Sun-Dried Tomato & Meat Sauce

I've adapted this recipe from one I recently saw on PBS' America's Test Kitchen. I used sun-dried tomatoes because they add a really nice richness. I also personally can't make an Italian-style sauce without basil, so I added that as well. The bread & milk mixture is called a panade and it's frequently used to coat meat fibers with starch to protect them from overcooking. That, combined with the fact that you don't brown the meat before simmering it, makes for a very tender texture. Once you try this, you'll never want to go back to canned sauce again. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for about 5 days, and you can freeze it for a couple of months (great for a saturday afternoon when you've got extra time to make some for a rainy day).

Ingredients

• 4 ounces mushrooms (white, cremini, or shitake), cleaned, stemmed and minced as fine as possible (or pulsed in a food processor)
• 1 large slice white sandwich bread, torn into small pieces
  
• 2 tablespoons whole milk
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
  
• 1 pound ground beef, 85% lean (avoid using ground round if possible), if using frozen beef, make sure it is completely thawed
• 1 tablespoon plain olive oil
• 1 large onion, minced
  
• 6-8 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, minced fine (if using oil-packed tomatoes, drain and rinse well)
• 1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained with the liquid reserved
• 1 tablespoon each fresh basil and oregano, minced (or use 1/2 teaspoon each of dried herbs)
• 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• balsamic vinegar (optional)
  

Directions

In a small bowl, mash together milk and bread with a fork until a paste is made. Mix bread paste, salt, pepper, and beef together in a medium bowl until well combined (your hands are the best tool for this, but you could also use an electric mixer, just make sure not to over-work the meat).

Heat oil in a large skillet or saucepan (I use a big stir-fry skillet) over medium-high heat until the oil just starts to smoke. Saute onions and mushrooms with a large pinch of kosher salt, stirring frequently, until onion is mostly browned and a fond (stuck-on brown bits) has started to form on the bottom of the pan. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and cook for a another minute. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, stirring frequently until the garlic becomes fragrant. Reduce heat to medium and add reserved diced tomato liquid, scraping the bottom of the pan to dissolve the fond (i.e. deglaze the pan). While deglazing, add half the fresh herbs (if using dried herbs, add the full amount). Add the meat and cook, breaking it up into small pieces. Cook to remove the raw red color (about 2-4 minutes), but do not let the beef brown (that would make it tough - reduce the heat if necessary).

Add both kinds of canned tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to a low, gentle simmer and cook, uncovered, until the flavors have married together, about 20-30 minutes. Add cheese and remaining herbs. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Optionally, add a little balsamic vinegar if you like your sauce a little richer. Serve over linguine or penne.

Jalapeno Cheddar Corn Muffins

I love recipes that start with something simple and mediocre and turn it into something that is still fairly simple but tastes a lot better. Take corn muffin mix: this mix (I use the Jiffy brand) makes completely average muffins, with ones made from scratch being a lot better. However, add jalapenos and cheese and they get a whole lot tastier. I love these muffins, so I always double the recipe as a single box of mix doesn't make very much.

Ingredients (for 9 muffins)

• 1 package Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
• 1/2 jalapeno, finely diced (remove the ribs and seeds for mild flavor, or use 1 entire diced chile for extra heat)
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/3 cup milk (whole milk is best)
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Liberally spray a muffin pan with no-stick spray.

Mix muffin mix, jalapeno, and cheese in a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl or measuring cup, beat together egg, milk, and hot sauce until well integrated.

Pour milk mixture onto the muffin mix mixture and stir until all the mixture is moistened.

Using a large disher, evenly distribute the batter into 9 of the muffin pan spots (they should be about 2/3 full).

Bake 18-20 minutes or until a wooden skewer poked into a muffin comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. They are best served warm with butter but will keep for 2 days in a sealed plastic bag (cool completely before bagging). They are great served with a western omlette or huevos rancheros.

All-Purpose Tangy and Sweet BBQ Sauce

This makes a great dipping sauce, marinade, or basting sauce for ribs, chicken, brisket, or anything else you may want to grill, smoke, or roast. See, I wasn't kidding when I called it "all-purpose!"

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 cloves garlic
  
• 1 cup cider vinegar
• 3/4 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon yellow mustard

Directions

Melt butter in 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Saute onions with a pinch of salt until they have softened and browned slightly. Add garlic and saute for another 30 seconds, until the garlic becomes fragrant. Add remaining ingredients and simmer, stirring constantly, until sauce boils with large bubbles and has started to thicken. If using as a dipping sauce, let cool slightly and serve warm. For marinades or basting, cool to room temperature before using.