Thursday, March 26, 2020

Naomi Knapp's Heart & Soul Meals on Pennies & Dimes for These CORVID-19 Recession Times or When You're Starting Out or Starting Over.

By Laura Medina


This scribe got to give credit where credit is due.

For the longest time, Naomi Knapp has to make do, as a divorced mom of two, which one of the children is born with food allergies, adding more challenges onto a limited budget.

Having to make do in a small town, next to a small city, Knapp manages and successfully fed her family on a very tight, very short, very limited budget that most can't fathom.

Her focused, resourcefulness now comes in handy during massive lay-offs due to CORVID-19 virus contamination.

Knapp takes ingredients that cost pennies and dimes then make them gourmet and healthy (especially with those with food allergies), that the recently unemployed can find useful and very much appreciated.

To all the single dads and moms, this one is for you...


Let's start off with Naomi Knapp's Chicken Soup.  With made from scratch gallon, this soup will fed heart and soul for two weeks for a family or a month for single people. Freeze well...

"Made a gallon of Chicken Noodle Soup." 🐔🍲😊💕

" Started with 10# chicken leg quarters and Italian dressing in two crockpots... cooked on high, 4 hours. Deboned and chopped up all chicken, set aside 4 cups for soup (and rest for chicken alfredo & bbq chicken sliders). Cracked all bones to expose marrow... threw all bones and skins into stockpot with 2 gallon ziploc bags of vegetable scraps to make chicken & veggie stock/bone broth. (I freeze all trimmings from veggies I cut to add to stock-- onions, garlic, carrots, parsnips, parsley, cilantro, etc... I use alot of veggies, so I make stock every 2 weeks or so.) Simmer stock 3 hours or more for a gallon of stock... or simmered longer to reduce to 2 quarts of concentrated stock.) Strain solids and season stock with sage, thyme, salt and pepper... chop 2 cups carrots, 2 cups celery, 2 cups onion, garlic cloves, fresh parsley... cook 20 minutes... add 2 cups medium egg noodles 10 minutes... turn off burner and let cool. Always tastes better the next day, as flavors meld together. Yeah, it takes 2 days, but the flavor is unbelievable. If only canned Chicken Noodle Soup tasted this good. " Naomi Knapp.💗


Naomi Knapp's Tomato Sauce for Anything...

"Next time your recipe falls for a can of diced tomatoes, kick up the flavor by roasting your tomatoes first. You won't be sorry. Just dump 4 cans 14 oz. diced tomatoes into a foil lined 13" × 9" baking dish (you do NOT want to scrub that dish afterwards). Add 4 garlic cloves, sliced, 3 Tbsp olive oil, 1 Tbsp brown sugar, salt & pepper to taste. Roast 425° for 80 minutes. Your tomatoes will reduce to a thickened blend of garlic tomato goodness." 😍💕

Naomi Knapp,..
"Delicious in pasta sauces, chili, red rice, sandwich spreads, warm bruschetta... or anywhere you'd normally use canned tomatoes. I often drizzle balsamic vinegar, add 1 Tbsp dried oregano and 1 Tbsp dried sweet basil before roasting for Italian dishes, but omit when roasting for other cuisines. Just adjust all seasonings for whatever flavors you prefer. Very inexpensive way to add tons of flavor. Skip the overpriced spaghetti sauces. Add these roasted tomatoes to homemade marinara, and you have an amazing, rich tomato base for a memorable pasta night. You're welcome." 😊

Naomi Knapp's Grain-free Zucchini Cheese "Bread"
Fresh, hardy cooking doesn't exclude food allergy suffers or those on a gluten-free and grain-free diet or lifestyle.
This one is for her kid with food allergies, who hates missing out on pizza...
4 cups grated zucchini
3 cups shredded mozzarella (divided)
1/2 cup grated parmesan (freshly grated for best flavor)
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 lg eggs
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp chopped fresh parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
Add crushed red pepper, if desired

Preheat oven 425°. Blend all ingredients in large mixing bowl with only 1 cup of mozzarella cheese (set remainder 2 cups aside for topping).

Butter a 7"×11" baking dish or line with parchment paper. Pour mixture in dish and bake 30 minutes. Add remainder of cheese and bake 10 minutes more. Let rest at least 15 minutes to firm up enough to cut.
Naomi Knapp,.. 

"I let mine sit longer, since it's so much softer than traditional bread. It was even better the next day." 😊

"I hate store bought marinara sauce because it always tastes way too acidic, thanks to preservatives. Tomato paste is super inexpensive and so easy to build up to marinara, pizza sauce and spaghetti sauce. My recipe for marinara is very simple."

Marinara Dipping Sauce

1 small can tomato paste
1 can full of water (or more if you want thinner sauce-- I like it thick)
1 Tbsp brown sugar (or less, to suit your tastes-- cuts acidity)
1 Tbsp olive oil
Dash Garlic salt
Dash dried oregano
Dash onion powder
Salt & pepper to taste

Heat and serve. Done!

Naomi Knapp's...

"That thick marinara is really good with a splash of red wine, or balsamic vinegar, too, depending on what you have on hand... and makes the best pizza sauce. I make mini pizzas with English muffins and use this as pizza sauce. It's also the base of my spaghetti sauce, as I add more paste, water and spices to build up volume for a pasta dish." 

"Red wine is essential to add for spaghetti sauce, in my opinion. NOT cooking wine... yuck! Drinkable red wine.🍷Makes all the difference. But pasta sauces are an entirely different conversation..."

With mounting CORVID-19 unemployment and recession, this scribe will keep you all posted with home-cooking for the 21st century.


As promised as needed or wanted, this scribe has kept up with Naomi Knapp, who's been cooking up a storm of  healthy, gourmet meals done on pennies...

Naomi Knapp's Guinness Reduction Sauce.

This simple, gourmet sauce has so many uses, done for pennies.

1 3/4 Guinness Beer (not Draught)
1 3/4 Brown Sugar

In a medium pot, simmer on low for one hour.

Reduce by half

Let cool.

Serve with a drizzle of olive oil.

Use for dipping sauce with Irish Soda Bread, and any bread or toast.

When you add it to Onion Gravy, it becomes Guinness Gravy.

Expect more recipes to come.





😘💕


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