sun dried tomato spinach cream sauce...

This sauce is packed with flavor... it's rich and creamy and oh so good!
Serve it over any pasta... I chose mushroom and cheese stuffed ravioli.

Sun Dried Tomato Spinach Cream Sauce
1/2 medium onion, chopped or diced... depending on how
big you like your onions in a sauce.4 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Pinch of salt and pepper
8 oz jar Sun Dried Tomatoes in Oil (with or without herbs, whole or sliced), drained
1 Tablespoon minced Garlic
8 oz can Tomato Sauce
2 Tablespoons Flour
2 cups Cream or Milk
Handful or more of torn Spinach
~Heat 1 Tablespoon butter and olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
~Add chopped onions and salt and pepper.  Saute until soft.
~Turn heat down to medium-low (important) and add the tomatoes, garlic and tomato sauce.
~Stir well and let simmer over low heat.

~In a separate sauce pan over medium heat melt the other 3 Tablespoons butter.
~Add the flour and whisk until a paste is formed.
~Lower heat to medium-low and add cream.
~Whisk until thick, about 5 minutes.

~Add the cream mixture to the tomato mixture and stir until combined.
~Taste... add more salt and pepper to taste.
~Simmer for about 5 minutes.
~Add torn spinach and mix well.  It will wilt and reduce a bit.

~Serve immediately over your favorite pasta.
~Enjoy!
xo
rolo

pork chops in a white wine onion cream sauce...

Oh heaven help me. I had dreams about this...
then I woke up, made it, took one bite and passed out.

And yes, I dream about food. Making it and eating it...
and passing out from it's goodness.


After I woke up, again... I did this.
This is the best part about this dish.
Then I passed out... again.

I'm kicking myself for not taking step-by-step photos...
but to be honest, I wasn't sure how this would turn
out, and didn't want to waste time pausing and clicking.
But because it was passing out good, and super easy to make,
I decided to share it with you.

You'll need...

2 to 4 pork chops... I used 3 thick cut boneless.
1 medium to large onion, sliced
4 Tablespoon butter
2 Tablespoon olive oil
Salt... Kosher is best
Fresh ground pepper
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup heavy cream

~Start by heating 2 tablespoon's of butter
and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a heavy skillet.
~Toss in the sliced onions, salt and pepper to taste,
and cook until caramelized.
~Remove from pan and set aside.
~Melt the remaining butter and olive oil.
~Add the pork chops, salt and pepper to taste
~Sear for about 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
~Turn heat down to medium-low.
~Pour in the chicken stock. Let simmer on low a couple of minutes.
~Add the wine and the cream. Stir and continue to simmer,
turning over the chops occasionally for about 5 minutes,
depending on the thickness of the pork chops.
~Add the onions back in.
~Serve immediately with veggies and fresh bread!
~Passing out is optional.


Now, go my friends... make this tonight.
Show the people some love.


'Cause up next, I'm gonna tell you about this guy.

Dreamer of food,
rolo

grilled berries with brandy...

Because it's Friday.
Because we have two days until we
celebrate our nations independence.
Because most of us are relaxing
with a three day weekend.
Because I love you.

I give you this...

This is it.
It doesn't get any more American than this.
Who doesn't love vanilla ice cream topped with warm
berries in a sweet, buttery sauce?
It just melts in your mouth... mmmmmm.

Start with about 2 cups of fresh berries. Strawberries,
blueberries, raspberries, blackberries... whatever you
have will do. Fire up your grill or stove top.
Sprinkle about 2/3 cup of sugar over the berries.

Add about 2 tablespoons butter.

And about 1/4 cup Brandy... Amen.
But you could totally skip the brandy part if you're not a sinner like me.

Warm, stir, warm stir, give a good shake.
Total time on grill... about 7 to 10 minutes.

Let cool for a few minutes and serve over ice cream.
*slurp*

*Side note- You could totally to this with apples,
peaches and pears too.

I also think it makes a nice sidekick to this.

Enjoy!


“That’s why I stand here tonight. Because for two hundred and thirty two years, at each moment when that promise was in jeopardy, ordinary men and women – students and soldiers, farmers and teachers, nurses and janitors — found the courage to keep it alive.”
~ President Barrack Obama

caramelized onion & blue cheese sauce...

Now that Old Man Winter has finally left the building and
grill season is in full swing, you've got to give this sauce a try
next time you're grilling burgers or steaks.
I mean, you've got to.
You simply must.
No excuses.
You'll be glad you did.
And your taste buds will sing and thank you.
Your thighs... um, well, maybe not so much.
But what they don't know won't hurt them... right?

OK, lets make this wonderful goodness...

You're gonna need an onion (yellow is best), cream, and blue cheese.

Slice your onion... not too thin, not too thick.
Heat up a little olive oil and about a pat of butter in your pan.
Throw in your onions with a little salt and pepper.
Caramelize the onions... I don't know about you, but I could
just devour these right now! They smell soooooo good!

After they look about right, turn your heat to low.

Add in the cream... I'd say about 1/2 to 3/4 cup.

Then, the blue cheese... about 1/4 cup.
Give it a little stir.

Add a little more fresh ground pepper if you have it
and let it simmer for just a minute or two.
Just until most of the cheese melts nicely.

Now go ahead and put a spoonful on your plate and top
with your burger, then add more on top.
I skipped the bun... but that doesn't mean you have too.

Oh my word. Groovy man. Like totally. For sure.

Give it a try!
Just don't tell your thighs.

Peace.
Rolo

Oh, and in case you've been wondering why I've been signing off
as "Rolo" lately... well, that's my nickname. It's been my nickname
since I was like 12. I'll be sharing more on that with you soon.