The kids have become obsessed with wings. Sticky, sweet and spicy. All of them are wanting to try things spicier, riskier, and more adult which makes sense as they all get older... However, we are not big fans of frying. While the occasional fried chicken fest is a must, weeknight dinners can not include that kind of clean up. We tinkered with some recipes and found our way to this one. This recipe has worked its way into heavy rotation in our house. We love it, the kids love it, and it is super simple to put together. We have experimented with all sorts of sauces, so feel free to wing it once you get the basic preparation down. While we don't preach health and wellness on this blog, we do love to try and make some of our favorites, a little healthier, and by baking the wings and drumsticks, we accomplish that goal. And, the clean up is way easier. Yes, there is a place and time for that wonderful spicy, fried, buffalo wing, and that time is at some awesome sports bar, watching a basketball game. For the rest of the times we want wings, this dish will do! Baked Asian-Style Chicken Wings serves about 6 15-18 pieces of mixed chicken pieces, wings and drumsticks 3/4 cup rice vinegar 1/2 cup soy sauce 2 tablespoons sesame oil 1 tablespoon fish sauce 1 9oz jar of hoisin sauce (you can use plum sauce or sweet chili sauce as well) 2 tablespoons of miring 1 garlic clove, zested or minced very fine 1 inch piece of ginger, zested or minced very fine 1/2 teaspoon chili paste (add more if you like them spicier) Preheat oven to 425 In a bowl add all ingredients but chicken and stir. Adjust for sweetness and heat. Place chicken in a bowl and pour half the sauce over the chicken, stirring to insure all chicken gets coated. Reserve the other half. Let rest in fridge for about an hour, tossing occasionally. Arrange a baking wire rack on top of a baking sheet and place the chicken in rows. You will need two trays. If you don't have a wire rack, place chicken directly on parchment lined baking tray. Baste with sauce and bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, pull chicken from oven, flip over the pieces with tongs, baste again with sauce from marinade and bake for another 20 minutes, or until juices run clear. Be sure to switch the 2 trays position as well. After this baste, throw away the marinade. While chicken is baking, take your reserved sauce and reduce by about half in a small saucepan over medium heat. You want the sauce to thicken. When chicken in done, take chicken and toss them in a bowl with your thicken sauce and serve! You can garnish with diced scallions or sesame seeds.
3 Comments
Sometimes the best ideas and recipes come from tinkering with ingredients you have in the fridge or pantry. Sort of like playing your own version of Chopped, you are forced to reimagine and create. This ridiculously good galette was the product of just that mind set. We had roasted some beets earlier in the week and forgotten to eat them, had a sad bag of a few hazelnuts sitting around, and a sweet potato that never made its way into roasted sweet potato fries. We had been wanting to experiment with adding nuts to our pie dough, so figured why not try the hazelnuts, as they always pair well with the earthy sweetness of beets. We randomly had some Boursin and cream cheese, so bam, this galette was born! Having made a galette a few weeks ago with raw beets, the roasted ones proved to be a better idea, and by slicing the sweet potatoes super thin on a mandolin, they also had time to bake and get all creamy. Hitting the sweet, the savory, garlicky, creamy, and crunchy notes, our guests inhaled this tart, coming back for seconds and thirds!
Beet, Sweet Potato and Hazelnut Galette Makes one Galette that serves about 6 ½ Batch Hazelnut Pie Dough 2-3 beets, roasted and thinly sliced 1/2 large sweet potato, thinly sliced on mandolin 1 package garlic and herb Boursin cheese ½ c cream cheese 1 tablespoon of olive oil ¼ cup hazelnuts, roasted and roughly chopped 1-tablespoon honey 1 egg, whisked Dough (Makes 2 9 inch shells) 1 cup chilled butter 4 tablespoons vegetable shortening 2 cups all-purpose flour ½ cup hazelnuts 1-teaspoon salt 1-tablespoon sugar 7 tablespoons ice water 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar Dough- Put nuts into the food processor. Pulse until nuts are ground. Add butter, shortening, flour, sugar and salt into food processor. Pulse until you have small pea sized pieces. Add apple cider vinegar and chilled water to the flour mixture and pulse until dough just comes together. Flip dough onto floured surface and push into a ball. Divide into two, and gently flatten each half into a disc. Wrap in plastic and let rest in fridge or freezer until ready to use. If freezing the dough, put in fridge the night before you want to make the tart. *You can also make the dough by hand. Add ALL the dry ingredients to a bowl. Cut butter into smaller pieces and add the butter and shortening to the flour. Cut with a pastry cutter or two forks until you have pea-sized pieces and mixture looks sandy. Add all your liquids and stir until dough just comes together, then turn out onto plastic and push into ball. Divide in two and follow above. *To roast beets, wrap in tin foil, creating a little packet, and roast at 400 degrees until easily pierced with a knife. Preheat oven to 375 Mix the cheeses together and set aside. Roll out one disc of dough on a well-floured surface. Trim sides to get as close to a circle as you can then save the scraps. Move dough onto a parchment lined baking tray preferably without a lip. Place cheese in center and spread out, leaving about an-inch rim around the sides. Alternating rings of beets and sweet potatoes, starting at the edge, leaving an inch, circle your vegetables, layering them slightly on top of each other until you have used them all. Drizzle with olive oil. Brush with egg wash and start at twelve o’clock, folding the dough in. Work your way around the tart and use the egg wash to seal your folds. You will get about 6-8 folds resembling an octagon or hexagon. You can stop here and brush with egg wash. Or, reroll scraps and have some fun with cookie cutters, using the egg wash to help stick your shapes to the tart. When done decorating, brush with egg wash. Bake for 40-50 minutes until veggies are slightly browning and dough is brown. If it browns too quickly cover with foil and keep baking. Remove from oven and drizzle with honey and sprinkle the hazelnuts. Serve! *You can also freeze before baking and then bake when you choose. It will take about 20 more minutes.
