Marinara Sauce

Ingredients:

2-3 Tbl. Olive Oil
1/2 Vidalia or Yellow Onion- Diced
3 Cloves Garlic- Minced
Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes
Sprinkle of Italian Seasoning
1 28oz Can of Whole San Marzano Plum Tomatoes
1/2 Cup Dry White Wine
1/2 Cup Chicken Stock
Fresh Basil
Salt and Pepper

Saute diced onions in olive oil over medium high heat in a high sided saute pan or pasta pot. Once the onions start to soften, add minced garlic. Saute until garlic begins to brown and onions are translucent. Add pinch of red pepper flakes and a few sprinkles of Italian seasoning. Add San Marzano tomatoes and juice and break apart with a spoon (it is important that you do get the imported San Marzano tomatoes. This makes a huge difference in the flavor of the sauce). Add 1/2 Cup dry white wine and 1/2 Cup chicken stock, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to simmer and cook 20-30 minutes so that wine and stock reduce and flavors concentrate. Finish with liberal amount of fresh basil either torn or chopped.

Serve with pasta, grilled bread, calamari, etc.

This recipe doubles very easily.

Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients:

4 Cups all purpose flour
1 Tsp. Baking Soda
1 Tsp. Baking Powder
1 Tsp. Salt
1 1/3 C Buttermilk
1 Cup Sugar
3/4 C Butter (Melted)

Add ins: 1 C semi-sweet chocolate chips or 1 C raisins or 1 C dried cranberries or 1 C dried cherries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add melted butter and cut into crumbs using a fork (or two). Stir in add in of your choice. Add buttermilk gradually as you mix well (I continue to mix with a fork). Transfer to a well greased (with cooking spray) springform pan and bake for one hour or until a knife inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean.

Low Fat Cream of Broccoli Soup

Ingredients:
2 large heads of Broccoli
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 stalk of celery
1 carrot
1/2 yellow onion
1 glove of garlic
3 Cups of Chicken Stock (low sodium)
1 Cup Skim Milk
1 Cup Fat Free Half and Half
Corn Starch
Mozzarella or Cheddar Cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste

In a large soup pot, saute diced onions, celery, carrot and garlic in a few tablespoons of olive oil until soft and translucent. Add 3 cups of Chicken Stock and bring to a boil. Add Broccoli florets (you can use the stems too) and boil for 5-7 minutes. Turn off burner and transfer contents of the pot to a blender (if you have an immersion blender you could you this instead). Blend until everything is combined and in a liquid state (this will not take long). Transfer contents of blender back to pot over low heat. Add Half and Half. Add milk with a few teaspoons of corn starch whisked in until smooth. Simmer over low heat 15 more minutes. At the end add salt and pepper to taste and a handful of shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese.

Enjoy with crusty bread.