Caramel Sauce
1 c sugar
1.5 c heavy cream
couple pats of butter (maybe 2-3 T)

Sift sugar (helps to insure that the sugar melts more evenly) into the bottom of a wide mouthed skillet over MED heat… Try to get the sugar spread somewhat thinly throughout the whole pan with any excess/thick spots in the center rather than at the edges… Cover and let sugar melt and brown until all sugar is dissolved and desired color is achieved… (A glass lid is helpful if you are a peeker as the lid encourages the bubbles–from small bits of water returning from the lid– that help the sugar dissolve quickly and without overbrowning, but you can still what’s going on…) Meanwhile, scald the cream in a separate pot or in a 2.5 c or larger container in the microwave (if doing this on the stove start the cream first as while they should take about the same time, if something goes awry for some reason you will want the cream waiting on the sugar not vice-versa)…

When sugar is ready, slowly whisk the hot cream into the melted sugar… cut the heat, and add butter until you get a good sheen…

ETA: yeah oh2de2 (cute handle btw, almost star wars-ish and yet not), there is an easier way to control it… put cream in a pan and scald, sift the sugar into the cream while whisking quckly to dissolve… then use a candy thermometer to watch til you get it where you want it: 230-234 (thread) for a runny fluid sauce, 236-240 (soft ball) begin to be gooey sticky caramel sauce, 244-248 (firm-ball) another good place to have it for the pie, 250-265 (hard ball) don’t take it past this for topping a pie (because you’ll really be entering candy land at that point and you won’t be able to chew it the same)… but I don’t have a candy thermometer and hate fussing with all the ice water testing crap… I’d prefer a soft ball or firm ball for something like this… But in addition to the thermometer reason, I can get a really rich dark caramel that is not a hard candy my way and not with the cream added from the start… so that’s why, I do it this way… hope that helps you, and anyone else wondering…

So if you know about rémoulade, you’d probably think first of a mayo based sauce probably with some diced pickle… well if you know me, then you know I eat neither. But what you may not realize is that not all creole rémoulades are even mayo based in the first place so I’m not even being that quirky by dropping it and second of all if you like my food then shut your mouth about my weirdness, whether merely percieved or genuinely validated…

may not look like much.... but try it, you will like it... (besides, you know mayo is useless... try something with flavor!)

My Creole Rémoulade
1/4 c olive oil (I used chili olive oil because I had it leftover from not making the rest of the bananas)
1 T ea: creole mustard, tarragon vinegar (or 1 T white vinegar and 1/2 tsp dried tarragon warmed together), ketchup
1/2 T ea: horseradish, worchestershire
1/2-3/4 tsp ea: smoked paprika, hot pepper sauce (I used Seasons in the Sun yellow sauce… firgured it’d go well with the mustard and it’s a little milder to balance back the chili oil)
1/4 tsp ea: salt, pepper, minced fresh garlic
2 T ea: chives (about the green tops of one chive), celery, bell pepper
s/p to taste, adj if needed

Mix everything together and chill for 4+ hrs, then taste for any s/p adjustments before using.

[And you can of course make a bigger batch if you do desire...]

Artichoke, Mushroom, and Bell Pepper Alfredo Sauce
1 1/3 c cream (I think, it was whatever was left of my qt after making two clafoutis)
1/3-1/2 sm head garlic, minced
1 bag frozen artichokes, thawed and drained
1/2 lb mushrooms
1.5 bell peppers
2 T red pepper flakes (or some hot sauce)
parmesean (I don’t know how much, but a lot maybe 1/3+ lb)
1 egg yolk

Simmer all but last two ingredients, until veg are cooked to desired doneness (We wanted a one dish meal, but you could use half as many veg for a regular pasta if you’re having a side). Add handfuls of parm until the sauce thickens…turn off heat and stir in the egg yolk. Toss with your pasta.