Homemaking - Recipes
Sauces, Salsas, Marinades, Seasonings
Spice up your meals with these recipes for sauces, salsas, marinades, and seasonings! For more ideas, see the Recipe Index page. For support, questions, encouragement, and more recipes, see our homemaking support message boards.
Marinade for Lamb Loin
Posted by: Lorraine in BC
I start with a glass dish (preferably one with a cover) that is about the right size to fit all my meat in, in one layer.
Pour some veg. oil in to cover the bottom of the dish, plus a little more. Sometimes I do part olive oil, part veg.
Add about half as much lemon juice,
2-6 garlic cloves, depending on taste, and how much marinade you are making.
A few grinds of fresh pepper (or more if you like),
About a teaspoon or two of dried thyme (if you have fresh, I pick some fresh thyme, fresh parsley and for the chicken and pork, maybe a little basil - you'll need more thyme by volume if it's fresh, maybe about double).
Add some salt, or if you have it, Herbamare - which is sea salt with herbs that I buy at the health food store here in BC, but I don't know how available it is. Just use some regular salt, not too much. I marinate, turning occasionally, for anywhere from a couple of hours to all day. If it's not hot, I leave it out for at least the last couple of hours.
BBQ the resulting marinated meat, brushing with the marinade as you go.
Sometimes, I use some of the marinade to saute some cooked rice with a little onion and green and red peppers (saute them before adding the cooked rice). I cook it just long enough to cook the marinade which has been on my raw meat, and serve this with dinner. For the lamb meal, we make Tabouleh and Humus.
Mock Hollandaise Sauce
Posted by: Martha R.
Melt 2-3 T. butter over low heat in a saucepan. Using wooden spoon, stir in 2-3 T. of flour, 1/4 t. salt, and 1/8 t. pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 cup of milk. (We use soy milk.) Bring to a boil; boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Beat in 2 egg yolks. Then gradually beet in 2 T. melted butter and 3 T. lemon juice. Return to heat and cook, stirring constantly, for 5-10 more minutes until it is thickened. Serve right away!
All-Purpose Tomato Sauce
Posted by: SoCalPam
I use one big can of crushed tomatoes from Sam's or 5 16-ounce cans when my local grocery store has them for a dollar each. Empty crushed tomatoes into a big pot. Add a wooden spoon/dollop of crushed garlic, one whole onion (chopped and lightly sauteed), a cup of olive oil, 1 Tbsp. of sugar, and half a cup of Italian seasonings. Stir together and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce heat to simmer, cover, and let cook for about an hour on top of the stove. I vent the cover a bit so it doesn't get too hot and overflow into the burners. (You may want to add salt and pepper to taste; I don't usually cook with those seasonings. I find that this sauce is really flavorful with the herbs and garlic.) When finished cooking, let come to almost room temperature. Portion into containers and freeze. This is excellent for spaghetti/pasta, pizza, meatball sandwiches, etc.
Mango-Avocado Salsa
Posted by: Mary Leggewie
1-2 mangos--chop them up
1-2 avocados--chop them up
1 yellow chili (or 1/2 depending on size), chopped finely
1/4 cup or so of red onion, chopped finely
juice of 1/2 a lime
1/2 cup or so of chopped fresh cilantro
salt to taste
Homemade Salsa
Posted by: laurajean
1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes with chiles (whatever *heat* you like)
juice of 1 lime
1 small garlic
1/3 cup loosely packed cilantro
Pour lime juice into blender along with garlic clove. Blend for a few seconds until the garlic is chopped up. Add the tomatoes. Blend for a few more seconds (3-5) Add cilantro. Blend until cilantro is chopped and the consistency you like. I don't like chunks in my salsa, but if you do, just double the recipe (I usually double it anyway, because it goes FAST!) Put one can of tomatoes in the blender, and leave the other one out - just add it after all the other ingredients have been blended.
Additional ingredients: sliced green onions, sliced black olives, black beans, white corn, chopped jalapeno peppers, whatever you like.
Mango Salsa
Posted by: laurajean
1 lg. Mango
1 small clove garlic
juice of one lime
1/3 cup loosely packed cilantro
Cut as much of the mango off as possible and dice it into small, bite-sized chunks. Place in a bowl. Scrape the rest of the Mango pulp off the pit and into a blender. Add the garlic and lime juice. Blend until garlic is thoroughly minced. Add the cilantro and blend until the cilantro is chopped the way you like it. Add the blender mixture to the diced mango. You can serve this right away, but it tastes better if it is chilled for a couple of hours. Additions: sliced green onions, chopped jalapeno peppers, and I really really like to add a diced peach or nectarine to this recipe.
