Oven Roasted Sauce

 

Baking something in the oven can be a bit freeing. No standing, constantly stirring or peering and hovering. This abundant oven roasted sauce is not only simple and easy, it's rich and flavourful and your house will absolutely smell of ripe robust vegetables that is so comforting and inviting.  

Oven Roasted Sauce

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1 red bell pepper, deseeded and chopped

1 onion, peeled and diced

1 pint (238 g/551 ml) grape tomatoes

1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes

3 - 4 cloves of crushed garlic

1 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

salt and pepper to taste

1 can (156 ml) tomato paste

1/4 cup no salt vegetable stock

Preheat oven to 375ºF (190ºC)

Prepare the vegetables if you haven't already done so and place them in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Add the crushed garlic, olive oil, Italian seasoning and salt and pepper, stir to combined. Roast in the oven for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the veggies have softened. 

Carefully remove the baking dish from the oven and using a fork, gently squash down the tomatoes, add the tomato paste and the vegetable stock. Stir together, adding a splash or two more of vegetable stock if need be to help loosen the tomato paste more, and pop back into the oven for another 10 to 15 minutes or until everything is nice and bubbly. 

Remove from the oven and allow the sauce to rest for a few minutes before blending. Using a handheld blender gently blend together until just about smooth, having a bit of chunkiness is fine, the sauce should be thick. I found transferring the sauce to a heatproof bowl to blend easier when trying to blend. 

Use as a pasta sauce, pizza sauce, filling, dip or condiment.     

Coconut Pie

I made this during the holiday season although it may be made anytime. A rich, eggy coconut pie that is semi-sweet and voluptuous . 

Coconut Pie

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make homemade pie pastry 

or use 1 unbaked 9-inch deep dish pie shell

1 can sweetened condensed milk

3/4 cup flaked coconut

2 eggs

1/2 cup hot water

grated lime pee of 1 lime

juice from 1 lime

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper

whipped cream, optional

fruit, optional

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

Make your favourite pie crust and form the crust into a deep pie dish. Prick holes in the bottom of the crust with a fork and bake for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for about 15 minutes on a wire rack. If using a ready made deep pie shell do the same as just stated.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350ºF. In a large bowl combine sweetened condensed milk, coconut, eggs, water, lime peel, lime juice, salt and pepper. Pour into crust.

Bake 30 minutes or until knife inserted into centre comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Serve with whipped cream or fruit, if you wish. 

Notes: Ovens vary therefore I found I had to bake the pie for an additional 20 minutes, for a total bake time of 50 minutes.

The winter break is over. Time to settle back into a regular routine. Hope everyone had a lovely weekend! - JD