Dave's Gourmet: Review and Recipe

I was lucky enough to be contacted by Dave's Gourmet with the chance to receive some of their fine sauces for tasting and review. Boy howdy, this sauce is good. I can't remember the last time i used a jarred and pre-made sauce: i usually make everything from scratch.  I didn't feel too badly about using this sauce, however and only accepted the offer of a tasting because i approved of the ingredients used. DG sent me three pasta sauces: the Organic Red Heirloom Sauce, the Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce (with butternuts sourced from the Willamette valley in Oregon!) and the Masala Marinara. I prepared a chicken and rice dish with theMasala last night, with a resounding "dang, this is good" from both parties involved in the eating.

I tasted the sauce first to see what i thought of it and to decide what flavors and ingredients I'd be adding to it. I just can't leave a pre-made sauce alone, but didn't really feel like i had to fiddle with this one, it's so good. This masala sauce is a bit of a combo between Thai (or Indian?) Masala and traditional marinara. It's super thick, not spicy, and loaded with fresh lemongrass and asian flavors, based with tomato. Really good. That being said, i definitely added some salt, several habanero peppers and some kaffir lime leaves to the cooking rice and kaffir salt to the simmering sauce.

I scored some 'reduced for quick sale' chicken thighs at HEB on Saturday, so i seared them skin down first (left two with skin on, two skin off) with some garden onions and peppers then flipped them over, added the sauce and some chopped garlic and simmered until the chicken was about cooked. Nearing completion, I added some chopped chard, frozen peas and the chopped greens from the onions I added at the beginning. Served over rice: a meal fit for a Queen and King. I, however had skipped BOTH classes at the gym due to a cold and snuggle-inducing day, so i was not really deserving of all this deliciousness. I ate it anyway. No wonder i can't shake this extra 2-8 pounds (depending on how you look at it).

I'll be trying the Butternut Pasta Sauce with some homemade veggie ravioli soon, and may make a tomato soup out of the Red Heirloom sauce. I think i'd better invite some friends over on the ravioli night, or i'll be looking like a ravioli myself!

Yum..... now off to eat the little bit that's leftover as lunch. Nom nom nom.