Tomato Jam
Posted by: Michele B
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 Spanish onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Leaves from 2 rosemary sprigs, finely chopped
Pinch red pepper flakes
4 cups peeled, seeded, and roughly chopped plum tomatoes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, rosemary and pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until soft and fragrant. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have given up most their water and turned a deep orange red, about 15 to 20 minutes. Whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Tomato Chutney
Posted by: Michele B
1/2 cup malt vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar
15 cloves of garlic sliced thin
1 cup julienned ginger
3 red onions, julienne thinly
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons mustard seed
2 tablespoons anise seed
2 tablespoons fennel seed
1 (16 ounce) can chopped tomatoes
2 cups fresh tomatoes, peeled and seeded (concasse)
1/2 cup lime juice
4 jalapenos chopped fine
1/4 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves, chopped
Salt and pepper
In a non-reactive saucepan on medium heat, reduce vinegar with sugar, garlic, ginger, onions, and spices until almost dry. Add canned tomatoes and continue cooking until thick. Remove from heat and stir in concasse, lime juice, jalapenos, cilantro and seasoning. Let cool.
Roasted Tomato Ketchup
Posted by: Michele B
1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, cored and quartered and roasted
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, finely diced
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Toss the tomatoes in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Roast in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until soft. Transfer the tomatoes to a food processor and process until smooth. Strain the tomatoes, pressing against the solids with a wooden spoon to extract as much pulp and juice as possible. Heat the remaining olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat and saute the onions and garlic until translucent. Add the tomato puree and remaining ingredients and continue cooking, uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until thick.
Blackberry Vinaigrette
Posted by: Michele B
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon minced shallots
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 pint fresh blackberries, plus extra for garnish
1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 cup light olive oil
In a large skillet, heat the oil over a medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the blackberries and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the vinegars and cook until reduced by half, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and transfer to a blender. Add the sugar, mint and tarragon, and process to a smooth paste. Add the salt and pepper. With the machine running, add the light olive oil through the feed tube and process until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl and refrigerate until completely cool, about 1 hr
Grilled Lemon Mayonnaise
Posted by: Michele B
2 lemons, halved
1 large egg*
2 to 3 tablespoons water
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch cayenne
Preheat the grill to medium-high.
Place the lemon halves, cut sides down, on the grill and cook until charred, about 1 minute. Squeeze the lemon juice into the bowl of a blender or food processor. Add the egg and 1 tablespoon water and process for 20 seconds. With the processor running, slowly pour in the olive and vegetable oils through the feed tube and process until emulsified, adding additional water 1 tablespoon at a time to thin the mayonnaise to drizzling consistency. Add the salt and cayenne pulse to blend. Adjust the seasoning to taste, transfer to an airtight container, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using. (Mayonnaise will keep refrigerated for up to 24 hours.) Yield: about 1 1/4 cups
Orange Vinaigrette
Posted by: Michele B
2 oranges
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallots
1 teaspoon light brown sugar
1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
1 cup canola oil
1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon orange oil (recommended: Boyajian Orange Oil*)
Zest the oranges with a zester or the fine side of a box grater. Finely chop the zest with a knife, then squeeze the juice out of the oranges into a small stainless steel bowl. Add the zest, shallots, brown sugar, and rice vinegar to the orange juice and whisk together. Slowly, in a steady stream, add the canola oil and extra-virgin olive oil while constantly whisking, until combined. Add the salt, pepper, and orange oil; the orange oil is strong, so just a very small amount is needed. Set the dressing aside while preparing the rest of the salad. *Boyajian Orange Oil is available at specialty food stores
Pork Rub
Posted by: Michele B
4 tablespoons brown sugar
4 tablespoons onion powder
4 tablespoons garlic powder
4 tablespoons dried thyme
4 tablespoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons mild paprika
2 tablespoons hot paprika
4 teaspoons cayenne
4 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons white pepper
2 tablespoons kosher salt
Mix all ingredients together and stir well. Yield: about 1 cup
Black Beans and Tomatoes
Posted by: Sis
I take a can of black beans, a can of chopped Italian style toms, already minced garlic (in a jar), and maybe some chopped onion, heat it thru and add sour cream. You can eat it without the sour cream, but I LOVE the sour cream!
