Red Enchilada Sauce

I am hungry for some enchiladas....I found this fab recipe for the tortillas here on againstallgrain.com.  I don't like the metallic taste of the canned sauce and who knows what is in it??? So I came up with a recipe for my own sauce.

Red Enchilada Sauce:

2 C Beef Stock
1/2 c water
1 6 oz can tomato paste
2 T Penzeys Chili con Carne
2 T Penzeys Chili Powder
2 t Penzeys Mexican Oregano
2 t Penzeys Cumin
1 t salt
1/4 t Penzeys Granulated Onion

Mix in a sauce pan and simmer for 5 minutes.  Let cool. 


It seems divine in my house now!!!!  I used a beef stock because I plan to make enchiladas with beef.  You can sub out the beef stock for chicken stock if you plan to use chicken in the enchiladas!!

Bechamel Sauce

Bechamel Sauce or white sauce is VERY easy to make.  My SIL in Sicily uses it in lasagna.  I never did until I had her lasagna.  Now I never make lasagna without it!  It can be used in a BUNCH of different recipes like starting a cream soup or making creamed spinach, a favorite of mine.

You need:
1 Tablespoon butter
a bit of olive oil to keep the butter from burning
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2-2 Tablespoons flour
2 cups of milk, warmed or let sit out of the fridge for awhile
salt and pepper
Optional: nutmeg, ground or freshly grated

1. Melt the butter and oil.
2. Add the onion and cook until translucent over medium heat.
3. Add the flour and cook for a few minutes. 
4. Turn the heat to high. Add the milk.  Stir. The mixture will thicken.  Remove from heat.

If you are using this for lasagna, add 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg.

When onions are done.

 After flour has been added.

Finished with nutmeg grated into it.

Pasta Sauce

A new friend recently asked my husband if I would teach her to make sauce.  Of course I will but we don't seem to have time so here's a post.  This is the easiest thing. I used to do way too much to make sauce.  I didn't know.  This is what I learned from my SIL, Rosa, in Sicily.  She is the best cook!!!  I love to eat at her house.  There is always too much food though!  Anyone who has spent time in Italy can understand.

Anyway, the sauce which Rosa calls ragu when you use hamburger.

Recipe:
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried basil OR 10 fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces
salt and pepper
1 can (14-15 oz) of tomato sauce
1/4 lb hamburger


1. Start with the chopped onion. Put into the pot with the oil which should be hot.

2. Add the garlic.  Watch the video on how to peel garlic.

Now just mince the garlic and add it to the pot.

 3. Add the basil when the onions and garlic look this way.  It should only be a few minutes.

 After you add the basil

 4. Add the hamburger and brown it.

5. Add the tomato sauce.  Rinse the can with a bit of water to get all the sauce from the can. Cook it gently and reduce a bit until it gets to the consistency you want. (I forgot to take a photo before i added my peas for lasagna).  Add to al dente pasta. and ENJOY!