Old Country Sauces, Gravy, Condiment & Sirups...

Classic Pesto

2 tablespoons pine nuts (pignoli)
2 cups lightly packed fresh basil leaves
1 cup (4 ounces) freshly grated Parmesan or pecorino cheese
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 to 2 garlic cloves

Lightly toast pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium-low heat until golden, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
In a food processor or blender (or using a mortar and pestle), combine basil, cheese, oil, pine nuts and garlic; whirl until pureed. If made ahead, cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before using.

Marinara Sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 to 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 (14-ounce) cans plum (Roma) tomatoes, hand crushed, hard cores removed
1/2 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves, chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and cook until onions are softened, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and cook over medium heat, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Remove from heat, add the basil and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Makes about 4 cups. Recipe can be doubled.

Hollandaise Blender Sauce

3 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons butter

In a blender or food processor, blend together egg yolks*, lemon juice, salt and cayenne pepper. Blend until the color lightens and they are very well blended.
Melt butter in a small saucepan to the just bubbling stage, do not let it brown. With the machine still running, incorporate hot butter, drop by drop into yolk mixture. The sauce will thicken as the hot butter is added. Serve as soon as possible.

Makes about 2/3 cup.

Turkey Gravy

1 pound turkey neck and giblets
2 cups white wine
1 onion, quartered
1 carrot, scrubbed and cut into large chunks
1 large parsley sprig
4 black peppercorns
2 whole cloves
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Make the following neck and giblet broth while your turkey is in its last 90 minutes of roasting in the oven.
Place neck and giblets in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in white wine, onion, carrot, parsley, peppercorns and cloves. Simmer for one minute; skim residue that comes to surface. Cover, lower heat and simmer for 1 hour. Strain broth, discarding vegetables and spices and reserving neck and giblets.
When cool enough to handle, remove meat from neck; mince giblets and neck meat and set aside.
Pour off all but 6 tablespoons of fat from the drippings in your turkey pan. Place roasting pan over low heat and stir in flour. Cook until thickened and bubbling, whisking constantly. Add reserved broth, stirring well. Season with salt and pepper. Add neck meat and giblets just before serving.

Makes 8 servings.

Quick Corn Relish

1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. minced onions
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. celery seed
1/4 cup cider vinegar
12 oz. can mexicorn

In small sauce pan, combine sugar, onion, seasonings and vinegar; bring to a boil. Stir in corn and simmer 10 minutes. Place in bowl, cover and refrigerate 8 to 10 hours.

Creamy Avocado Ranch Dressing

Crisp lettuces like iceberg and romaine are a perfect match for this creamy dressing, and shaved red onion, grape tomatoes, and crumbled bacon make excellent garnishes after the greens have been tossed. Use about 2 tablespoons per quart of greens to serve two.

Makes 1 1/2 cups

1 ripe Hass avocado, pitted
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 tablespoon lime juice from 1 lime
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon minced red onion
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro leaves
1 medium garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon table salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Scoop the flesh from the avocado. In food processor, puree avocado, hot sauce, and lime juice until avocado is broken down, about 30 seconds. Add remaining ingredients and process until dressing is completely smooth. (Can be refrigerated up to 1 week.)

source: cooks illustrated - americas test kitchen

Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce

2 lbs. ground chuck
1 large onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 (8 oz.) pkg. mushrooms
4 (14.5-oz,) cans stewed tomatoes including liquid
1 (12 oz.) can tomato paste
1 8 (oz.) can tomato sauce
1 large garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. basil
1 Tbsp. parsley
1 Tbsp. oregano
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:
Cook ground beef and onion in skillet on range until pink is no longer visible; drain thoroughly. Turn 5-quart slow cooker to high and put beef and onion in pot. Add bell pepper, garlic, mushrooms, tomatoes with liquid, tomato paste, tomato sauce, oregano, basil, parsley, salt and pepper. Cook 4 hours on high, then 4 hours on low.

Makes 1 gallon sauce.

Enjoy

New York Push Cart Onion Sauce For Hot Dogs

Ingredients:
2 onions sliced 1/4" thick
2 Tbe Vegtable Oil( Used Olive Oil)
1/4 cup Ketchup
Pinch of cinnamon, and chili powder
Dash of Hot Sauce and Salt
1 cup water.

Saute the onions for about 7 minutes. Add the ketchup, cinn, and chili powder, salt and hot sauce. Add the water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. ( I cooked it longer and it got nice and thick)

* Add more Hot Sauce to your liking for more heat.

Mushroom Gravy

Ingredients
1 can diced mushrooms
1/4 c. chopped onion
3 T. margarine
3 T. flour
1/2 t. sage
salt and pepper
4 c. milk

Directions
Sauté mushrooms and onion in margarine with seasonings. Stir in flour. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly until creamy.

Arugula Pesto

4 cups packed fresh arugula
2 cloves garlic , chopped
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1 cup pure olive oil
2 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted, plus 1 tablespoon
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. In the meanwhile prepare an ice water bath in a large bowl. Put the arugula in a large sieve and plunge it into the boiling water. Immerse all the arugula and stir so that it blanches evenly. Blanch for about 15 seconds. Remove, shake off the excess water, then plunge the arugula into the ice water bath and stir again so it cools as fast as possible. Drain well.Squeeze the water out of the arugula with your hands until very dry.

Roughly chop the arugula and put in a blender. Add the garlic, salt and pepper to taste, olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the pine nuts. Blend for at least 30 seconds. Add the cheese and combine. Garnsih with a few more toasted pinenuts.

There are so many varities of pesto you can make. Some I love and make at home all the time are Cilantro pesto, Basil Pesto, Artichoke pesto and Red bell pepper pesto.