#3634 - Italian Gravy (Red Sauce)

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/2 cup olive oil
1 large onion (minced)
3 garlic cloves (minced)
4 cups water
2 - 32oz. cans crushed tomatoes
1 - 16oz. can Hunt's tomato paste
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. white sugar (more if necessary)
salt, pepper and oregano (to your taste)

In a Dutch oven over medium heat add olive oil, minced onions and minced garlic--cook/stir until onions are see-through. Turn heat back to medium low. Add water, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, chopped basil, baking soda, white sugar, salt, pepper and oregano--cook/stir until mixture is simmering. Tilt the lid on the Dutch oven and simmer for 2 hours or until sauce is thick. Taste--adjust seasonings as necessary.

#3529 - Braised BBQ Beef

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 3lb. chuck roast
salt
fresh ground black pepper
2 chopped onions
2 TBSP olive oil
1 - 28oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 - 18oz. bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce

In a Dutch oven over medium heat add the olive oil and the chopped onions--cook/stir until onions are see through. Add the chopped tomatoes and BBQ sauce--cook/stir for 10 minutes. Salt/pepper all sides of the roast and place it carefully into the tomato mixture--turn heat back to simmer and place the lid on the Dutch oven. Simmer the roast for 3 hours or until tender. Once roast is tender, remove the roast and put it on a plate. Use a knife and a fork to shred the roast into bite sized pieces. Turn the heat back to medium on the tomato mixture--cook/stir uncovered until mixture is hot and thick. Add the meat pieces to the tomato mixture--cook/stir until meat is hot. Serve on good quality rolls.

#3443 - Crushed Tomato Soup

(by Shirley McNevich)

30oz. chicken broth
1 - 28oz. can crushed tomatoes (regular OR Italian style)
1 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper (to your taste)
Italian style croutons
fresh grated Parmesan cheese

In a saucepan over medium heat add chicken broth and crushed tomatoes--cook/stir until it just starts to boil. Turn heat back to low and cook/stir for 2 minutes. Add the heavy cream--stir until well mixed. Add salt and pepper--stir. Taste--add more salt/pepper as necessary. Once you have the flavor right, carefully pour the whole mixture into a blender--set blender on puree and puree the soup until smooth. Pour soup into bowls, top with croutons and fresh grated Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

#3171 - Green Pepper Casserole

(by Shirley McNevich)

1lb. ground chuck
1 onion (chopped)
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
3/4 cup uncooked Minute rice
1 - 28oz. jar of your favorite tomato sauce
1 - 20oz. can crushed tomatoes
4 large green bell peppers (chopped)
shredded cheese (your choice of flavor)

In a Dutch oven add ground chuck, chopped onions, salt, pepper, garlic powder and chopped green bell peppers--cook/stir over medium heat until meat is browned. Add rice, tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes--stir well. Bake UNcovered at 350 degrees for 75 minutes, remove from oven, spread shredded cheese all over the top, return to oven and bake 15 minutes longer.

#2782 - Crock Pot Pork Goulash

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 1/4 lbs. boneless pork butt (cut into 1" chunks)
1 - 14oz. can Italian style crushed tomatoes
1 envelope Lipton Recipe Secrets beefy onion soup mix
1 or 2 TBSP paprika
2 tsp. minced garlic (more if you wish)
3/4 cup Breakstone's sour cream
1 TBSP dill weed
water if necessary

In a crockpot add pork pieces, crushed tomatoes, onion soup mix, paprika and minced garlic--stir well. Add a little water if necessary, then stir again. Cover and cook on low heat for 7-9 hours or until pork is tender. Once tender, add sour cream and dillweed--stir well. Serve over rice or over cooked egg noodles.

#1582 - Kluski Noodle Casserole

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - regular sized can Hunt's tomato paste
2 - regular sized cans crushed tomatoes
1lb. ground chuck
1 onion (chopped)
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 bag kluski noodles
8oz. shredded sharp cheese
3 slices buttered bread (cut into bite sized pieces)

In a skillet add ground chuck, onions, salt and pepper--stir and cook over medium heat until beef is browned--drain and return to skillet. Add tomato paste and crushed tomatoes to beef mixture--stir, then turn heat to simmer and cook until mixture is hot. Cook kluski noodles according to bag directions--drain but do not rinse. Add noodles to meat mixture--stir. Add shredded sharp cheese--stir. Spray a 2qt. casserole dish with Pam--pour everything into the greased casserole dish. Sprinkle the buttered bread pieces over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until hot.

#678 - Deep Dish Pizza

(by Shirley McNevich)

3 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tsp. white sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast
3 1/2 cups crushed tomatoes (if you can find crushed tomatoes that contains different varieties of tomatoes in the same can, it is much better)
fresh grated Parmesan cheese
sliced mozzarella cheese
sliced provolone cheese
pizza seasoning OR Italians seasoning OR oregano
Your choice of extra toppings (pepperoni, sausage, etc.)
Regular olive oil (NOT extra virgin)

In a mixer with the dough hook attachment add water, white sugar, yeast, flour, cornmeal and salt--mix on low for a few minutes, then slowly add the canola oil. Once all of the oil has been added, mix the dough for 7-8 minutes. Remove the dough from the mixer and form it into a smooth ball. Drop the dough ball into a bowl and place a dish towel over the top--place the covered bowl in the refrigerator overnight. The next day move your lowest oven rack to the bottom third of your oven and preheat the oven to 450 degrees for ONE HOUR. Do NOT skip this step! Remove the bowl from the refrigerator and set it on the counter for the entire hour while the oven is heating up. Use regular olive oil to grease a 15" wide/2" deep pizza pan. Place the dough in the center of the pizza pan and work it out to cover the entire bottom, then work it up the sides of the pan. Use the slices of mozzarella and provolone cheese to cover the entire bottom of the crust. Add your desired toppings next (such as pepperoni, sausage, etc.). Top with the 3 1/2 cups of crushed tomatoes. Sprinkle the pizza seasoning on top of the tomatoes (or Italian seasonings, oregano, etc.). Finally, sprinkle the entire top with the fresh grated Parmesan cheese. Place the pizza in the center of the bottom oven rack (making sure the rack is in the bottom third of the oven). You may want to place a cookie sheet under the pizza pan to catch any drips. Bake 20-25 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and let it set for 3-5 minutes before cutting.