Pies and galettes don't have to just be seen as a dessert. There are lots of ways to eat pies and tarts all day long, and well, that makes us really happy! This tart or galette is inspired by the quiche, but here you don't have the egg or cream. We have taken our basic pie dough which is so versatile that once you have it down, you can create whatever flavor profiles are your favorites, and imparted it with the herbs de provence, a favorite spice composed of things like rosemary, thyme, oregano and marjoram. Once you layer on the cheese, mushrooms, leeks and zucchinis, you have created a savory tart that if you close your eyes you could be transported to Paris and a little cafe on the Rue St. Germaine. All you need is a glass of wine, or two, a side salad, and some nice company to enjoy a tasty lunch. Rustic Mushroom Zucchini and Leek Galette Serves 6-8 1/2 batch of your favorite pie dough or store bought, enough for one disc Filling 6-8 oz. cream cheese, softened or Rondele ½ cup grated Parmesan ½ lb. mixed mushrooms, chopped ½ onion, finely diced or leek 2 cloves of garlic, minced 1 zucchini, diced 1 tablespoon fresh Thyme, minced 1 tsp Zaatar 2 tablespoons Olive Oil 1 tsp. sea salt 1 tsp. pepper Preheat oven to 400 Place olive oil in a sauté pan over medium high heat. Add the onion, garlic, thyme, zaatar, and salt and sauté until soft and beginning to brown. Add zucchini and sauté until tender and beginning to brown. Remove from pan and add your mushrooms. You may need to add a little more olive oil to the pan. Sauté the mushrooms until they are tender and remove them from the heat. Roll out your dough on a well-floured surface. Trim sides to get as close to a circle as you can then save the scraps. Move dough onto a parchment lined baking tray preferably without a lip. Spread your cream cheese gently on the dough, keeping a 2-inch rim around the side. Spread your onion mixture on top, then the mushrooms. Top with Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Brush with egg wash and start at twelve o’clock, folding the dough in. Work your way around the tart and use the egg wash to seal your folds. You will get about 6-8 folds resembling an octagon or hexagon. You can stop here and brush with egg wash. Or, reroll scraps and have some fun with cookie cutters, using the egg wash to help stick your shapes to the tart. When done decorating, brush with egg wash. Bake for 40-50 minutes until cheese begins to melt and dough is brown. If it browns too quickly cover with foil and keep baking. This soup is a family favorite. Every husband, wife and child leaves their bowls clean. It is a very simple soup made with humble ingredients, but the flavors come together to make one of those soul satisfying dishes. The only tough part is cutting all those onions! Our soup has a secret ingredient that gives it a sweet, earthy depth of flavor. By adding a beet, not only do you enhance the natural sweetness of the onions, but together with the thyme, oregano, and the rest of the herbs, you give your soup that little something something that takes it from good to great! French Onion soup 6-8 servings 2 tablespoons olive oil 1-tablespoon butter 6 yellow onions, thinly sliced 1-teaspoon salt 1-teaspoon pepper 1 yellow beet, peeled and diced 3 cloves garlic minced 1 tablespoon dried thyme 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, minced (you can use dried if you don’t have) 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 1-teaspoon sugar 6 cups beef or vegetable broth 2 cups water For topping ½ baguette, cubed (you want to use a harder bread) 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 cups Gruyere cheese, grated ½ cup Parmesan cheese grated Place butter and olive oil in Dutch oven and add onions. Saute over medium heat and add salt and pepper. When onions begin to turn translucent, about 5 minutes, add beets, garlic, thyme, rosemary and oregano. Continue to sauté over medium heat for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add balsamic and sugar, cover, and stir every few minutes. You are looking for the onions to caramelize, turning a medium brown color. This will take about 30 minutes. When onions look soft and caramelized add stock and water. Bring to a boil then turn heat down and simmer for 30 minutes. Check seasoning and adjust salt and pepper. Preheat oven to 400. Toss cubed bread and olive oil and toast on sheet pan until lightly toasted. You don’t want the bread to color, but you do want a crust. Divide soup among ovenproof soup bowls. Top each individual soup with a handful of cubed bread and a generous handful of each cheese. Place under broiler until bubbly and beginning to brown. Serve!
