A SNEAKY WAY TO A PRETTY GOOD SAUCE

O.K. – you may turn up your nose at this – your taste, your choice – but lately I have been able to cobble together a quick sauce using Kraft Ranch Dressing. Take Sunday night for example: I usually serve Trader Joe’s Bolognese Stuffed Ravioli with just a drizzle of olive oil and some chopped chives.  That day I had some nice plum tomatoes on hand so I chopped up one for each of us – pieces about a ½ inch or less – put them, and as much of their juice as I could scoop up, in a small sauce pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and some salt and pepper.  I simmered them for a few minutes, added 2 tablespoons of the dressing, and left it all on very low while the ravioli finished.  The sauce looked and tasted great. Frank said he’d like that sauce on shrimp too.

Several times before I made that ‘pink’ sauce I’ve used the dressing for ‘white’ sauces.  After chicken, pork chops, bacon, or maybe chopped meat, I’ve deglazed the pan – with a ¼ cup of pasta water or white wine perhaps – and a nice dollop of Kraft Ranch Dressing.Throw in maybe some chopped scallions or a drained 2 oz. jar of chopped, roasted red peppers, and voila! a tasty sauce. 

 

Try it - one never knows, do one? 

Sauce for Meat or Poultry - for two or more

Monday again!  Doesn't it just amaze you how the weeks roll on and on? Here's the latest transfer from Latelife Recipes. This sauce is soooo easy and it always looks elegant.



THIS SAUCE, AND ITS MANY VARIATIONS, IS EXCELLENT FOR ANY TYPE OF MEAT, INCLUDING STEAK, BEEF ROASTS, PORK CHOPS OR ROAST, HAM, TURKEY, CHICKEN, ETC., AND IS EXCELLENT WHERE THERE ARE NO DRIPPINGS TO FORM THE BASE OF A GRAVY, OR WHERE YOU WANT AN ELEGANT, TANGY SAUCE.

BASIC RECIPE IS FOR TWO SERVINGS – MULTIPLY AS NEEDED

ON LOW HEAT, IN A SMALL SAUCE PAN, MELT AND BLEND

2 TBLSP. BUTTER

2 TBLSP. APRICOT JAM*

ADD 2 TBLSP. WHITE WINE *

1 TBLSP. DIJON MUSTARD*

2 TBLSP. DRIED CHERRIES *

COOK UNTIL CHERRIES ARE PLUMPED UP A BIT. SET ASIDE AND REHEAT IT A BIT JUST BEFORE SERVING. IF NECESSARY, THIN WITH MORE WINE.

* THIS IS THE FUN PART. YOU CAN USE ANY FAVORITE JAM OR JELLY, WHITE OR RED WINE, COARSE OR FINE MUSTARD (BUT NEVER YELLOW MUSTARD!!), DRIED CHERRIES, CRANBERRIES, RAISINS, SNIPPED DRIED APRICOTS, WHAT-HAVE-YOU!!

YOU MAY THINK YOU HAVE TO SUIT THE INGREDIENTS TO THE MEAT - FAR FROM IT! A RED WINE BASE GOES WELL WITH CHICKEN, GIVING IT GREAT COLOR. RECENTLY, I SUBSTITUTED 1 TBLSP. OF ORANGE MARMALADE AND 1 TBLSP. OF FRESH LEMON JUICE FOR THE 2 TBLSP. OF JAM, AND USED IT ON HAM. I AM STILL EXPERIMENTING WITH THIS TO MATCH MY AVAILABLE INGREDIENTS.



From Google Images,
a photo of a dried cherry sauce on pork