Perfect Beautiful Slow Cooker Italian Pomodoro Sauce

Ever wish you could have that fancy restaurant pasta sauce at home but the canned or jarred stuff just ain’t cuttin it? I’m here to save the day!!

This does require a slow cooker for absolute perfection but you may be able to get away with using a saucepan or Dutch oven on low heat as long as you are very careful of burning on the bottom. (Bitter sauce is bad sauce)

Straight to it! Serves 4-6

Ingredients 

10-12 ripe Roma tomatoes 

1 small onion, minced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 c. Olive oil

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried oregano 

2 tsp sugar

Pinch of cayenne or red pepper flakes

Salt and pepper

1.) Bring a large pot of water to boil. Slice an X into the tops of all the tomatoes then add to boiling water for about 2 minutes. Remove quickly and let cool. The skins should peel right off. Chop the peeled tomatoes roughly and add to slow cooker. 

2.) Add all other ingredients and turn slow cooker on to low. Cover and let cook for 12-14 hours, stirring occasionally. (I know, long time but it’s well worth the result!) 

* I highly suggest starting this sauce the night before so that a majority of the waiting is done in your sleep ;) 

Zucchini and Eggplant Lasagna Swirl

After a recent week in Italy and about a thousand pounds of pasta....let's just say I needed a carb break! So I started experimenting with Italian recipes that don't require pasta but still have that special oomph and this lasagna swirl DEFINITELY has it.

Constructing the swirl is very hands on and a little messy but the result is b-e-a-utiful. And let's not forget that messy can sometimes be fun.

Serves 4

prep: 20 mins   bake: 45 mins

ingredients:

1lb Italian sausage, casings removed

1/2 red onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 can chopped tomatoes

1 small can tomato paste

1/2 tsp dried italian herbs

1 tsp fennel seeds

dash of chili flakes

salt and pepper

8.8oz (250g) pack of ricotta

1/2 c. shredded mozzarella

3 Tbsp grated parmesan

1 egg

1/2 tsp dried italian herbs

2 zucchini, thinly sliced lengthwise

1 eggplant, cut in half then thinly sliced lengthwise

1.) Preheat oven to 375f/190c. In an oven proof skillet, brown the sausage and break up into small pieces. Remove from skillet and reserve for later. Use drippings to sauté the onions and garlic for about 2 minutes.

2.) Add canned tomatoes, tomato paste, italian herbs, fennel seeds, chili flakes and salt and pepper to taste. Stir till well mixed and remove from heat.

3.) In a bowl, mix the ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, egg and italian herbs. Now, layer 3 slices of the zucchini and eggplant (as pictured below). Dollop the ricotta mixture onto the slices then top with sausage and carefully roll from the left end inward, making you spiral's center point. Carefully place the spiral into the middle of the skillet with the tomato sauce. (pictured below)

4.) Repeat step 3 with the remaining zucchini, eggplant, ricotta mix and sausage except add the strips (still in threes) to the outer layers of the center spiral. Keep building till the layers fill the skillet.

5.) Bake uncovered for 45 minutes in the center of the oven. Once done let stand for a few minutes before cutting in. Enjoy!

3 Super Easy Fail Proof Dips for Summer BBQ's

Sexy Domestic is back from hiatus and ready to rumble! Thanks everyone for your patience while I got my new health and fitness blog up and running. If you get a chance go check it out www.thrivery.co.uk.

Now, being in the full swing of summer and having my inbox overflowing with invites to summer BBQs and parties I thought I'd share the recipes for my 3 most popular party dips. Whenever I bring along any of these moorish delights I am suddenly bombarded with requests for the recipe so here they are!

I know it's not always mandotory but if you've ever been to a friends shin dig and its gotten to that point where everyone is desperately scratching at the bottom of a chip bowl for crumbs and the host either has to make a food run or dish out cash to order pizzas, it's just nice to help avoid that. After all, it's better to have too much food than not enough. This goes for booze too but I particularly love bringing homemade goods. 

In my experience, a good dip is always the best way to go. Dips are a great for sharing/serving, easy to make and they make socializing whilst eating a cinch. These 3 dip recipes are my staples which have been passed down to me from my mother. Trust me, these are crowd pleaser guaranteed.