How can it be February already? It seems like just yesterday we were celebrating all things apple with our #aisforalltheapples collaboration. We were blown away by everyone's creativity and approach to the same ingredient. We had pies, tarts, salads, and even cocktails showing off their apply goodness all over instragram. Now, we have put out the call along with @whatannieseating, and our wonderful collaborators are getting crazy with the CARROT! With returning chefs and bakers like @jojoromancer, @bakingthegoods, @smartinthekitchen and @champagneandcookies and some amazing new talents like @lokokitchen, @rushyama, @dianemorrisey and @candacenelson, we bring to you #24carrotgoals. Can you believe this is our 4th ingredient based instagram collaboration? From peas to peaches to apples and now to carrots, we celebrate the bounty of nature! We were lucky to receive a box of the most beautiful carrots from Babe Farms. We couldn't help but get excited when we saw the yellows, purples and pinks dancing before us! We have taken our love for making pies and tarts and our love of carrots and done a mashup that hits all the right notes. Carrots, with their natural sweetness, can easily swing both savory and sweet, and this tart finds itself somewhere in the middle. The savory notes of the fresh thyme we put in the dough and sprinkle on the carrots, the creaminess of the ricotta and lemon, and the nuttiness of the pine nuts contrast with the carrots sweetness to find balance. You get a faint whiff of dessert, but you still feel like you are eating lunch! We have a host of other carrot recipes on the blog, like the eight-year olds favorite cake, and a zingy Carrot and Cumin Salad with Cilantro, so be sure to check those out as well. And, be sure to find the talented chefs, bloggers and bakers we have listed below online and peruse what they are making. You will never look at the carrot the same way again! This food community is a special one and we hope you will join. Rainbow Carrot and Ricotta Tart Makes one 9 inch square tart Serves 6-8 1/2 batch of your favorite pie dough, or store bought, enough for 1 disc Filling 6-8 oz ricotta 2 tablespoons milk or cream zest of 1 Meyer lemon 2 teaspoons Meyer lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon salt 24-30 baby rainbow carrots, peeled (or you could use about a dozen larger) 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 2 teaspoons maple syrup 1 teaspoon fresh thyme 1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts and carrot top sprigs for garnish Preheat oven to 375 In a large steamer working in batches of the same color carrot, steam carrots whole until just tender, about 7 minutes depending on size. Remove and place in cold water to stop cooking. Slice carrots in half and toss carrots with Olive Oil, salt, pepper, maple syrup and thyme and set aside. Roll out your dough on a well-floured surface. Lay into a tart pan, making sure you get dough into the corners. Prick bottom with a fork a few times. Add pie weights or beans and blind bake the crust for about 20 minutes until it just starts to brown. Remove from oven. (If you don’t have a tart pan, use a shallow pie dish) Add filling ingredients in a small bowl. Mix well. After your shell has cooled to the touch, spread your filling and then arrange the carrots on top. We did a herringbone pattern but you can just lay on top careful not to overlap too much, filling in all the holes. Bake again for about 20 minutes until carrots have begun to caramelize, and crust is golden brown. Remove from oven, cool for 10 minutes and remove from tart shell. Sprinkle with pine nuts and some carrot top sprigs and serve. Here are all the wonderful collaborators! The Cooking of Joy’s Candied Carrot Rose Tart Figs and Flour's Thai Peanut Pizza Cocoa and Salt's Classic Carrot Cake Jojoromancer's Carrot Pie Julie Jones' Mum's Carrot Cake Lemon Thyme and Ginger's Sweet n' Spicy Herbed Carrots Better with Biscuits’ Carrot Souffle This Healthy Table’s Beet and Carrot Galette Always Eat Dessert’s Carrot Cake Squares with Orange Glaze What Annie’s Eating’s Roasted Carrots with Carrot Top/Herby Salsa Verde Fufu’s Kitchen’s Oven Baked Carrot Fries Drizzled with a Tahini Sauce Flours in Your Hair’s Carrot Pecan Cookies Hola Jalapeno’s Roasted Carrots with Chipotle Honey Butter A Worthy Pause's Paleo Thai Curry Carrot Soup Battered n Baked's Baked Carrot Cake Donuts Anna Jitlin's Carrot Muffins with Persimmon Topping Lemon Thyme and Ginger's Sweet and Spicy Herbed Carrots Something New for Dinner’s Minted Sous Vide Carrots with Balsamic Vinegar and Goat Cheese What Great Grandma Ate’s Paleo Carrot Mug Cake My Love at First Bite's Rezel Kealoha's Turkish Yoghurt Dip Cosettes Kitchen's Sumac Spiced Carrot and Feta Salad More Icing Than Cake's Spiced Quinoa & Roasted Carrot Salad Measuring Cups Optional's Carrot Curry Soup Hot Dishing It Out’s Carrot Whoopie Pies