Three One-Sauce Dinners

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Simple Sauces Make the Meal: Three One-Sauce Dinners

I have a home office now, which allows me time to make dinner most nights. But just like so many of you, I used to go to the office every day and then get home and have to make dinner for my husband and two young sons. It was always a challenge deciding what to make when time was so limited.
Simplicity was key, and jarred sauces were a saving grace in my pantry. Do not let serious foodies sauce-shame you. You don’t have to make every sauce from scratch — not when there are perfectly delicious choices on grocery store shelves these days. Don’t be afraid of the ethnic food aisles. There, you’ll find flavorful sauces that might just guide your meals in new directions.
Today I’m sharing three very simple recipes that I’ve made for my own family. Each uses a delicious jarred sauce that not only cuts your cooking time, but exposes your family to some flavor profiles that may be new to them.
If you haven’t made (or kept) your New Year’s resolution yet, there’s still time for a new one; January’s a great time to begin trying new things in the kitchen.
Let me know how it goes.  Nancy

The first recipe I call Brother’s Gold Spicy Brown Mustard Pork Loin. It’s made in the crock pot with only 4 ingredients, plus the jar of sauce – Brother’s Gold Spicy Brown Mustard Sauce. The Brother’s line of sauces is from local Fort Worth entrepreneur Barry King and his brother Darryl, who originally created it for a family BBQ cook-off. Don’t let the words “spicy brown mustard” scare you. The flavor profile is hickory-flavored, sweet and just a bit tangy (not hot), just like your favorite baked beans. The sauces are gluten free with no preservatives or high-fructose corn syrup. You can pop the ingredients into the slow cooker when you leave for work and make the noodles when you get home. Voila~

BrothersGold

Photo by Farrar Food Photography

Cost for 1 jar: $4.49 at Central Market, and also found at Market Street and Sprouts or online at www.brotherssauces.com

 

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Photo by Farrar Food Photography

Brother’s Gold Spicy Brown Mustard Pork Loin

2.5 lb. boneless sirloin pork roast (or any pork or beef tenderloin)

4 fresh carrots, sliced

1 medium onion, sliced

1 jar Brother’s Gold Spicy Brown Mustard ($4.49/jar at Central Market)

1 16 oz. bag wide egg noodles, cooked and drained

Salt and pepper all sides of the pork. Place pork, carrots, onion and entire jar of sauce in the slow cooker and cook on medium low for 6 hours, stirring occasionally. When the pork is nearly done, cook your egg noodles and drain. Remove pork and cut into bite sized pieces (the meat should literally fall apart). Return the cut pork to the slow cooker with the sauce and stir. Place egg noodles in a bowl and top with the pork and sauce. Garnish with parsley if you’re so inclined. Serve with a side salad and warm dinner rolls. Serves 4 – 6.

 

My second recipe uses a jarred sauce called Patak’s Tikka Masala Curry Simmer Sauce. It’s a warm, rich Indian sauce that tastes as good as your favorite Indian restaurant. It’s mildly spicy with the warm flavors of ginger, turmeric, paprika and cumin in a rich tomato yogurt sauce. Serve over rice with Naan bread for an authentic Indian meal. My kids have always loved this one.

TikkaMasala

Photo by Farrar Food Photography

Cost for 1 jar: $4.49 at many local grocery stores and World Market stores, or online at www.pataksusa.com

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Photo by Farrar Food Photography

Chicken Tikka Masala

2 15 oz. jars Patak’s Tikka Masala Curry Simmer Sauce

1 22 oz. bag Tyson Oven Roasted Diced Chicken Breast, defrosted

2 cups uncooked Jasmati, Basmati, or plain white rice

2 pieces Naan bread (traditional Indian bread, or the bread of your choice)

Cilantro for garnish (optional)

Pour Tikka Masala Sauce into a sauce pan and simmer on low for 5 minutes. Add pre-cooked chicken and stir. Simmer for 20 minutes or until chicken is heated through. While mixture is simmering, make rice according to package instructions. Serve chicken with sauce over the top of warm rice and top with cilantro. Serve with warm Naan bread. Serves 4.

 

My third one-sauce recipe is called Shakshuka, or eggs poached in tomato sauce. I highly encourage you to try this one because for some of you, it will be a very unusual recipe, and that’s why you should try it. It’s something new and maybe a bit adventurous. It’s a staple in Moroccan and Egyptian cuisine and could be compared to the more familiar Huevos Racheros. The word Shakshuka literally means “a mixture”; a kind of a vegetable ragout where eggs are poached in a sauce consisting of tomato, onions, chili peppers and cumin. Sometimes called “Eggs in Purgatory”, and it’s great for breakfast, brunch or even dinner. And the good news is this rich tomatoey sauce now comes in a jar so all you have to do is pour it into a cast iron skillet, or Moroccan tagine if you have one, add eggs and simmer. It’s made using all natural ingredients and is gluten free. It’s an amazingly simple dish. Serve it with crusty bread, or flour or corn tortillas. This Mina Shakshuka is the bomb!

Shakshuka

Photo by Farrar Food Photography

Cost for one jar: $9.00 and sold at Central Market or online at www.casablancafoods.com 

[If you’d like to make this sauce from scratch, it’s not difficult at all. It’s a  combination of olive oil, garlic, red bell pepper, onion, canned tomatoes, tomato paste, chili flakes, chili powder, paprika, cumin and sugar. If you search for Shakshuka online, you’ll find any number of delicious recipes.]

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Photo by Farrar Food Photography

Shakshuka (Eggs Poached in Tomato Sauce)

One jar Mina Shakshuka Sauce

4 large eggs

1 Tbsp. chopped parsley for garnish

Pour sauce into a large skillet and simmer on medium low for about 10 – 15 minutes until it starts to reduce. Using a spatula, make 4 small holes in the sauce and crack one egg into each hole. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the eggs are poached to your liking. Serve with crusty bread or warm flour or corn tortillas and enjoy!  Serves 4.

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I’d love to hear from you. You can reach me anytime at ChefImpersonator@gmail.com or visit www.ChefImpersonator.com

And visit my food photography website at www.FarrarFoodPhotography.com

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