7 Layer Mexican Dip

Serves 12-14

3 16oz. (435g) cans fat free refried beans

6 ripe avocados, mashed

1/2 onion, chopped

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp hot sauce

Juice of 2 limes 

Salt and pepper

16oz (454g) sour cream

1 pack taco seasoning 

8 oz. (250g) shredded cheddar cheese or 4 cheese mix

1 1/2 c. (300g) fresh tomatoes, chopped

1 16oz (435g) can pitted black olives, sliced

6 green onions, sliced

Doritos or plain tortilla chips for serving

First, spread the beans into a thick layer in the bottom of a large platter. For the guac, mix the mashed avocado with the onion, garlic powder, hot sauce, limes and salt&pepper then spread the mix evenly over the beans. Next, mix the sour cream with the taco seasoning and gently spread that over the guac. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the sour cream mix and top with tomatoes, olives and green onions. Let sit for at least 30 minutes before serving.

French Onion Dip From Scratch

Serves 20-25

2 tbsp olive oil

1 yellow onion, diced

1 red onion, diced

5 shallots, minced

3 cloves of garlic

16 oz. (450g) container of sour cream

1 cup (226g) light Mayo 

2 Tbsp chives + 1 tbsp for garnish, chopped 

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp seasoning salt

Fresh cracked pepper

Plain ruffled potato chips for serving

Heat olive oil in a large skillet and sauté the onions and shallots till soft them add the garlic and sauté everything together till the garlic is toasted and the onion are slightly browned. Remove from skillet and let cool. Meanwhile, mix the remaining ingredients in a large bowl till well combined. Now stir in the sautéed onion mix and let sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Stir then top with chives before serving.

Creamy spinach dip

Serves 15-20

2x 10oz. (566g) Packs of frozen spinach, thawed and drained thoroughly

3/4 cup (190g) light mayo

2x 16oz (900g) containers of sour cream

1 packet of Hidden Valley ranch mix

1 bunch green onions, chopped

1 4 oz can water chestnuts, chopped

1 red bell pepper, minced

Cubed French bread, pumpernickel or Rits crackers for serving

Make sure all the water has been drained from the spinach by pressing down hard on the thawed spinach though a strainer then use your fingers to break it up into loose pieces. In a large bowl mix the Mayo, sour cream and ranch mix then fold in the spinach. Next, stir in the green onions, water chestnuts and bell pepper. Let sit in the fridge for 2 hours before serving. 

Herby Chicken Scotch Eggs

One of the first items of food I ever had at a real British pub was a fabulous Scotch egg. The Scotch egg is fantastic for so many reasons. Crunchy on the outside, the amazing sausage and egg combo on the inside and best of all they make for a perfectly filling and compact snack. 

I decided to experiment with a healthier version using chicken instead of sausage and to my surprise they turned out spectacularly well on the first try! You can make this recipe using sausage meat if you really want but the chicken version is pretty amazing. Even my friends' kiddies were loving them!

Makes 7 Scotch eggs

Ingredients:

6 skinless boneless chicken thighs

A handful of fresh herbs (I used rosemary, parsley and sage)

1 Tbsp dijon or grainy mustard

1 tsp seasoning salt + fresh cracked pepper

7 eggs, soft boiled (6 minutes) and peeled

1 cup flour

1 beaten egg mixed with 2 Tbsp water (the egg wash)

1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs

3 1/2 cups (810ml) sunflower or vegetable oil

Equipment: 

Food processor 

Slotted or perforated metal spoon

Small pot

Food thermometer 

Large plate with paper towels to absorb grease

1.) In a food processor, blend the chicken, herbs, mustard and seasoning salt and pepper all together then transfer contents to a bowl.

2.) Roll an egg in the flour then using your hands flatten a small handful of the chicken mixture and coat the egg with it. Keep adding small bits of the chicken mixture to coat the egg till it is completely covered evenly then roll in flour. The chicken coated egg will feel much firmer and easy to handle now. Next, dip into the egg wash then directly into the Panko crumbs till well coated and set on a plate. Repeat this till all the eggs are coated and ready to be fried. (See all steps in photos below)

^ what the egg should look like as you add small bits of the chicken mixture.^

3.) Pour all the oil into the small pot and turn on high heat. Bring the oil's temperature to 325f/160c then use the slotted spoon to gently place 2 scotch eggs in the hot oil one at a time. Fry for 6 minutes occasionally rolling the eggs around with the spoon for even frying. Also, keep checking that the temperature stays in the 325f/160c region the whole time, turning the flame down or off if it gets too hot. You don't want a burnt egg!

4.) Remove each egg and let sit on the paper toweled plate. When ready to serve, cut each egg in half. *these eggs can be kept refrigerated for up to 3 days before serving. Enjoy! 