with Ginger Cream Cheese Frosting (vegan) Bee and the Baker's Glazed Carrot Rosette Tart with Honey Ginger Mascarpone Lady and Larder’s Carrot Crudite Board with Z'atar Hummus Khabakom's Katie Bird Bakes’ Carrot Cake Scones Jessie Sheehan Bakes' Chocolate Carrot Loaf Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Whipped Cream Marianne Cooks’ Carrot and Zucchini Mini Muffins with a Cinnamon Frosting Baking the Good's Roasted Carrot and Herby Feta Galette Laurel Street Kitchen's Confetti Kitchen’s Harissa-Roasted Carrots with Lentils and Yogurt Prickly Fresh’s Carrot Cake Blondies with Cream Cheese Frosting Forty-nine Figs' Carrot Pie Loko Kitchen's Miso White Carrot Pie with Black Sesame Crust Gobble the Cook's Butter Loves Company’s Iced Carrot Cake Cookies Champagne and Cookies' Savory Carrot and Cauliflower Crumble with Za'atar and Herbed Feta Easy and Delish’s Carrot Spaghetti Suburban Pie and Treat’s Carrot Pineapple Raisin Pie Catgrammer's Triple Ginger Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Hello Flour’s Macro-Friendly Carrot/Tomato Soup w/ Grilled Cheese Le Petit Eats’ Carrot Cake Breakfast Bars w/ Maple Coconut Icing Dukkah Queen's Carrots and Friends Salad (pickled, raw and roasted) Amanda Skrip's Rainbow Roasted Carrots with Citrus, Fennel and Arugala Flotte Lotte's Carrot Apple Pie Cook Til Delicious’ Mini Carrot Cake Smart in the Kitchen’s Curried Carrot Ginger Soup (Whole30) Candace Nelson of Pizanna’s Vegan Carrot Birthday Cake Farm and Coast Cookery's Carrot and Herbed Ricotta Phyllo Tart Pie Girl Bakes’ Five Spice Carrot Bundt Cakes with Bourbon Cream Cheese Glaze Zestfulkitchen's Moroccan Stuffed Portobellos Mom’s Kitchen Handbook’s Salad with Miso Ginger Carrot Dressing What’s Karen Cooking’s Spiced Cornbread w/ Carrots, Pecans & Chili Butter Diane Morrisey's Harissa and Maple Roasted Carrots and Lemon Rumbly in my Tumbly's Carrot Chai Pie Sweet Pillar Food’s Carrot and Date Salad with Tahini Vinaigrette Week Night Bite's Pies and Prejudice's Carrot Pie with Maple and Cardamon Feed The Swimmer's Air Fried Rainbow Carrot Chips with Tzatziki Plum Lucky Pie Pi's Roasted Carrot Pot Pie Smoothies and Sundaes’ Carrot Cake Sourdough Blossom to Stem's Caramelized Carrots with Fennel, Ricotta, and Walnuts Kate Aliberti's "Hop Scotch" Pie- Carrot Custard with Brown Sugar, Honey, Cinnamon and Scotch Annie Madison's Morning Glory Muffins The Dirty Whisk's Carrot and Herbed Ricotta Tart Jill Salama's Carrot Latkes with Cranberry Aioli (Paleo) Food By Mars' Paleo Carrot Walnut Loaf Cake The Olive and Mango's Carrot Cake Roll Easy Gourmet Living's A Modest Feast's Pomegranate-Molasses-Glazed Carrots With Crispy Chickpeas and Feta Seed and Mills' Carrot Cake with Tahini Caramel Frosting Its a Vegworld Afterall's Zesty Carrot Spirals When we get a rainy day, and trust us, it is not that often, we make soup. This was a new one for us and was inspired by the half market rotisserie chicken sitting in the fridge. Yes, it is super easy to roast a chicken, but sometimes it is even easier to buy the organic one already ready to roll at the market. When it is just us, the little family of four and not the big family of ten, it usually gets us one dinner, one lunch and then one extra something. This soup combines all the flavors that are a usual home run with the kids as they love Mexican food, and they love playing with their food and this soup lets them have and do both. The flavors of chili, cumin, and cilantro are warming, and when served with all the condiments like avocado, lime, cheese, chips and sour cream, you get the feelings of chili or taco night but the soup is a whole lot lighter. We added some heat with hot sauces and the kids loved crushing the chips into the soup. The oldest wanted it for lunch the next day, and for any mom serving a new dish to pick eaters, that is the best compliment we can receive! Chicken Tortilla soup Serves 6-8 2 tablespoons Olive Oil 32 ounces chicken broth 1 tsp. salt 3-4 cups water 1 box strained tomatoes, about 26 ounces 1 onion, diced 4-ounce can of mild green chili ¼ cup fresh cilantro, minced 2 cloves of garlic, minced 1 tsp. chili powder 1 tsp. smoked paprika 1 tsp. cumin 1 tsp. dried oregano ¼ tsp. Ancho chili pepper 1-tablespoon tomato paste 2 cups frozen corn, thawed 2-3 cups shredded cooked chicken Tortilla chips, avocado, sour cream, cheese, lime, cilantro leaves for garnish In a large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add onions and salt and cook for 2 minutes, then add garlic, green chili, and the spices and sauté for five minutes, until everything begins to soften. Add the tomato paste and sauté for 2 more minutes. Add the water, stock and tomatoes, then the fresh cilantro and bring to a boil. Turn heat down and simmer for one hour. Add the chicken and corn into the soup and cook for another ten minutes so both heat through. Serve and let everyone top as they like!
