The Spaghetti Sauce that isn't quite as famous as James Dashner but almost.

James Dashner was my very first date and honestly he has always been more like a brother to me than anything else. In fact I think after he took me to TCBY for our date, he went on another date with the girl he really liked. Which I'm sure was fine with me. But Jamie, as I remember him as, is now the most famous person I have ever dated. He is the author of "The Maze Runner" and the sequel to that book- "The Scorch Trials" comes out this week. So I thought it only fitting that this recipe carry his name this week. Because this is one of my most requested-"famous" if you will- recipes. And although it isn't as famous as James, it is more tasty.

The Spaghetti Sauce that isn't quite as famous as James Dashner but almost

22 cups raw, peeled blended tomates- To peel tomatoes, bring water almost to a boil in a large pan. Submerge tomatoes for a few minutes. Then remove and let cool or put in a bowl of cool water. The skins should come off easily. Put tomatoes in a blender, puree and then put into a large pot. Repeat this process until you have 22 cups. Also I usually use roma tomatoes. They make the thickest sauce.

4 onions chopped or 1 c. dry onions

4 cans tomato paste- the small ones.

2 tbsp. salt

2 tbsp. sugar

4 tbsp. oregano

4 tbsp. basil

4 cloves of garlic or 1 tsp. garlic powder

2 bay leaves

After you have 22 cups of blended tomatoes in a large pot, add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil and ccok for 30 minutes. Then put sauce in pint or quart jars. Wipe off lid of jar and put new lids on. Then put your rings on. Process pints for 20 minutes and quarts for 25 minutes in a boiling water bath. This recipe makes about 6 quarts or 12 pints.

You can use this sauce wherever you would use a marinara or spaghetti sauce... for regular spaghetti, pizza, lasagna, meatball subs, chicken parmigana, etc. One trick Eric taught me with this sauce is when you are warming it up to add to your dishes add about a tsp. of sugar and a tsp. of either balsamic or red wine vinegar. (If you are using a full quart add a TBSP of each.) The sugar softens the acidity of the tomatoes and the vinegar adds a depth of flavor. Doing this will make your sauce even more famous than James Dashner!

Britta-Free Lion House Rolls

Amber made these incredibly yummy rolls for Cooking Club in January and I misnamed them when I typed up the recipes. I put Brianna-Free instead of Britta-Free and I apologize immensely for that. I mean if you're going to dis an old girlfriend- ya gotta do it right! If you want to knwo why Amber says these are "Britta-Free" read here. And if you want to watch a video on how to make these beautifully sculpted rolls, go here. It is worth watching if you want your rolls to look at nice as Amber's.

Britta-Free Lion House Rolls

2 cups warm water (110-115 degrees)

2/3 cup nonfat dry milk (instant)

2 TBSP. yeast

1/4 cup sugar

2 tsp. salt

1/3 cup shortening (butter or margarine)

1 egg

5-5 1/2 cups flour, all purpose (bread flour can be used if you have it on hand)

In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine the water and milk powder and stir so the milk dissolves. Add the yeast to this mixture then the sugar, salt, shortening, egg and 2 cups of the flour. Mix on low speed of mixer until ingredients are wet, then turn to medium speed and mix for 2 minutes. Stop the mixer and add 2 more cups of flour then mix on low speed until the ingredients are wet, then turn mixer on medium speed and mix for 2 minutes. The dough will be getting stiff and you may need to remove the bowl from the mixer and mix in the remaining flour by hand. Add approximately 1/2 cup of flour and mix again. (This can be done by hand or mixer.) The dough should be soft, not overly sticky, and not stiff. (It is not necessary to use the entire amount of flour.) Scrape the dough off the sides of the bowl and pour approximately one tablespoon of vegetable oil all around the sides of the bowl. Turn the dough over in the bowl so it is covered with the oil. (This helps prevent the dough from drying out.) Cover with plastic and allow to rise in a warm place until double in size. Sprinkle a cutting board or counter with flour and put the dough on the flour. It is now ready to roll out and cut into desired shape and size of rolls. Place on greased (or parchment lined) baking pans. Let rise in a warm place until the rolls are double in size (approx. 1-1/2 hours). Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes or until they are browned to your satisfaction. Brush with melted butter while hot. Yields 2 to 2 1/2 dozen rolls.

Mike Bean Burritos

So I am kind of cheating with this one because I never really dated Mike Bean, but we were really good friends in college and who elses name would I use for bean burritos?!? I think one of the reasons I never dated him was because he was about 3 inches shorter than me and I needed a man who could hold me, not the other way around. Maybe he would have been taller if he had eaten more beans!
This is a really good vegetarian meal and these are also awesome to freeze and have on hand.
3/4 c. rice (white or brown)
2 Tbs olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 jalapeno chile, chopped (ribs and seeds removed for less heat)
1/2 tsp. cumin
salt and pepper
3 Tbs. tomato paste
3 can (15oz. each) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/4 c. frozen corn kernels
6 green onions, thinly sliced
8 burrito size flour tortillas ( I use the ones you buy at Costco and cook up yourself.)
2 c. shredded cheese- cheddar or Monterey Jack
Salsa, sour cream and avocado- optional

Cook rice and tortillas according to directions. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium. Add onions, garlic, jalapeno and cumin. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring 1 minute. Add beans and 1 1/2 c. water, bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally until thickened- about 10to12 minutes. Add corn and heat through- about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and add green onions.
Assembling the burritos:
Mound 1/4 c. rice, 3/4 c. bean mixture and 1/4 c. cheese on one side of tortilla. Fold and hold in sides. starting from filled end, holding sides in as you work, tightly roll into a bundle. Place on a baking sheet, seam side down.
You can serve them immediately with salsa, sour cream and avocado or individually wrap them in plastic and freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat put in microwave for 3 minutes.

Poppyseed Chicken

Poppyseed Chicken
Mix together and put in a 13 X 9 inch pan:
Cooked or canned chicken, shredded
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1.5 pint sour cream

Mix together and put on top of soup mixture:
1 stripe Ritz crackers, crushed
1 Tbsp poppyseeds
1/2 stick margarine or butter, melted

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve over rice.
*Make this a food storage meal by omitting the sour cream and substituting water for the butter. Delicious!

Canned Salsa - BOO'Yaa. It's Awesome

Amanda's Salsa

8 C. tomatoes chopped and drained

2 1/2 C. chopped onion

1 1/2 C. green peppers chopped

1 C. chopped jalepenos (about 6 or so - seed them)

6 cloves garlic minced (or @ 1 teas powdered)

1 - 2 teas cumin

2 teas black pepper

2 TBL canning salt

1/3 C. sugar

1/3 C. vinegar

1 15 oz can tomato sauce

1 12 oz can tomato paste

Slow boil for 10 minutes - process 10 minutes. I usually add 1/2-1 teas chili powder, juice of 1 lime, and 1/2 bunch cilantro if I have it. It has gotten to be more of a what's in the garden and what's in the fridge that day recipe. Good luck. Not all canning is worth it, but this one is.