Chef Impersonator: Simple sauces make the meal

Editor’s note: Today we introduce a new food column called “Chef Impersonator” by Fort Worth blogger-photographer Nancy Farrar. The column will feature Farrar’s easy-to-follow recipes, with occasional contributions from guest chefs, and will run monthly in the Wednesday Life & Arts section.

Some of my earliest food memories are of my very large Italian family gathered together at my grandmother’s house, where she cooked meatballs and sauce from scratch in a huge stockpot that I still use today.

We cooked and ate and talked and ate and talked some more. Meals lasted for hours. I learned early on that a meal is an event.

As time passed and my mom went back to work, she’d leave notes on the kitchen counter for my sister Sandy and me with instructions on what to make for dinner.

And that’s how we learned. By doing. And so here I am. One pretty good home cook and professional food photographer who loves to share recipes, ideas, tips and beautiful photographs with other home cooks who have a desire to try some fun, easy new dishes that your whole family will love.

My food and recipe blog is called Chef Impersonator. I’m not a chef. I’m a home cook just like you.

I have a home office now, which allows me time to make dinner most nights. But just like so many of you, I used to go to the office every day and then get home and have to make dinner for my husband and two young sons. It was always a challenge deciding what to make when time was so limited.

Simplicity was key, and jarred sauces were a saving grace in my pantry. Do not let serious foodies sauce-shame you. You don’t have to make every sauce from scratch — not when there are perfectly delicious choices on grocery store shelves these days. Try the ethnic-food aisles, where you’ll find flavorful sauces that might just guide your meals in new directions.

Today I’m sharing three very simple recipes that I’ve made for my own family. Each uses a delicious jarred sauce that not only cuts your cooking time but exposes your family members to some flavor profiles that may be new to them.

If you haven’t made (or kept) your New Year’s resolution yet, there’s still time for a new one; January is a great time to begin trying new things in the kitchen.

Let me know how it goes.

The sauce: Brothers Gold Spicy Brown Mustard sauce The recipe: Brothers Gold Spicy Brown Mustard pork loin

This pork loin is made in the slow cooker with only four ingredients, plus the jar of sauce.. The Brothers line of sauces is from Fort Worth entrepreneur Barry King and his brother Darryl, who created it for a family barbecue cook-off.

Don’t let the words “spicy brown mustard” scare you. The profile is hickory-flavored, sweet and just a bit tangy (not hot), just like your favorite baked beans. The sauces are gluten-free with no preservatives or high-fructose corn syrup. You can pop the ingredients into the slow cooker when you leave for work and make the noodles when you get home. Voila!

Buy it: $4.49 at Central Market stores; also found at Market Street and Sprouts, or online at www.brotherssauces.com.

The sauce: Patak’s Tikka Masala Curry Simmer Sauce The recipe: Chicken tikka masala

This simmer sauce from Patak’s is a warm, rich Indian sauce that tastes as good as that of your favorite Indian restaurant. It’s mildly spicy with the warm flavors of ginger, turmeric, paprika and cumin in a rich tomato-yogurt sauce.

Serve the chicken over rice with nan bread for an authentic Indian meal. My kids have always loved this one.

Buy it: $4.49 at many local grocery stores and Cost Plus World Market, or online at www.pataksusa.com.

The sauce: Mina Shakshuka Sauce The recipe: Shakshuka

“Shakshuka” is a mouthful that means eggs poached in tomato sauce. It could be the most adventurous recipe of the three to introduce to your family. It’s a staple in Moroccan and Egyptian cuisine and could be compared to the more familiar huevos rancheros.

The word shakshuka means “a mixture” — a kind of vegetable ragout where eggs are poached in a sauce consisting of tomatoes, onions, chili peppers and cumin. Sometimes called “eggs in Purgatory,” it’s great for breakfast, brunch or even dinner. And the good news is that this rich, tomato-y sauce now comes in a jar, so all you have to do is pour it into a cast-iron skillet (or a Moroccan tagine if you have one), add eggs and simmer.

It’s made using all-natural ingredients and is-gluten free. Serve this simple dish with crusty bread, or flour or corn tortillas.

Note: If you’d like to make this sauce from scratch, it’s not difficult. It’s a combination of olive oil, garlic, red bell pepper, onion, canned tomatoes, tomato paste, chili flakes, chili powder, paprika, cumin and sugar. If you search for shakshuka online, you’ll find a number of delicious recipes.

Buy it: $9 at Central Market stores or online at www.casablancafoods.com.

Brothers Gold Spicy Brown Mustard pork loin

Serves 4-6

• 2  1/2-pound boneless sirloin pork roast (or any pork or beef tenderloin)
• Salt and pepper
• 4 fresh carrots, sliced
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1 jar Brothers Gold Spicy Brown Mustard sauce
• 1 16-ounce bag wide egg noodles, cooked and drained
• Parsley, for garnish (optional)

1. Salt and pepper all sides of the pork. Place pork, carrots, onion and entire jar of sauce in the slow cooker and cook on medium-low for 6 hours, stirring occasionally.

2. When the pork is nearly done, cook egg noodles and drain. Remove pork and cut into bite-sized pieces (the meat should fall apart). Return cut pork to slow cooker with sauce and stir.

3. Place egg noodles in a bowl and top with pork and sauce. Garnish with parsley, if you like. Serve with a side salad and warm dinner rolls.

Nutritional analysis, based on 4: 912 calories, 25 grams fat, 92 grams carbohydrates, 77 grams protein, 289 milligrams cholesterol, 562 milligrams sodium, 6 grams dietary fiber, 25 percent of calories from fat.

Chicken tikka masala

Serves 4

• 2 15-ounce jars Patak’s Tikka Masala Curry Simmer Sauce
• 1 22-ounce bag Tyson Grilled & Ready Oven Roasted Diced Chicken Breast, defrosted (see note)
• 2 cups uncooked Jasmati, basmati or plain white rice
• Cilantro, for garnish (optional)
• 2 pieces nan bread (traditional Indian bread, or the bread of your choice)

1. Pour simmer sauce into a saucepan and simmer on low for 5 minutes. Add pre-cooked chicken and stir. Simmer for 20 minutes or until chicken is heated through.

2. While mixture is simmering, make rice according to package instructions. Serve chicken with sauce over warm rice and top with cilantro. Serve with warm nan.

Note: Alternatively, dice 2 pounds boneless, skinless grilled chicken breast.

Nutritional analysis: 795 calories, 18 grams fat, 103 grams carbohydrates, 53 grams protein, 97 milligrams cholesterol, 981 milligrams sodium, 4 grams dietary fiber, 21 percent of calories from fat.

Shakshuka (eggs poached in tomato sauce)

Serves 4

• 1 jar Mina Shakshuka Sauce
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, for garnish

Pour sauce into a large skillet and simmer on medium-low for about 10-15 minutes until it starts to reduce. Using a spatula, make 4 small holes in the sauce and crack one egg into each hole. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the eggs are poached to your liking. Garnish with parsley and serve with crusty bread or warm flour or corn tortillas.

Nutritional analysis: 195 calories, 14 grams fat, 11 grams carbohydrates, 9 grams protein, 212 milligrams cholesterol, 461 milligrams sodium, 2 grams dietary fiber, 61 percent of calories from fat.

This story was originally published January 26, 2016 at 11:10 AM with the headline "Chef Impersonator: Simple sauces make the meal."