We were lucky enough to get a whole lamb from the farmers in Idaho, and have cooked all the different cuts this past year. These lamb chops are simple and delicious and there is something about the fact that the kids can pick them up and eat them off the bone that they love! These spices are close to the traditional french way, thyme, rosemary, fennel, but they are easily tweaked in any direction. Add some oregano, and cumin, or try some ginger. Anything goes! Rack of Lamb Serves 4-6 2 racks of lamb, approximately 8-10 chops, frenched 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced 2 teaspoons fennel seeds 1/3 cup of olive oil ½ teaspoon salt Fresh ground black pepper to taste Remove lamb from refrigerator and let come to room temperature. Preheat oven to 425. In a small sauté pan place fennel seeds and cook on medium heat until fragrant, 2-3 minutes. Place in plastic zip lock with garlic, thyme, rosemary, olive oil, salt and pepper. Add lamb and seal; mix so lamb is thoroughly coated with marinade. Place on a roasting rack set inside a roasting pan. Place in oven and roast meat until it reaches 145 on a meat thermometer, (about 20 minutes) Remove from oven and cover loosely with aluminum foil, (meat will continue cooking.) Slice off chops and serve. And, don't forget to check out our Etsy store for our Thank You Notes and Greeting Cards! Yes, we know, we post a lot of pesto recipes, but we just can't help ourselves. When one member of the family rejects most vegetables but embraces this green, iron rich sauce, you do what you have to do. This pesto gets a change up with the addition of the sunflower seeds which surprisingly give the pesto a nuttier flavor. And, the lemon zest adds a citrus punch that pairs well with the herbal flavor of the spinach. You will be thrilled when everyone asks for thirds!
Spinach Pesto with Sunflower Seeds Makes about 2 cups 1 package or bag of baby spinach 2 cloves of garlic 5-6 ounces of Parmesan cheese 2/3 cup sunflower seeds Zest of 1 lemon 1-cup olive oil ½ tsp. of salt Place garlic and sunflower seeds in food processor and pulse until combined. Add cheese and pulse until almost smooth, there will be some chunks. Add spinach and pulse 5 times, or so, until spinach begins to break down. Drizzle in olive oil while running and process until smooth. Add lemon zest and salt and pulse twice. Serve with pasta or pizza or on toast! Hosting the falling into winter book club means soup, and this tasty lentil soup hit the spot. With the addition of the smoked paprika and pancetta, the soup took on a heartier flavor, filled with spice and that porky richness that pancetta can provide. Yes, there is a bit of dicing, but once it all goes in the pot, you can walk away and let the stove do all the work. Toast some bread for dipping and let the conversation ensue!
Red Lentil Soup with Pancetta Serves 8-10 4 carrots peeled and diced. 1 red onion, diced 4 tablespoons olive oil 1 small bulb of fennel, diced 5 cloves garlic, minced 4 ounces of diced pancetta 3 stalks of celery, diced 8 cups of vegetable stock 2 cups water 2 cups of red lentils 1 tsp. fresh thyme 1 tablespoon Zataar 1 tsp. smoked paprika ½ tsp. salt plus more to taste Add olive oil into a large soup pot over medium high heat. Add pancetta and lightly brown. Add onions and garlic and cook until onions begin to soften and turn translucent. Add the rest of the vegetables and the salt. Sauté until they begin to caramelize and soften. Add thyme, zataar and smoked paprika. Stir. Add in the red lentil and stir for one to two minutes. Add in all the liquid, bring to a boil, then turn heat down and simmer until lentils and vegetables are soft, about 40 minutes.
