I’ve had these potatoes bookmarked to try for-ever. A new way to prepare potatoes is always welcome in my repertoire! I kept on putting it off, because surely they had to be a pain to make – right? Wrong. It took only a few minutes to get them prepped and into the oven. So glad I finally got around to trying them! They were delicious. Nice and crispy on the outside, moist and tender on the inside.

I’m looking forward to switching up the flavor combinations. I think they’d be wonderful with a cajun spice mix, or a bunch of fresh chopped dill in the olive oil. Or even plain, then topped with the classic sour cream and chopped scallions. Yum! These will definitely be gracing our table every now and again, as everyone loved them, and they really are a little more special than your standard roasted potato. Perfect for Christmas dinner t0 go with that gorgeous “roast beast”!

Also, thanks to all who entered the giveaway. The winner was Ellen, with comment #10 – “I love using canned tomatoes to make homemade black bean and corn salsa. It is always a hit!”

Hope everyone is making merry and finishing up things for the Holidays. I’m so looking forward to Christmas morning with my boys! This is the first year our oldest has really been “into it”, we’ve been having the best time with him this year. Happy Holidays everyone!

I’m embarrassed to admit it, but in the past I’d always bought my pizza sauce in a jar. I had tried a couple of times to make a version at home, but it always tended to turn out a bit watery. A couple of weeks ago, the good people at Red Pack offered to send me an assortment of their products. While I love fresh tomatoes with all of my heart, a cook always needs a stash of good quality canned tomatoes in their pantry. I’ve long been a fan of Red Pack products, ever since Cook’s Illustrated named their canned whole tomatoes #1 in it’s category.  Needless to say, I was much obliged!

The first thing I made when my package arrived was this pizza sauce. It is definitely a winner! It only takes 5 minutes, and the flavor is unparalleled. I used a can of pureed tomatoes, which I think is the key. Before I had used diced tomatoes, and pureed them myself…which, is what I think what led to the water-logged sauce. Less water content from the “get go” is a good thing. I add a bit of chili pepper flakes to my sauce, as we like a little kick of heat. This makes enough for 2-3 large pizzas, depending on how saucy you like your pies. It’s also a great simple tomato sauce for something like meatballs.

Thanks to Red Pack, I have a lovely canned tomato assortment to pass along to one of my lucky readers! Who couldn’t use some staples for the winter months ahead? Read on for the fine print.

We blow through A LOT of tortillas in this house. Flour, whole wheat, corn – we love them all! I’ve heard stories of how much better fresh tortillas are, versus the ones you buy pre-packaged in the store. Big surprise there, right? Unfortunately, we don’t live anywhere in the vicinity of one of those big, fancy-pants grocery stores that sell tortillas made in house. I have found one brand that I adore, but it’s only available at our local restaurant supply store. However, they are HUGE. Like 14″ tortillas. Great for burritos, for everything else – not so much. Leave it to my homegirl Annie, to provide the inspiration to try my hand making them at home.

They turned out wonderful! The dough was a breeze to bring together in the food processor, and a dream to work with when rolling out. My rolling skills aren’t the best, so I was nervous about rolling something as thin as a tortilla. I had no problem whatsoever. Also, they were quick to make! From start to finish, it was about 40 minutes. Super easy! Next time I’ll probably do a double batch, and freeze half to have on hand. They are heartier, yet fluffier than the ones you buy at the mega mart. Not to mention the fact that they actually taste like something. They’re wonderful. Make these!

I hate to admit it, but I used to dislike cilantro. I thought it tasted like soap. Thankfully, I’ve since come around and now I can’t get enough of the stuff. One of my favorite uses for it, which I find myself making often around here, is pico de gallo. Obviously, it’s a great condiment for any Mexican dish. But, it is also a wonderful accompaniment to serve on top of broiled fish or grilled chicken. Not to mention it’s totally figure friendly.

I’ve found that I get pretty decent results year-round with Roma tomatoes. Of course this summer is at it’s prime with summer tomatoes, but it’s nice to be able to have a fresh tomato salsa in these dreary winter months that is edible! I like a more predominant onion flavor in my salsa, so I use white onions. If you like a milder onion flavor, try using red onion or scallions instead. If you don’t like things spicy, remove the “ribs” and seeds from the jalapeno before chopping. Or, if you want to kick the heat up a notch, try using a serrano or habenero pepper in place of the jalapeno.