Sauces and Salsas for Cooking with Kids

Apple Sauce

• 6 medium sized apples, peeled
• ¼ cup cold water or apple juice
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp honey or brown sugar (depending on how tart the apples are)
• 1 cinnamon stick

Put all ingredients into a medium sized saucepan and heat on medium heat covered until the mixture starts to bubble. Reduce the heat and stir, breaking up the large chunks of apples. Continue to simmer until the sauce thickens. Remove the cinnamon stick and serve.

Ketchup

• 1  6 oz can of tomato paste
• 2 Tbsp white vinegar
• 2 Tbsp sugar

Mix together well and season with salt and pepper and more sugar if needed.

Pineapple and Blackberry Salsa

• 1 20 oz can pineapple chucks
• 1 cup blackberries
• 2 Tbsp lime juice
• Zest from ½ lime
• ½ cup cilantro leaves, torn or rough chopped

Mix all together gently so that the berries don’t break up.

Vinaigrette

Note/Suggestions:  Use a blender. All vinaigrettes are the same ratio: 1 part vinegar or lemon juice : 2 parts oil.

• ¼ cup rice wine vinegar
• ½ cup olive oil
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• ¼ cup fresh herbs: parsley, chives, tarragon, thyme, cilantro, basil whatever you like

Blend it all together until smooth and a little thick.
Tip:  I like to add 2 Tbsp honey and a shallot or ¼ of a small red onion to the mix for added flavor.

Tomato Sauce

If you are like us and have tons of tomatoes at the end of the summer and don’t want them to go to waste, you can do two things with them. Just freeze them in a bag and take them out as you want to cook with them, or make sauce out of them now and freeze it or can it for later.

This recipe is more art than science, which is why it is great for kids to help.  Wing it as you go!

• Take a whole bunch of tomatoes and put them in a pot. Cut them, don’t cut them, it doesn’t really matter. Turn the heat on medium and let them start to stew.
• In the meantime, take a few sprigs of fresh herbs you have around: rosemary, thyme, basil, oregano, savory and tie them together with some cooking twine. Peel a few cloves of garlic and roughly chop one small onion.
• As the tomatoes start to heat up and split, ask your child to mash them a bit with a spoon to release the juices. Now add the onion and garlic cloves, the bouquet of herbs and ¼ cup salt and ¼ cup sugar. Yes sugar, it makes the tomatoes less acidy. Adjust the salt and sugar to taste and the amount of tomatoes, remember, you can always add but never remove.
• So continue to simmer, letting your kids stir from time to time breaking up the tomatoes. When all the tomatoes have been reduces to nothing but skins, seeds and liquid remove from the heat and let cool.
• Go play outside!
• When you can safely handle the tomato mush, pour it through a strainer or sieve allowing the liquid and pulp to flow into a bowl. Push as much of the pulp through leaving only the skins and seeds behind.
• Return the liquid to the pot, season to taste with salt, ground pepper and sugar if needed and bring to a simmer and cook until the liquid reduces by 1/3. Use immediately or let cool and eventually freeze in resealable bags or containers until you need it.