Chipotle Tartar Sauce

2 tablespoons canned chipotle chiles, seeded, deveined, and rinsed

8 ounces (1 cup) plain lowfat Greek yogurt

¼ cup sweet pickle relish

¼ cup chopped onion

Purée all ingredients in a blender. Chill until used.

Sarah

Microwaving Sauces

When a recipe calls for you to make a roux (equal parts butter and flour), and then use milk or broth to thicken it, you can do this in the microwave instead of over the stove.  Standing by the stove and stirring your brains out for 20 minutes is no one's idea of fun.

For the roux – melt butter in a large Pyrex measuring cup (or something of similar strength) in the microwave. Go slowly so it doesn't pop – 15 seconds at a time. Add an equal amount of flour. Stir until both are well-blended.

Thickening liquid – these sauces will have a liquid that reacts with the butter and flour to produce the thick sauce, usually milk or broth of some sort. Add this liquid to your Pyrex cup. Place cup in microwave and set on high for one minute. Take it out and stir. You will probably need about 5 minutes total, but pull the sauce out and stir it every minute. When the sauce is at the desired thickness, you are done!

Example Recipes
These recipes have sauces that can be made using the microwave method:
Red Chocolate Cake
Chicken Tetrazzini
Macaroni and Cheese
Cream Sauces

Laura

Cream Sauce plus Variations

Cream Sauce
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1/2 cup flour
2 cups milk
salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter for 30 seconds in a microwave on high. Add flour and whisk together. Whisk in salt and pepper, and then adding the milk slowly, whisking. Cook on high in microwave, one minute at a time, removing and whisking after each minute, until thick.


Hollandaise
6 Tablespoons butter
1 lemon, juiced
3 egg yolks
salt
cayenne pepper

Melt butter for 30 seconds on high in a microwave safe bowl. Whisk together lemon juice, egg yolks, salt, and cayenne pepper. Add to butter and stir to combine. Cook on high for 15-20 seconds. Stir. Continue to cook and stir until thickened.


Gingerbread Sauce
Cream sauce as above, except do not add salt and pepper
1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons Madeira

Cook in microwave as before.

Bommy

Tartar Sauce

1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sweet pickle relish
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tbsp minced onion
2 tsp minced capers
dash of paprika
dash of black pepper
dash of dry mustard
salt to taste

Put all ingredients in a bowl and whisk together.

GranDuddie

Sinful Chocolate Sauce

1/3 cup cocoa
1 tbsp flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup boiling water
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp butter

Blend cocoa, flour & sugar. Add the boiling water, stir until smooth. Cook slowly two minutes. Add vanilla & butter. Delicious.

Mimi

Pasta Sauce with Capers

1 medium onion, finely chopped
1-4 cloves garlic, pressed
1-2 tbsp olive oil
1 large can diced tomatoes or 4-5 medium to large fresh tomatoes, diced
1 tsp dried basil
1 small jar of capers
1 tbsp Kalamata olive paste
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
Pasta of choice
Freshly grated parmesan cheese

Heat oil in skillet. Add onion & garlic, sauté until onions are soft (about 5 min). Add tomatoes & basil, simmer about 1 hour. Stir in capers & olive paste. Serve over pasta with fresh parmesan cheese.

Sarah & Jason

Pesto

1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
3 tbsp pine nuts or chopped walnuts, toasted lightly and cooled
1 large garlic clove, chopped
3 tbsp freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/3 cup olive oil

In a blender or small food processor blend together all ingredients with salt & pepper to taste until smooth. Pesto will keep, covered & chilled, one week. Makes about 2/3 cup.

Laura

Jezebel Sauce

This recipe comes courtesy of our Alabama son-in-law's mother and has become a staple of our Thanksgiving dinner. It lends a bit of bite if you think turkey is too bland.

1 - 16 oz. jar pineapple preserves
1 - 16 oz. jar apple jelly
1/2 cup horseradish (recommended Kraft, in the dairy section)
3 tbsp dry mustard
1 tbsp black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Heat until jellies are melted. Pour into jars, refrigerate. Excellent on pork & poultry.

Patty

Barbecue Sauce

1 tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp paprika
4 tsp brown sugar
4 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
3 tbsp vinegar
1/2 cup minced onion
1/4 or 1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp dried mustard
1/2 cup catsup

Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pan. Cook slowly, makes 1 cup sauce.

Auntie Bev

Dot's Spaghetti Sauce

1 small onion chopped

2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup oil
2 small cans tomato sauce
1 small can tomato paste 3 cups water

1 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp oregano
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

In a heavy bottomed kettle, sauté onion & garlic in hot oil until soft. Add remaining ingredients & cook slowly one hour. Add meatballs (Dot's Meatballs) and serve over cooked pasta.

Rhonda & Ed