The Versatility of Chopped Vegetables

Namely, onions.

Red, yellow, white onions add amazing fragrance and flavor to dishes. Usually, I go with red or yellow. Then I dice the onions. Heat (Medium Heat) up about a tablespoon (or two) of oil (olive or grapeseed) in a pan. Throw the diced onions in and stir with a wooden spoon. I read that you are supposed to cook with a wooden spoon and serve with a metal one. The reason you cook with the wooden spoon is to protect your pots and pans from scratches. It takes about five minutes.

After you have translucent diced onions, you can add garlic. Do not add garlic too early or else it will burn.

That should make many of your dishes more flavorful.  ONIONS and GARLIC.  Mmm...the house will smell wonderful!!

What I like to do is add other veggies too. In this photo, diced italian squash and mushrooms are in the onion-garlic mix. (Add bell peppers for more color and vitamin C. In this case, I already diced enough and decided to save the bell pepper for a dish the next day.)

I was making my pasta sauce chunkier.  All I do after is pour the pasta sauce of my choice.

Sure, the label claims that it is "Chunky" but I make mine much chunkier. I feel that it isn't worth making my own red pasta sauce since the cost of the ingredients and amount of time and effort would be much more than grabbing it at the store since I usually buy mine for $1 in bulk when it is on sale. Make sure when you buy sauces from jars that there are no artificial flavors. *Didn't take a photo of the chunky pasta sauce.* I was too hungry.

With the diced sauteed vegetables, not only could you make it part of your pasta sauce.. You can also add the mixture to an omelette, casserole, crepe, enchilada, mapo tofu, etc. The possibilities are endless.

ONIONS and GARLIC are your friends!!

TIP: Making your own minced garlic.
After you peel the garlic (or just buy peeled garlic), place it in a mini blender. Pulse a little to create minced garlic. Keep it refrigerated in a glass jar.  Whenever you need it, it is in the jar instead of having to do all the work every time you cook. ;)

p.s. Happy Pi (3.14) Day!!!

Basic White Pasta Sauce

An hour before dinner, I did not have white pasta sauce on hand.  This is when I turn to online searches.  I found a keeper!!  This is going to be my basic white pasta sauce for life.

Usually when I browse recipes, I like to stay away from the ones that have half and half, sour cream, and heavy cream because they aren't in my kitchen on a daily basis.

White Sauce for Pasta from Cook.com
Prep Time: 1 min        Cook Time: 4 min
Serves: 2 (You can easily double or triple the recipe.)
Ingredients (for Medium Sauce thickness):
      2 Tbsp butter
      2 Tbsp flour
      1/2 tsp salt
      1 cup milk

Directions (copying and pasting from website): 

Basic white sauce:

In saucepan melt butter. Stir in flour, salt and dash pepper. Add milk all at once. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 2 minutes more.Make basic white sauce thin or medium. Add the other ingredients. Cook veggies like (mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower, bell tomatoes, red peppers) etc. or cook seafood (in wok) works well.
Add to white sauce seafood or veggies and serve over pasta (linguini).

I also added 1/2 tsp of garlic powder, 1 tsp of italian seasoning, and a generous dash or two of fresh ground peppercorns.  It was much healthier than store bought pasta sauce!

Ridiculously easy!!  Saved myself a trip to the grocery store and about $2-3.  Pretty happy with the results.  Try it next time you need white pasta sauce.

If you are wondering what else is in the sauce, langostino tails from TJ's, of course.  Sooo delicious!!

Enjoy!!!  ;)