No Jewish holiday is complete at our house without Grandma Alice's brisket. She may not be around anymore, but her recipe lives on. The meat always comes out tender, and moist and the gravy is redolent with onions and tomato flavor. It's a simple dish, one that cooks without constant attention and always leaves the crowd satiated. It also can be made a day in advance, and then warmed before slicing. Grandma Alice’s Chuck Brisket Serves 8-10 1 “First Cut” Brisket (5-7 lbs.) 2-4 tablespoons Hungarian paprika 3 yellow onions, sliced 3 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped 3 cups Tomato juice (preferably organic/ no salt added) Salt to taste Preheat oven to 350 Rinse meat, pat dry. Rub ½ of paprika on fatty side of meat. Put in hot pan to brown (each side about 5 minutes.) Rub remaining paprika on other side- crown. Remove meat once browned on both sides. Make a bed of onions and half of the garlic in roasting pan. Place brisket on top. Scatter remaining garlic on top. Put ½ cup of water, ½ cup of tomato juice in the pan used to brown the meat. Scrape paprika and browned bits into liquid mixture. Pour over brisket. Pour an additional 2 ½ cups of tomato juice over brisket. Sprinkle to salt. Cover with foil. Cook 3-4 hours until soft. Best cooled over night. (Separate sauce from meat) Slice meat cold. Put in pan, cover with sauce with fat removed. Heat covered in 300 degree oven until hot. We are big lamb fans. Not only is it a source of high-quality protein, it is also an outstanding source of many vitamins and minerals, including iron, zinc, and vitamin B12. These meatballs are a super easy dinner that can be served with all sorts of dips like hummus and tzatziki, and pita. We like to make these into little pita pockets as the kids will eat anything that looks like a burrito! They are bright in flavor, a unique twist with the orange zest, and the spices give them just enough kick to keep things interesting. And, the best thing is they easily can be on the table in under thirty minutes!
Easy Lamb Meatballs Makes about 8-10 meatballs 1 lb ground lamb 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 tablespoon of minced cilantro 1 tablespoon Za’atar 1 tsp. salt zest of half an orange 2 tsp. smoked paprika 1 tsp. coriander 1 tsp. olive oil Preheat oven to 400 degrees Mix all together with your hands and scoop into 1 ½ inch round balls. Place on a cookie sheet Bake for about 20 minutes Serve with Pita and Tzatziki 2017 has become the year of chili for the little boys of the family and any time we can get protein and vegetables into their growing bodies is a win. The smallest child hates anything that even looks like vegetable, so the fact that he downs this without hesitation is a wonderful wonder. The sweet potato addition is courtesy of goop and Gwyneth Paltrow's chili recipe and we like how it imparts a sweet and heartiness to the dish. We keep this chili mild as we don't want to jinx a good thing, but the combo of spices still brings lots of flavor and smokiness. You could certainly add a jalapeño to kick it up a notch, and that would be a tasty addition. Turkey Chili with Sweet Potatoes and Sweet Peppers Serves 6-8 1 can of black beans, rinsed 1 can of kidney beans, rinsed 1 box of diced tomatoes 1.5 lbs of ground dark meat turkey 2 stalks of celery, diced 1 yellow onion, diced 3 gloves of garlic, minced 2 cups of turkey broth or chicken broth 1/2 cup of sweet peppers, diced (this can be a regular bell pepper) 3 carrots, peeled and diced 1 large sweet potato, diced 1 tsp oregano 1 tsp ancho chili pepper 1/2 tsp mustard powder 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp coriander 2 tsp red chili powder 1 tsp smoked paprika 1 tsp cumin 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tsp salt In a large soup pot or deep saucepan, add 1 tsp of olive oil over medium high heat. Add your onions and 1 tsp of salt and cook a few minutes until beginning to soften. Add garlic, celery, carrots, peppers, and your sweet potatoes and cook over medium heat until all is beginning to brown and soften. Push the veggies to the side and add the rest of your olive oil. Add your turkey and spread out along the half of the pan bottom without disturbing for two minutes. Them mix all together and cook until meat is cooked through. Add your spices, the rest of your salt and mix. Add in the stock and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, turn heat to medium low and simmer for about 40 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve with cheese, cilantro, lime, avocado and sour cream, and let everyone decide! We are very excited to share this spring recipe with you! We are doing an instagram collaboration with Annie Garcia of @whatannieseating, www.whatannieseating.com and a host of other wonderful chefs to celebrate the PEA! Spring has sprung and it is time to start coming out of hibernation. The colors are brightening, the food gets a little sweeter and a little lighter. This recipe is one of my mom's specialties. She is a brave cook who tosses caution to the wind and often embarks on bigger cooking projects than I do in the day to day. This homemade ravioli with sugar snap pea puree is a wonderful recipe that celebrates all we love about spring. The filling has just a hint of sweetness and the simple garlic sauce lets the peas shine. If you don't have time to make the ravioli, simply do the sauce with store bought, no harm no foul! Sugar Snap Pea Puree Ravioli with Garlic Butter Sauce 5-dozen or so Ravioli For filling: 1 ½ cups of fresh sugar snap peas, shelled ¼ cup chives, minced 1/3 cup of vegetable broth ½ teaspoon of salt 3 oz. fresh