Homemade Teriyaki Sauce
Posted by: Darla
Makes 3/4 cup
1 Tblsp freshly grated ginger
3 garlic cloves, mashed
1 Tblsp toasted sesame oil
1 Tblsp rice vinegar
1 Tblsp raw honey
1/2 cup naturally fermented soy sauce
Mix all ingredients together with a whisk (put in a glass bowl, and set in a pan of warm water over very low heat if you need to make the honey more runny.
Thai Peanut Sauce
Posted by: Darla
Makes 2 cups
6 garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 inches fresh garlic, peeled and chopped
1 large bunch cilantro, chopped
1 Tblsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp Oriental hot chili oil
3/4 cup freshly ground peanuts or peanut butter (use one with low- or no-salt, if possible)
6 Tblsp soy sauce or Bragg's Liquid Aminos
3 Tblsp rice vinegar
1/2 to 1 cup warm chicken stock or whole coconut milk
Place garlic, ginger and cilantro in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add all remaining ingredients except stock or coconut milk, pulse until well blended and transfer to a bowl. Gradually blend warm stock or coconut milk into peanut mixture, whisking thoroughly. Keep warm by setting bowl in a pan of hot water over a very low flame.
Pesto
Posted by: Roxanne
2 cups basil leaves
8 cloves garlic, minced
olive oil
1/4 cup pine nuts (I've heard you can substitute walnuts)
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (the good stuff, not that dried stuff that doesn't need refrigeration)
Place basil, pine nuts, and minced garlic in a food processor and drizzle with 1/2 cup olive oil. Blend until everything is coarsely chopped, then cover with more olive oil and run the processor again until the mixture is fluid but not runny. Pour the pesto into a dish and stir in the Parmesan cheese.
I also love basil chopped and put on top of sliced tomatoes along with very finely minced garlic and a drizzle of olive oil. Let sit a while to let the flavors combine.
Seasoned Salt #1
Posted by Lynn
Yield: 1 1/3 cups
1 c Salt
2 ts Sugar
2 ts Dry mustard
1 1/2 ts Dried whole oregano
1 1/2 ts Garlic powder
1 ts Curry powder
1 ts Onion powder
1/2 ts Celery seeds
1/4 ts Paprika
1/4 ts Ground thyme
1/8 ts Ground turmeric
Combine; shake to blend. Store airtight.
Seasoned Salt #2
Posted by Lynn
Yield: 1 Servings
3/4 c Salt
1/4 c Garlic salt
1 ts Pepper
1/2 ts Oregano
1 ts Paprika
1/8 ts Celery seed
1/4 ts White pepper
1/4 ts Dry mustard
Mix ingredients together and store in airtight containers.
Seasoned Salt #3
Posted by Lynn
2 tablespoons pepper
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder
1 teaspoon onion salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon dry marjoram leaves
1 tablespoon minced parsley
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/3 cup salt
Mix all ingredients together thoroughly, or put all ingredients in
1 quart mayonnaise jar with tight fitting lid, shaking until well
blended Keep at room temperature. Use within 3 months . Makes about 1 cup.
Cashew Pimiento Cheese Sauce
Posted By NMStephanie
Ingredients: 2 C warm water, 1 C clean, raw cashews, 40z jar of pimientos, 2 T lemon juice, 2t salt, 1t onion powder, 1/4 t garlic powder
Blend cashews with 1 c of water until smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth. Heat grdually on the stove until thinkened. I put this on veggies, tacos, burritos, and use as a dip for chips.
Golden Sauce
Posted By NMStephanie
Ingredients: 1 small potato, 1/2 small carrot, 1 1/3 cups of water, 2T cashews, 1 1/2 T lemon juice, 3/4 t salt, dash of celery salt.
Simmer potato and carrot in the water. When cooked, blend with remaining ingredients including the cooking water, unitl smooth. I use this on veggies, potatoes, rice. It is great!!
Creamy Tomato Gravy
Posted By NMStephanie
Ingredients: 1 qt canned tomatoes, 1/2c cashews, 1/2 c well cooked brown rice, 1 large onion chopped, 1-2 t salt, 1/4t garlic powder, 1/4t oregano, 1/2c water.
Blend cashews and rice with 1 c of tomatoes until very smooth. Add remaining tomatoes and other ingredients except water and blend until smooth. Pour into a saucepan. Rinse blender witht he 1/2 c of water and pour into saucepan. Simmer for 10 minutes stirring frequently. If necessary, thicken with a little corn starch and cold water.
