Eri's Delicious Pasta Sauce

I've never tried to write down a recipe for this. I always just make it! So the amounts will be innacurate somewhat. More or less according to your own tastes, but everyone says that no matter how I make it, it's delicious. It also makes a very large batch, and is perfect for freezing and using later.

1 each: stoplight peppers (red, green and yellow, I also use orange)
1 head of garlic
1 sweet yellow onion
Olive oil, extra virgin has a nice light taste.
1 bunch fresh basil, chopped fine (not the whole bunch, use your judgement)
1 bunch fresh oregano, chopped fine (see above statement)
1 bunch italian parsley, chopped fine (see above statement)
up to 6 12oz? cans diced ORGANIC tomatoes. (I've had people say that it doesn't make a difference, but I can tell)
2 12oz cans ORGANIC tomato sauce
1 small can tomato paste. I sometimes have trouble finding this organic, but you can find it.
One 16oz package frozen MorningStar Farms soy-sausage crumbles. If you can't find this, the sausage patties work well too, just crumble them up.
If you have one of those amazing huge spice racks, you will use the marjoram, thyme, rosemary and sage. If you don't have one of those, use "Italian Seasoning"

Chop the peppers, onion and garlic, put in a pot with the olive oil. I use enough oil so everything is lightly coated. When the onions are starting to get clear, add the fresh herbs. Let them "sweat" for a minute or two, then add the cans of diced tomatoes. Reduce the heat, let simmer for a while. Add the tomato sauce, one can at a time. Sometimes only one can is needed. Add the soy-sausage, stir well to make sure the goodness is all over. Not, you know, outside of the pot though, because you don't want the kitchen to be a mess. Keep tasting the sauce, adding the marjoram, thyme, rosemary and sage if you feel it is needed.

The best I ever made this sauce I had let it simmer on the lowest setting on the stove for about three hours. I had forgotten that it was there and went to the store! When I came back it was the best the house had ever smelled. Just amazing!

Whatsit?

I did something strange and made it look like Lettuce posted this, when it was me, Grampa Pete.

I'm not sure what to call it, but it was dang good.

Get a couple of red and a couple of orange and/or yellow bellpeppers, a large yellow sweet onion, a whole bud of garlic, maybe a third of a bunch of celery (lengthwise), throw cloves of garlic in whole, chunk the rest up, cutting all of the celery, any greens and all. Put a bunch of olive oil in an iron frying pan, and get it started on medium heat, covered. Get cumin, coriander, parsley, salt, black pepper together, and dump in a bunch of each - more than a reasonable "recipe" would say.

Once this is cooked long enough so that everything is soft, but the garlic isn't browned, pour in some cider or red wine vinegar and let it get heated up. Then - take half at a time or so and stuff it in a blender - include all the oil. Blend each batch so that it is more grainy than liquid, but less than chunky. Stir the batches together so that the spices are distributed evenly. It should be a really cool new color.

Take a medium baking dish and pour some of this into the bottom, spreading evenly, maybe a quarter inch. Then put in a layer of corn tortilla. More sauce, another 1/4 inch or so. A layer of grated white Mexican cheese, a little more sauce. A layer of tortilla, sauce, slice a can of artichoke hearts and layer in. Sauce, tortilla, sauce, white cheese, sauce, tortilla, sauce, cover with grated cheddar. Bake 30-40 minutes at 350.

If you can stand it, let this stand for 10-20 minutes. It smells pretty good, but you'll be able to taste it better if you can wait.

Crostini topped with Roasted Red-Pepper Salsa

1 French baguette, cut into 24 1/4-inch-thick slice
1 1/2 tsp fines herbes (I have no idea what this is and haven't used it)
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp plus 1 pinch pepper
4 Tbsp olive oil (I just use EVOO)
1 cup finely chopped onions
1 7-oz jar roasted red peppers, strained and coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
1 Tbsp capers, strained
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp each extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp minced garlic

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Arrange the bread on a baking sheet. Mix the fines herbes, 1/4 tsp of the salt, 1/4 tsp of the pepper, and 3 Tbsp of the regular olive oil in a small bowl and mix well. Brush the herb mixture over the bread. Bake until crisp and golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Heat the remaining 1 Tbsp regular olive oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until tender, about 5 minutes; let cool. Mix the onions, red peppers, basil, capers, parsley, extra-virgin olive oil, vinegar, garlic, and the remaining 1/2 tsp salt and pinch pepper. Refrigerate until chilled. Place 1 heaping tsp of the red-pepper mixture on each crostini.

Hilary's Crab & Corn Salad

Ingredients
1/4 cup cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup sliced green onions
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp pepper
6 oz fresh crabmeat (I used canned)
1/2 cup fresh uncooked corn kernels
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
48 cilantro leaves for garnishing (I skip this ingredient)
Your chip/bread/etc of choice

Combine the cream cheese, onions, mayo, lemon juice, cumin, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Stir in the crabmeat and corn. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish with cilantro leaves.