Homemade Ketchup and Hot Sauce Update

This is the ketchup making update. I used fresh Roma tomatoes before. The recipe is found at What is This . I stated that I planned to try it with sun-dried tomatoes, garlic and onion. I used dry sun-dried tomatoes so I had to re-hydrate them. I put the tomatoes in the Vitamix with enough water to cover and about an inch more. After the tomatoes were re-hydrated, I added garlic, onions,  and apple cider vinegar. I also substituted raw honey for agave. I fired up the Vitamix to high and pureed until smooth. It was a pasty texture. If you would like it more fluid add some water. I noticed the sun-dried made it sweeter than the Romas. I haven’t decided if I like it better but it is good. I think the next time I will leave out the honey and use distilled white vinegar.

I am really getting into making these condiments. I grilled some salmon for dinner so I tossed some Serrano peppers, and red peppers on the grill. They got a little of the salmon oil on them so I wasn’t sure how that was going to affect the hot sauce flavor. The next morning I made oatmeal for breakfast. While I was waiting for the oatmeal to come to a boil, I threw the peppers roasted and fresh with a pinch of salt into the Vitamix with some distilled vinegar. I left the seeds in. Awesome stuff. It was so quick and my supply is renewed. It is hotter too. Love it.

It was so simple. I did not use any recipe for the hot sauce. Glad it worked out.

I used To HATE Cooking!

So what changed? Know one understands like my family but these cooking experiments are beginning to be fun. Today I made a sweet potato and hot pepper soup for lunch. It is a recipe I saw on P. Allen Smith’s television show. It was quick, easy and tasty. Sweet Potato Soup

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Sweet Potato and Hot Pepper Soup, Grilled Catfish and Oat Bread

I know my plating isn’t pretty but at the time I just wanted to eat it. It was very good. Remember you are dealing with someone who is just beginning to look beyond getting the food on the plate. So give me a break. I need to watch more Food Network TV or YouTube for that. (Big Smile)