/2 inch headroom, seal promptly and process in a boiling water bath for 25 minutes. Store in a cool dry place. To freeze, pack cold mincemeat into freezer jars or containers, leaving about an inch headroom for expansion. Seal and freeze promptly. Yield: 8 pints.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Fried Okra and Green Tomatoes - The Teacher Cooks
Fried Green Tomatoes - Delicious Dishings
Pickled Green Tomatoes - Closet Cooking
Green Tomato Chocolate Cake - Ciao Chow Linda
Green Tomato Relish - Mommy's Kitchen
Chow Chow - Town and Country Farming

This recipe is also being linked to The Daring Kitchen.

Buttermilk Buns, Barbecue Sauce and the Remains of the Day

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Try though I might, I can't ignore the siren's song that screams, "Eat me!", each time the refrigerator door is opened. My leftovers are demanding attention. Given the number of meals that have been made lately, the status of the remains is really not too bad. The problem is that I'm not fond of leftovers and dislike repetition in my meals. Like it or not, those remains must be dealt with or tossed and I don't toss food. I had a goodly sized piece of roast pork that was sliced and warmed in a thick, but quick barbecue sauce. I made this everyday sauce from a few simple ingredients and served some of the warmed pork on homemade sandwich buns. The unused portion of the sauced pork and sandwich buns have been frozen to use for lunch on other days. Neither the sauce nor the buns are fancy and aren't meant for those seeking designer fare, but if you're looking for a fast and easy way to deal with leftover pork or beef, stay right where you are. This quick homemade barbecue sauce is my way of waging war on the condiments that clutter my refrigerator shelves. Bottles of sauce and salad dressings tend to gang up on me - much as cereal boxes do in the pantry - and to prevent that from happening I prefer to make as many of my own condiments and dressings as I can. While it sounds very dramatic, I also make my own sandwich buns. This is not a big deal. I can't find decent ones, so I prefer to make and freeze my own. I usually make three dozen at a time and that one-time effort holds us for several months. The recipe is super-simple but produces delicious rolls that you can shape as you please. Today's feature is a twofer that I think you'll enjoy. Here are the recipes for buttermilk buns and barbecue sauce.

Buttermilk Sandwich Buns...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 cup warm water
2-1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 to 3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 large egg
3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup buttermilk powder
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:
1) Combine water, yeast and sugar in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Whisk in canola oil and egg. Add flour, buttermilk powder and salt. Mix on low-speed until dough forms a ball and pulls away from side of bowl, about 6 to 8 minutes. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rise in a warm place until doubles in size, about 1 hour.
2) Grease one or two large baking sheets. Turn dough onto a floured surface. Divide dough into 8 portions. Slap or roll each piece into desired shape and place on prepared pan leaving enough space between them to allow them to rise. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to double in size, about 30 to 40 minutes.
3) While dough rises preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake rolls until golden, about 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack for cooling. Yield: 8 sandwich buns.

Everyday Barbecue Sauce...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 cup ketchup
1 cup water
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/8 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon minced garlic

Directions:
1) Combine ketchup, water, vinegar,Worcestershire sauce, sugar, paprika, chili powder, black pepper, cayenne pepper, salt and minced garlic in a saucepan.
2) Place saucepan over medium heat and bring contents of pan to a simmer. Cook until sauce thickens and is reduced by 1/4 in volume, about 5 minutes. Use immediately or allow to cool and refrigerate. Yield: 2 cups.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Ellen's Famous Hamburger Buns - Home Cookin' from Ellen's Kitchen
Honey-Oatmeal Dinner Rolls - Salad in a Jar
Buttermilk Dinner Rolls - Michael Ruhlman
Honey Yeast Rolls - Plain Chicken
Kaiser Rolls - One Perfect Bite
Torpedo Rolls - One Perfect Bite

Red Pesto Sauce + Home-Style Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Red Pesto Sauce



Home-Style Sun-Dried Tomatoes

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Red Pesto Sauce is a multi-purpose condiment that I try to keep in the refrigerator at all times. I use it for bruschetta, pasta and rice. It is a pungent sauce bursting with the flavors of sun-dried tomatoes, fresh herbs, fragrant oil and wonderful salt-cured olives. Its robust flavor is unmistakably Italian and its complex simplicity is a delight to the palate. This sauce is an attention getter and not for the faint of heart. While I make this with a home-style version of sun-dried tomatoes, commercial versions can be used with only a slight loss of flavor. The technique for sun drying tomatoes was developed in Italy as a means of storing tomatoes for the winter. Fresh tomatoes were placed on tile roofs and dried by the blazing sun. I'm including the oven drying technique I use to make the sun-dried tomatoes for those who are curious or are as crazy as me. The pesto will keep for up to a month if refrigerated and filmed with a layer of olive oil. Here are the recipes for Red Pesto Sauce and Home-Style Sun-Dried Tomatoes.

Red Pesto Sauce...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Patricia Wells

Ingredients:
1 packed cup fresh sun-dried tomatoes or 1 (3.5-oz.) package sun-dried tomato halves
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2/3 cup salt cured black olives
1 tablespoon fresh minced thyme leaves
2 tablespoons fresh minced rosemary leaves

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in bowl of a food processor. Process until just emulsified, but still coarse and slightly chunky. Store, filmed with olive oil, in refrigerator for up to 1 month. Yield: 1 cup.

Home-Style Oven-Dried Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Ingredients:
5 pounds Roma tomatoes
Kosher salt

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.
2) Trim and discard stem ends of tomatoes. Halve each tomato lengthwise. Arrange tomatoes, cut side up, side by side and crosswise on cake racks set on oven racks. Tomatoes should not touch each other. Sprinkle lightly with salt.
3) Bake until tomatoes are shriveled and feel dry, anywhere from 6 to 12 hours. The tomatoes should remain remain flexible and not be brittle. When dried, remove cake racks from oven and allow tomatoes to cool thoroughly. Store in zip-lock bags. Yield: 2 cups.

You might also enjoy these recipes:

Thai Cucumber Relish - One Perfect Bite
Watermelon and Black Bean Salsa - One Perfect Bite
Blueberry Salsa - One Perfect Bite

Rosemary Aioli and the Perfect Sandwich

The two constants in making a perfect sandwich are really, really good bread and a mayonnaise so flavorful that it excites the taste buds. You'll also need two to four ounces of meat, perhaps a slice of cheese and some wonderfully crisp lettuce. You're tasked with finding great bread, but great mayonnaise is just a line or two away. The first recipe makes a flavorful mayonnaise from scratch. The second takes a prepared spread and, with a few additions, makes it outstanding. Both are recommended.

Rosemary Aioli

Ingredients:
1 large egg yolk
1-1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1-1/2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt, divided use
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon fresh chopped rosemary

Directions:
1) Combine egg yolk, mustard, vinegar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in jar of an electric blender. Pulse to combine.
2) With the blender on, slowly add 1/4 cup oil and process until a smooth,creamy emulsion is formed. With the blender still on, slowly add remainder of oil and process until sauce thickens.
3) Add garlic, rosemary, reserved 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Pulse to blend. Chill. Yield: 1 cup rosemary aioli.

Fast and Easy Rosemary Aioli

Ingredients:
1 cup prepared mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
1/4 teaspoon grated fresh lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon peppper

Directions:
1) Combine mayonnaise, mustard, garlic, rosemary, lemon zest, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
2) Mix well to combine. Chill. Yield: 1 cup rosemary aioli.