PJJ xx

Bourbon Honey and Orange Christmas Ham

A ham on Christmas has always been a tradition for my family. My mom would make a HUGE honey baked ham which would last us through the week, making all kinds of ham concoctions. And isn't there just something about a good ham that's not only addictive but you just never get sick of it? Ham sandwiches, ham and eggs, ham macaroni, ham by the handful.....the possibilities are endless in leftover ham heaven! 

I always go for the big one for that reason alone. This is especially helpful for the days after Christmas when the thought of cooking anything makes me want to have a nap. I've included a couple leftover ideas at the bottom of this post that will hopefully inspire you to get yourself the biggest ham you can find. 

Now, for the actual ham recipe! It's pretty much like bathing the ham in a giant Old Fashioned cocktail. If you don't know what an Old Fashioned is, it's the bourbon cocktail you'd find the characters on Mad Men sipping. Don't worry though, the alcohol cooks out so no one will be getting hammered. (Haha, get it? No? I bet Jon Hamm would laugh at my puns....ok I'll stop.) 

Ingredients:

2 cups water

1 cup bourbon

Peel of 2 oranges (use a vegetable peeler)

Juice of 3 oranges

1/4 cup honey

2 bay leaves

2 Tbs whole cloves

One big ham.

Turn slow cooker on high. Add first 7 ingredients to a slow cooker and stir. Now put in the ham, cover and let slow cook for 3 1/2 hours. Heat oven to 170c or 350f. Remove ham from slow cooker and make diamond scores in the fat (if there's a fat layer on the outside). Transfer ham and juices to a roasting pan (fat side up) and place on the middle rack of oven. Bake for another hour, basting occasionally. If you want crispier fat, turn the oven's top broiler on high and broil the ham for an extra 5-10 minutes. 

Remove ham, cover with foil and let rest for at least 20 minutes. Get stuck in!

*If you don't own a slow cooker, just bake everything covered in a roasting pan at 170c/350f for 2 hours then uncover and bake for an additional 1 hour.

*Leftover Ideas*

Baked ham, cheese and apple quesadillas 

Place one seeded large tortilla on a greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar, diced ham and peeled sliced green apple. Place under the broiler in the oven and bake till cheese is totally melted then sandwich another tortilla on top and press down. Bake for addition 3 minutes, remove and cut into slices!

Ham macaroni and cheese

Use any of my mac n cheese recipes and simply just add diced ham!

PJJ xx

Spiralized Butternut Squash Mac n Cheese

Everyone loves mac n cheese. I even know a few lactose sensitive people who put aside their digestive discomfort once in a while just so they can scarf down an ooey gooey dish of the good stuff. It's such a popular dish that there are now restaurants worldwide that are fully dedicated to serving up mac and cheese in all flavors and varieties (When Mac Met Cheese in London and S'MAC and MacBar in NYC are my faves!). 

I've posted a couple of my own recipes previously but now with my new handy dandy spiralizer, I've got another great one to add to my repertoire. My original experiment included parsnip which looked great and tasted ok but I found the flavor of the parsnip to be a tad too overwhelming and I want the flavors of the 3 cheese to be the stars so I've changed it to just butternut squash. This is a gluten free recipe so everyone can enjoy! 

And don't forget you can improve and have fun with it by mixing in any ingredient before baking. I tried diced ham which was fantastic but broccoli, kale, bacon or anything you love make great additions. If you don't have a spiralizer you can still do this recipe, you'll just have to peel and slice thin little peices of the butternut squash.

Ingredients:

2 Tbs olive oil

1/3 cup shallots, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 cups milk (can use low fat or whole)

1 1/2 Tbs corn starch (corn flour)

2 Tbs light cream cheese

1 cup sharp cheddar, grated

1 cup Swiss Gruyere, grated 

1/4 cup Parmesan, grated

Sea salt and cracked pepper to taste

About 6 cups peeled and spiralized butternut squash 

**Should take 2 normal sized butternut squashes to achieve. I cut the tops off then cut through just above the lower bulb of the squash to get a big round chunk of solid flesh without seeds. Peel the big round piece then cut it lengthwise into quarters making four 1" sticks of squash. Now to make individual "macaroni" peices in the spiralizer, make a lengthwise slice in each stick of squash, cutting only half way deep then crank each stick through the spiralizer with the chipper blade on. The peices will come out in funky shapes but will definitely have a macaroni feel in the final product.**

2 cups mixed 3 cheeses for topping

1 handful chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Sliced sweet or spicy peppers for topping (optional)

Spirlized parsnip and butternut squash is pictured here but I've changed the recipe to just butternut squash as the parsnip flavor was too overwhelming. 

