Luca's Italian Sauce

1/2 c. virgin olive oil

2 c. minced onions

4 cloves minced garlic

5 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste

5 (6 ounce) cans water

5 (1 lb. 13 ounce) cans of crushed tomatoes

2 T. salt (optional)

1 t. pepper

1 t. sugar

1 fresh bay leaf

1 t. dry oregano

1 t. basil

1 t. thyme

1 (16 ounce) smoked, loop sausage

Slice and quarter sausage. Brown garlic and onions in oil. Add sausage and other ingredients. Bring to a soft boil, turn heat down and simmer 2-4 hours, stirring every few minutes. Makes about 7 quarts of sauce. Use for spaghetti, pizza or as a marinara sauce.

Fresh Peach Fish Tacos

This was the winning dish at the Peach Cook-Off on September 4, 2010. It was entered by Steve Wukelich.

For fish:

Place fish fillets, cut into 3/4 inch slices, into a greased baking pan. Combine 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin and 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder and brush over fish. Bake at 450° for 4-6 minutes.

Stir 3 tablespoons mayonnaise and 1 t. lime together in a bowl. Add 1 1/2 cups shredded cabbage and toss together.

Peach Mixture--combine in a bowl:

1 1/2 cups chopped peaches

2 tablespoons chopped green onions

1/2 chopped jalapeno pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons lime juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 c. chopped red pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons vinegar

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Put fish in taco shell, then spoon the cabbage and peach mixtures into the taco shells.

Fresh Salsa

This great recipe came from my neighbor, Joyce Swyers.

8 ounces Catalina salad dressing

3 large tomatoes, chopped

2 cans drained, rinsed kidney beans

1 green pepper, chopped

1 bunch green onions, chopped (I have used a medium onion before)

Mix well and serve with tortilla chips or Fritos Scoops.

Mexican Rice

This is a recipe my son, Cory, made to eat with our Navajo tacos last night.

1 1/2 t. oil

1/2 small onion, diced

2 c. rice

1 t. ground cumin

1 t. chili powder

14 ounce can diced tomatoes

1 t. salt

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 c. water

1 c. salsa (add more for stronger flavor)

In a large pan, saute onion and garlic in oil. Add rice, then mix in cumin, chili powder, tomatoes, salt, salsa and water. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until rice is cooked, (20-30 minutes) stirring occasionally.

Salted Nut Chews

This cookie bar tastes a lot like a Payday Candy Bar. Lyn Hutchings gave me this recipe many years ago when I taught her three children in first grade.

Bottom Crust:

1 dry yellow cake mix

1/3 c. butter, softened

1 egg

3 c. mini marshmallows

Mix cake mix, butter and egg together until crumbly. Press into a large greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350°for 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with marshmallows and return to oven 2-3 minutes or until marshmallows just begin to puff. Cool

Topping:

2/3 c. karo syrup

1/4 c. butter

2 t. vanilla

12 ounces peanut butter chips

2 c. rice krispies

2 c. peanuts

Heat karo syrup, butter, vanilla and chips in microwave until melted and smooth, stirring after each 30 seconds. Stir in cereal and peanuts. Spoon over marshmallows and spread to cover. Chill and cut.

Spinach Salad

I was given this recipe by a teacher friend, Dawn Wasden.

3/4 c. wine vinegar

1 1/2 c. oil (I didn't use this much)

3/4 c. sugar

1 t. dry mustard

1 T. poppy seeds

1/2 t. salt

1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms

1 red onion, sliced super thin

6 slices bacon, cooked crisply and broken

1/3 pound swiss cheese, grated

2 bunches spinach, chopped

lettuce, chopped

Blend first six ingredients, then add mushrooms and sliced onions. Marinate in fridge overnight. Pour over bacon, cheese, spinach and lettuce. Toss well.

Triple Citrus Bars

This recipe came from Heather Everett's cooking show called "Let's Eat In". Her show is on Dixie College's CEC TV, Channel 22. It airs Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 11:30 am. If you like lemon bars, you'll love these. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Triple Citrus Bars

Crust

5 ounces animal crackers

3 tablespoons packed brown sugar (light or dark)

Pinch table salt

4 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted and cooled slightly

Filling

2 ounces cream cheese , room temperature

1 ½ tsp each grated lime, lemon and orange zest, minced

Pinch table salt

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1 egg yolk

6 Tbsp fresh lime juice , either Key lime or regular

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 Tbsp fresh orange juice

Instructions

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Cut 2 12-inch lengths extra-wide heavy-duty foil; fold cut edges back to form 7 1/2-inch width. With folded sides facing down, fit foil pieces securely into bottom and up sides of 8-inch-square baking pan, allowing excess to overhang pan sides. Spray foil with nonstick cooking spray or butter.

2. TO MAKE THE CRUST: In bowl of food processor, pulse animal crackers until fine crumbs, (about 1 1/4 cups). Add brown sugar and salt; process to combine. Drizzle butter over crumbs and pulse until crumbs are evenly moistened with butter. Press firmly into pan. Bake until deep golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Cool on wire rack while making filling. Do not turn off oven.

3. TO MAKE THE FILLING: While crust cools, in medium bowl, stir cream cheese, zest, and salt with until softened, creamy, and thoroughly combined. Add sweetened condensed milk and whisk vigorously until incorporated and no lumps of cream cheese remain; whisk in egg yolk. Add juices and whisk gently until incorporated (mixture will thicken slightly).

4. TO ASSEMBLE AND BAKE: Pour filling into crust; spread to corners and smooth surface with rubber spatula. Bake until set and edges begin to pull away slightly from sides, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool on wire rack to room temperature, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Cover with foil and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 2 hours.

5. Loosen edges with paring knife and lift bars from baking pan using foil extensions; cut bars into 16 squares. Sprinkle with toasted coconut or sifted powdered sugar and serve. (Leftovers can be refrigerated up to 2 days; crust will soften slightly. Let bars stand at room temperature about 15 minutes before serving.)

Double recipe for a 9 x 12” pan.