The Daily Rush

Makes 4-6 servings

1 lb. lean ground chuck
1 medium onion chopped
1-2 tablespoons minced garlic (I use 2, love that garlic!)
2 cans (15 ounce) Hunts tomato Sauce
1 can (15 ounce) Hunts Tomato Sauce with Basil and Oregano
1 small can (6 ounce) Tomato Paste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
3 tablespoons light Brown Sugar
16 ounces pasta

Brown beef, onion and garlic over medium-high heat. Drain. Add all remaining ingredients EXCEPT tomato paste and let simmer on low heat for 20-30 minutes stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Check for consistency - if you like a thicker sauce add paste by spoonful to reach desired consistency. (I add the whole can at this point in the cooking process.) If you add paste, stir and let simmer another 10 minutes. Sample. it should be delicious! If you like a sweeter sauce, add one more tablespoon of light brown sugar. Serve

Note: Although we only have a family of 3 and my daughter is going through her anti-sketti-sauce phase, I still make the full batch and sometimes even double it! This freezes easily and keeps for 3 months. Simply transfer from freezer the night before and then reheat in a saucepan. You can add fresh green peppers, mushrooms, garden tomatoes… to jazz up the sauce to your liking.

INGREDIENTS
1 teaspoon dried, dill weed, crumbled
2 ½ tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
6 salmon fillets
Vegetable oil spray (optional)
Preheat broiler to 450 degrees. Whisk dill weed, mustard, and honey together
in a small bowl. Brush mixture over the flesh side of washed and dried salmon.
Put fish skin side down on a sprayed baking sheet. Broil about 6 inches from
heat for 5 to 7 minutes (depending on size of fillets) or until sides of fish flake
with a fork.

More for fun than a Freudian study, here are what some popular herbs represent:
Basil …Love (or hate)
Bay …..Victory
Lavender …..Acknowledgement
Fennel….Praise
Caraway….. Retention
Marjoram …… Happiness
Mints ……Wisdom
Rosemary ….. Remembrance
Sage ….. Long Life
Thyme …… Bravery

So the next time you are feeling under the weather, stock up on the marjoram!

6 to 8 servings
INGREDIENTS
1 (3 pound) chicken, left whole
2 carrots, sliced
2 onions, sliced
2 celery stalks, with leaves, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ to 1 teaspoon crushed basil
½ cup water, chicken broth or white wine
Put vegetables in bottom of slow cooker. Salt and pepper the chicken and put
on top of the vegetables. Pour in the ½ cup liquid and sprinkle with basil. Cover
with lid and cook on low setting 7 to 10 hours (or 3 to 4 hours on high setting,
adding another ½ cup liquid). Carefully remove chicken from the crockerystyle
pot using a spatula and place on serving platter Strain remaining cooking
juices and make gravy.

Next time you find yourself with a too-salty stew—don’t despair! Grab a potato, cut it into 1-inch chunks and toss it in the pot. Once the potato is soft, remove it from the stew. This will help draw out excess salt.