Heat oven to 350f or 175c. In a saucepan, heat olive oil and sauté shallots and garlic till lightly browned. Stir in the milk then whisk in the corn starch leaving no clumps, turn heat down to medium. Keep stirring making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan so burning doesn't occur and once milk is hot add the cream cheese and stir till dissolved. Turn heat to low. Now, start slowly stirring in the cheese one handful at a time. Once all cheese has been added and is melted successfully, add salt and pepper to your liking.

Pour this cheese mixture over the butternut squash "macaroni" in a large baking dish and toss till well coated. Make any of you own additions is desired at this time. Place in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn heat up to 400f or 190c. Sprinkle the 2 cups of the cheeses and peppers evenly over the top, garnish with parsley and continue to bake for 5-8 more minutes or till desired melt/browning is achieved. Remove and let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Dig in! 

Pj xx

Soulfully Slow Cooked Collard Greens

When I was about 8 my Dad took me to a soul food restaurant that he had newly discovered in my hometown Las Vegas. He was so excited for me to try all these amazing southern comfort foods that he grew up on and I was even more excited! (Yes I was a foodie even back then)...I remember what he was most excited about were the Collard Greens. I watched as they ladled a big heap of the greens from a huge pot and serve them to us in a styrofoam soup container. The smell was spicy and cabbagey but that didn't scare me. I dug right in and instantly fell in love. So much so a remember begging for a second pot to take home and then asking my mom if she could try to make them too!

Collard greens are surprisingly moorish. Once you have one bowl, I guarantee an hour later you will want another, and another...and luckily they're extremely good for you. Stewing them involved throwing in a couple bones which creates a beautiful broth. Did you know bone broth has excellent health benefits including: improved digestion, boosting the immune system and even reduced stress. And don't even get me started on the health benefits of the greens themselves. That's why I think collard greens are especially considered "soul" food.

I used my slow cooker for this recipe but you can also use a big pot on the stove on low heat if you don't have one. 

Ingredients:

3 cups chicken stock

2 cups water

3 Tbs vinegar (cider or white)

1 Tbs hot sauce

1 package chopped pancetta

2 large shallots sliced

3 garlic cloves chopped

2 pork bones (spare ribs or ham bone)

 2 lbs greens roughly chopped (go for collard or delicate greens but mustard, beet and dinosaur kale greens should work too just remove any large ribs from the middles of the leaves)

Seasoning salt and cracked pepper to taste

First, heat your crockpot to high and add the first 4 ingredients. In a skillet, brown the pancetta, shallots and garlic all together till lightly brown then add to crockpot. Now add the bones and greens, sprinkle with seasoning salt and cracked pepper and stir well. Cover and let stew for 2 1/2 hours. A lot of the greens will be above the broth until they cook down so just use a spoon to push them down occasionally till completely covered. The greens can stay in the slow cooker for a few more hours if need be just switch it to low. Add more hot sauce if more kick is desired! Enjoy!

Maple Dijon Roasted Carrots

These carrots are super quick and easy to make. The longest bit is the roasting but the aroma alone is well worth the wait. I use my favorite cast iron skillet because it always gives me a perfect roasting result with root vegetables and because it's a well seasoned skillet it even adds a boost in flavor. What's a seasoned skilled you ask? It's when cast iron has been greased and used several times without being washed with soap and water. You simply wipe or scrape leftover debris and then rub some cooking oil into the cast iron to allow the flavors to cake into it and this only makes the cast iron more magical. 

Anyway back to the carrots. Yes, these carrots are so good and their touch of extra sweetness from the maple will be a hit with the kiddies too! I buy organic carrots so I can get away with just scrubbing them clean and not having to peel them. The price difference is never significant. Try it!

Ingredients:

 

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 1/2 Tbs Dijon mustard

1 Tbs grainy mustard

2 Tbs olive oil

2 cloves garlic chopped

2 Tbs fresh chopped parsley

Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

About 8 medium carrots, washed and quartered lengthwise

Preheat oven to 390f or 200c. Mix first 7 ingredients in a bowl. Toss the carrots in the mixture till evenly coated and place in cast iron skillet or baking dish. Roast uncovered for about 25-30 minutes or until the carrots have reached desired browning. Remove and serve! 

PJJ xx