Pizza Sauce

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 c. onion, chopped
1/4 c. celery, chopped
1/2 c. - 1 c. bell pepper, chopped
1/2 c. - 1 c. carrots, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. fennel seed

Red Sauce

Recipe from my neighbor, D. Schultz
(nice handwriting)

Cafe Rio Chicken Salad

Recipes from Chalonn Redd

To assemble individual salads: warm a tortilla with melted cheese. Spread with lime rice, black beans, chicken, lettuce, pico de gallo salsa, tortilla strips, and tomatillo dressing. Serve with lime wedge and guacamole.

Cafe Rio Chicken
1 small bottle Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp cumin
3 cloves garlic, minced
5 lbs chicken breast

Cook all together in a crock pot for 4 hours, shred meat and cook 1 additional hour.



Cafe Rio Rice
3 c water
4 t chicken bouillon
4 t garlic –minced
½ bunch cilantro
1 can green chiles—or equivalent fresh
¾ t salt
1 T butter
½ onion
3 c rice (see note)

Blend cilantro, green chiles and onion together in food processor. Bring water to a boil and add all ingredients, simmer covered 30 minutes.


Cafe Rio Creamy Tomatillo Dressing
1 pkg dry Buttermilk Ranch Dressing (make as per recipe)
2 tomatillos (tomato-like vegetable with a husk)
½ bunch of cilantro
1 clove garlic
Juice of 1 lime
1 jalapeño (Use the seeds too if you like it spicy.)

Use a food processor to blend all the ingredients well. Refrigerate.

Fresh Tomato Sauce

Recipe from RootStock Magazine.

Makes 4 servings.

3 lbs ripe tomatoes

4 Tbsp butter or olive oil

2 Tbsp finely chopped shallots OR 1/2 c. chopped onions

2 tsp minced garlic

salt and pepper, to taste

Core and dice tomatoes. (For more elegant sauce, boil a few at a time for 10-20 seconds. Run under cold water, pull off skins, cut crosswise and gently dig out seeds with fingers.)

Heat butter/olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low. As melting, add shallots/onions, stirring often for 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook another 2-3 minutes. Add tomatoes, a large pinch of salt and small pinch of pepper and raise heat to medium-high. Let mixture cook till a good bubble, stirring occasionally for 10-15 minutes. Turn off heat. Using an immersion blender to puree the sauce (or not). Return sauce to low heat to keep warm until ready to serve.

Just before serving, stir in additions as desired along with salt and pepper to taste. Toss the sauce with hot pasta or ladle over soft polenta, rice or whole wheat couscous. Finish with a topping and serve immediately.

ADDITIONS:

-sauteed diced zucchini and pepperoni TOPPED with fresh parmesan cheese.

-cilantro, chopped green onions, and minced jalapeno TOPPED with mexican blend or pepper jack cheese

Bolognese Sauce

Ben Johansen

1 bottle Banilla (marinara or tomato & basil) sauce

1 can Diced Tomatoes, Italian Style (basil and olive oil)

1/4 c.- 1 c. finely chopped Carrots

1/4 c. - 1 c. finely chopped Celery

1/4 c. finely chopped Onion

1-2 cloves finely chopped Garlic

1/4 c. Balsamic Vinegar

1/2 lb-1 lb. Ground Beef

Brown the beef in a pan. Once beef starts to break up add vegetables. Cook until beef is brown and vegetables are tender. Add tomatoes and tomato sauce. Add balsamic vinegar. Let sauce simmer for at least one hour, stirring ocassionally. Let it go longer if you have time; the longer it sits, the better. 

Fresh Salsa

2-3 Tomatoes, diced
1 Jalapeno, seeded, ribbed, minced
2 Tbsp. Minced onion
Juice of 1 Lime
1-2 Tbsp. Cilantro, chopped
Salt & Pepper
Mix together. Season with Salt & Pepper.

Spaghetti Sauce

1-2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 large Onion, chopped
1 clove Garlic, minced
1 lb Ground Beef
2-8 oz. cans Tomato Sauce
1-6 oz. can Tomato Paste
1 ½ c. Water
1 tsp Salt
¼ tsp Pepper
1 Tbsp Dried Parsley
¼ tsp Oregano
dash of Allspice
Splash of Worcestershire Sauce

Saute onion and garlic in olive oil. Brown ground beef. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, salt, pepper, parsley, oregano, all spice and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer for 45 minutes over low heat. Stir occasionally.

[Variation: I omitted the meat and diced some zucchini and carrots instead. Steam the vegetables before adding to sauce so that they are soft. MMMMmmm!]

BBQ Sauce

2 Tbsp. grated onion
½ tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. celery salt
1 c. ketchup
1 tsp. accent
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 c. water
¼ c. vinegar
½ tsp. chili pwdr
½ tsp. paprika
½ ts. salt
2 Tbsp. mustard
2 tsp. Worchestershire sauce

Place onion in saucepan and cook until tender. Add all other ingredients. Cook on low heat for 20-30 minutes.