MPK's Basic Tomato Sauce

1 28-oz can diced tomatoes
1 28-oz can while tomatoes
1 yellow onion, diced
10 basil leaves, shredded
4 cloves garlic, diced
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp dried oregano
olive oil
salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Heat 1 T olive oil on medium in dutch oven.  Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook 1 minute.  Add onion and cook additional 5 minutes, until just beginning to brown.
2. Add tomatoes and remaining spices, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper.  Bring to boil, cover and lower to simmer for 60 minutes.
3.  Remove cover and simmer additional 60 minutes.  Pulse with hand mixer until desired chunkiness and simmer additional 30 minutes.  Salt and pepper to taste.

MPK's Turkey/Chicken Meatballs

1/2 lb lean ground turkey
2 links sweat or hot chicken sausage, removed from casing
1 egg
2 cloves garlic
1/2 yellow onion
1/2 C bread crumbs
2 TBSP olive oil

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Pulse egg, garlic, onion and bread crumbs in food processor
3 Add turkey, chicken and olive oil and pulse until well mixed.
4. Form into large balls (should make about 12) and place in baking pan pre-coated with 1 T olive oil.
5. Cover with aluminum foil and bake about 35 minutes, flipping after 20 minutes.

Serve with pasta and MPK's basic tomato sauce.

MPK Mussels in White Wine Broth

1 lb mussels
1/4 lb pancetta
1/2 yellow onion, finely diced
6 cloves garlic, finely diced
1 C white wine
1 C cicken broth
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 28-oz can diced tomatoes (juice reserved)
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
salt and pepper
olive oil

Directions:
1. Heat 2 T olive oil in saute pan over medium heat.  Cook pancetta until rendered and crispy (6ish minutes).  Reserve pancetta.
2. Add onion and garlic and saute 5 minutes.
3. Add tomato paste and cook 1 minute.
4. Add wine to deglaze pan and reduce about 5 minutes.
5. Add tomatoes and chicken broth.  Bring to boil and simmer 30 minutes.
6. Add mussels and cook 5 minutes or until mussels open.
7.  Serve over fresh pasta or bread

Mom & Pop's Chicken Goulash

1 1/4 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut in 1" cubes

2 T olive oil
1 T smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1 large yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 28-oz can whole tomatoes, crushed by hand

Directions:
1. Mix olive oil and spices into a paste.  Massage paste onto chicken pieces.  Refrigerate 2-4 hours.
2. Heat 1 T olive oil in Dutch oven on medium heat.  Brown chicken in batches, about 5 minutes per batch.  Set aside, leaving oil.
3. Raise heat to medium-high and add garlic.  Cook 1 minute.  Add onion, deglaze pot, cook 8-10 minutes.
4. Return chicken, add tomatoes and bring to boil.  Lower heat to simmer and simmer, covered, 60-75 minutes.  Season to taste.  Add 1 t paprika, 1/4 t dried oregano, fresh black pepper before serving
5. Serve with rice or cous cous.

Mom and Pop's Roasted Poblano and Tomato Soup

3 large poblanos, stemmed, seeded and halved

2 large yellow onions, peeled and quartered

1 head garlic, halved

5 lbs tomatoes, halved and cored

6 sprigs thyme

1 box chicken stock

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Drizzle garlic with olive oil and wrap tightly in foil.

3. Spread onions, peppers and tomatoes evenly on baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, season liberally with kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Mix so that everything is coated with oil. Throw garlic on pan as well.

4. Roast everything. Peppers and onions for about an hour. Tomatoes for about 90 minutes. Let cool.

5. Throw everything in a food processor (including juices and brown bits) and pulse until just a little chunky.

6. Throw everything into a dutch oven. Add thyme and chicken stock. Bring to simmer and cook uncovered for 30 minutes. Season to taste.

Penne Pasta with Pancetta Tomato White Wine Sauce

1 lb penne

1/2 lb pancetta, finely chopped

1 T olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 C dry white wine

1 28-oz can diced tomatoes

1/2 C chopped basil

1/2 C finely shredded parmesan

Directions:

1. Boil penne for 8-10 minutes in salted water until al-dente.  Drain, reserving 1 C of liquid.  Rinse pasta under cold water.

2. Heat olive oil in skillet under medium-high heat.  Add pancetta and cook until starts to brown.

3. Add onions and cook until soft.

4. Add garlic and cook, 2 minutes.

5. Add wine and reduce by half.

6. Add tomatoes.  Turn heat to medium and cook 15 minutes.  Salt and pepper to taste.

7. Add pasta and basil and cook 3-5 minutes.

8. Remove from heat, mix in parmesan.  Serve with fresh basil and parmesan.

Mom & Pop's Shredded Chicken Mole Tacos

Chicken Brine:
4 large bone-in, skinless chicken breasts

6 cups water
1/2 C sugar
1/2 C kosher salt
1 bay leaf
1 cinnamon stick
juice of 3 oranges
juice of 2 lemons
1 t black peppercorns
1 t whole cloves

Directions: mix everything together in saucepan over medium heat until sugar and salt dissolve.  Set aside to cool.  Once cool, poor over chicken, cover and refrigerate 12-24 hours.

Mole:
4 dried ancho chilis (reconstituted in 2 cups boiling water and allowed to soak for 15 minutes; stems and seeds removed)
1/2 c roasted almonds
1/2 c roasted pumpkin seeds (not shells)
3 roma tomatoes (halved and seeded)
1 large onion  (quartered)
4 garlic whole garlic cloves
2 large jalapenos (seeded and halved)
1 bunch cilantro
1 t whole cumin seeds

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Mix tomatoes, onion, garlic, jalapeno and cumin with 2 T olive oil.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Lay out on sheet pan and roast 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
3. To food processor bowl add roasted veggies, almonds, pumpkin seeds, cilantro, another 2 T olive oil, 1/4 c of water from ancho peppers all.  Puree until smooth.
4. Remove chicken from brine and blot dry with paper towels.  Place bone-side down in Dutch oven and cover with mole.
5. Bake covered for 50 minutes (to 180 degrees); stir and turn after 25 minutes and again after 40 minutes, making sure to scrape sides of bowl.
6. Allow chicken to cool.  When cool, shred and add back to mole.  If mole is too thick, add another couple T of the ancho water.
7. Serve with warm corn tortillas, lime wedges, radishes, avocado and cilantro.

Enjoy.