mozzarella For ravioli dough: 3 cups flour 4 eggs 3 tablespoons of milk 1 egg yolk, whisked For Sauce: 1 stick of butter 2 cloves garlic, minced ½ cup shelled peas 1/2 tsp salt For dough, place flour, eggs and milk into stand mixer with paddle attachment and mix until dough forms. Remove from mixer and knead on counter until smooth. You can also do this in a food processor. Let rest for half an hour. For filling, steam peas until crisp tender, then puree in blender with vegetable broth and salt. Add mozzarella and briefly blend. Fold in Chives and set aside. Divide dough into quarters and run through pasta machine. Start at 1, run through then fold into thirds. Rotate so seams face the machine then repeat 2 more times. Then, continue process until you reach 6 on the machine. Lie out sheets of pasta and place 1 teaspoon of filling every inch, inch and a half. Dab egg yolk along edges and in between filling then cover with another sheet of pasta. Run over edges with your fingers and cut with a ravioli cutter or knife into a square. Place finished ravioli on a floured board. You can also use cookie cutters In a sauté pan, place butter, and garlic. Slowly melt butter and when it is foamy, turn heat to low and add peas and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Bring water to a boil and drop in ravioli, don’t crowd the pot. When ravioli floats to the surface, they are done, about 2-3 minutes. Toss with sauce and serve immediately. *for garnish, you can steam a few whole sugar snap peas and toss with pasta and sauce. *Uncooked ravioli can be easily frozen. Place on a sheet tray and freeze individually, then once frozen combine into a Ziploc for future use. *if making pasta is too time consuming, serve sauce with pre-made cheese ravioli Be sure the check out these wonderful instagram accounts, blogs, and the hashtag, #easypeasyforspring to see what recipes they came up with to celebrate spring and the pea! Here are their instragram names: @Bondandtaylor, @Amandaskrip, @Thegirlfromthe3rdfloor, @Pricklyfresh , @Mindyscookingobsession, @Cocoaandsalt, @theGoodcooker, @Blackthornpublishing, @Days_of_food, @Marypardoux, @Smartinthekitchen, @Cooksandkid, @My.recipe.addiction, @Thewholeelchilada, @Gobblethecook, @Weelicious , @Pamelasalzman, @Feedtheswimmers @Gingeredwhisk, @Its_a_vegworld_afterall, @Blossomtostem, @whatannieseating, @holajalapeno @somethingnewfordinner And, here are their blogs: www.amandaskrip.com, www.thegirlfromthe3rdfloor.com, www.pricklyfresh.com www.mindyscookingobsession.com, www.thegoodcooker.com, www.foodjournalmagazine.com, www.daysoffood.com, www.smartinthekitchen.com, www.cooksandkid.com, www.thewholeelchilada.com www.gobblethecook.com www.weelicious.com, www.pamelasalzman.com, www.thegingeredwhisk.com www.itsavegworldafterall.com www.blossomtostem.com www.holajalapeno.com www.somethingnewfordinner.com www.cocoaandsalt.com We are always experimenting with different pastas that do not have a tomato base, as Mom hates cooked tomatoes. This pasta came together on a rainy night with what we had in the crisper. The little ones have been enthusiastic about eating Zucchini, so perhaps we over bought, hoping to strike while the new taste affection was hot. This was a way to use up the last lonely one! By using fresh pasta, the only thing that you are really waiting on is the zucchini to soften and brown, whereby making this a twenty minute supper. The combo of lemon, Parmesan, and garlic is classic and adding a hint of vinegar adds a layer of flavor to this quick cooking sauce. Enjoy! *This pasta is great also with no pasta at all! Use a spiralizer or a mandoline to cut the Zucchini into noodles or ribbons. Use 3 large Zucchini if omitting the pasta. Follow recipe for sauce just omitting the Zucchini from the sauce. Blanch them in the boiling water until al dente and finish the same way. Zucchini, Spinach, Garlic and Lemon Linguini Serves 2-4 1 package fresh linguini 4 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons Olive Oil 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped 1 large zucchini, diced ½ tsp. salt plus ½ tsp. salt ½ pound baby Spinach, rinsed zest of half a lemon juice of half a lemon 1 tablespoon coconut vinegar or rice vinegar ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese Begin boiling water for linguini. In a large sauté pan add butter and Olive oil on medium high heat. When butter begins to foam, add garlic and zucchini. Add first ½ tsp salt. When the veggies begin to brown add your pasta to the water to cook. Add spinach, lemon zest, lemon juice and vinegar along with the rest of the sale to the zucchini and stir until spinach wilts. Add two ladles of pasta water and stir until water thicken slightly. When pasta is cooked, add to vegetables and mix, adding in the cheese. If you need a little more pasta water, add now. Serve with extra cheese. This gives everyone a little of what they want. The kids get their cheese and pasta fix, the adults get a little lighter version of a lasagna, and any gluten free eaters have a hearty main dish. When the kids were little this actually could pass as noodles, wink wink, but they have gotten more savvy over the years. Substituting the squash for the pasta lightens up the dish and also provides a nice sweetness. Spaghetti Squash Casserole Serves 6-8 3 spaghetti squashes, cut in half with the seeds removed 2-3 cups tomato sauce or Bolognese sauce depending on preference 1 cup ricotta cheese 1 teaspoon nutmeg 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon pepper 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped ½ cup grated parmesan cheese 2 tablespoons olive oil plus 2 tablespoons more for tossing Preheat oven to 400. Using 2 tablespoons olive oil, rub cut side of squash and place face down on a baking sheet. Bake until squash are tender and easily pierced with a fork, about 30 minutes. Let cool and then using a fork, scrape flesh from skin. When all the squash resembles noodles, toss with remaining olive oil and set aside. Drop oven temperature to 350. In a small bowl mix ricotta, salt, pepper and nutmeg. In your casserole, place a few ladles of sauce, then scatter about half of the squash. On top of squash, spread most of the ricotta leaving a few tablespoons to drop on the top, and half of the remaining sauce. Scatter half of the mozzarella then the remaining squash. Add the remaining sauce, mozzarella, and scatter over the top the parmesan, basil, and the rest of the ricotta. Place in oven and cook until cheese and sauce is bubbly, about 30 minutes. If the top is browning too quickly, loosely place tin foil over the top and continue cooking. When cooked, remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving. Makes one 11 x 13inch casserole This dish is in heavy rotation in our house as all generations enjoy it. It can be made in under thirty minutes so makes for a great weeknight meal. Get the kids involved in separating the lettuce leaves and mixing the sauce. The grown-ups like to add a little heat in the wrapping process. We like this meal as for kids it has lots of veggies, good protein and usual the plates come back clean. Minced Chicken in Lettuce Cups Serves 2-4 1 lb. ground chicken meat 3 garlic cloves, minced 2 small zucchinis, diced 2 carrots, diced 4 scallions, diced ¼ tsp salt 1 inch piece of fresh ginger, finely minced Lettuce leaves, either iceberg, butter, or Boston Bibb 2 tsp. plus 2 tablespoons sesame oil 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar 2 tablespoons Mirin 4 tablespoons soy sauce 2 tsp. marmalade (orange, apricot, lemon) ½ tsp. brown sugar ½ tsp. sesame seeds In a small bowl mix 2 tsp. sesame oil, the rice wine vinegar, Mirin, soy sauce, marmalade, and brown sugar. Set aside. Sautee garlic, ginger, and 1 tablespoon sesame oil, then add zucchini, carrots, and scallions. Add salt. Sautee until everything begins to brown and begins to get tender. Push all the vegetables to the side of sauté pan and add the remaining sesame oil, then the chicken. Cook until chicken is cooked all the way through then mix the veggies and chicken together. Add sauce and cook for two minutes until sauce thickens and reduces slightly. Serve in lettuce cups with rice.
This is one of our go to proteins for any special occasion. We just made it for New Year's Eve and didn't have one slice left! It maybe a bit decadent in terms of cuts of meat, but it is a crowd pleaser everytime. So easy and simple to make, you just roast and leave to sit and finish cooking, then slice! Done! We keep the spices simple, but you could certainly take this tenderloin in any direction, using whatever dried spices are your favorite. Serve with chimichurri or a horseradish sauce. Beef Tenderloin Serves 12 or 8 with leftovers 1 3-4 lb beef tenderloin, at room temperature salt and pepper to taste olive oil to cover about 1/4 cup Preheat oven to 450F degrees. Rub tenderloin with olive oil, Kosher salt & ground pepper. (Or whatever other spices you like for your meats.) Roast 40 min at 450 F. Let stand 20 minutes outside of oven tented with Aluminum foil before slicing. *you MUST let the tenderloin rest, this is where the cooking finishes and all the juices return to the meat. This dish screams fall. While it hasn't been very cold here, we were still craving a hearty dinner showcasing some fall veggies. The squash and pancetta combination gives you that ideal sweet and savory taste that makes the time it takes to make risotto in the first place, worth it. Yes, there is a lot of stirring but this is where you can enlist a child over ten or a husband to get in the game and help out. Creamy, salty, sweet, delicious. Acorn Squash Risotto with Pancetta Serves 4-6 1 small yellow onion, diced 5 slices of pancetta, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon olive oil 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth 1 ½ cups or Campanini or Arborio Rice 2 cups peeled and diced acorn squash ½ cup white wine 1 cup Parmesan cheese 1 tsp. salt plus more salt and pepper to taste 1 tablespoon parsley, minced Place stock in a pan and warm. In a Dutch oven or deep pot brown the pancetta then remove. Add olive oil, onions and 1 teaspoon of salt and sauté on medium heat until softened, about five minutes. Add squash and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes, and then add one ladle of warm stock and cover for about 5 minutes until the bottom of the pot is dry again. Add the rice and stir, toasting the rice for about 2minutes. Then, add the wine and stir until liquid is absorbed. Then, continue adding one or two ladles of stock in at time, stirring continuously only adding the next one when all the liquid has been absorbed. After about 20 minutes rice should be done, there will be no more bite left in the rice, tender. If you run out of stock and rice still needs more time add a little warm water and continue stirring. When rice is cooked stir in half of the cheese and the pancetta and then serve with the remaining cheese and parsley sprinkled on top. My mother has never been a fan of cooked tomatoes, so marinara was never our go to sauce. While she always made meatballs to satisfy my Dad, she was and is always looking for new ways to get what she likes on the table, even if it means making two kinds of pasta for a family supper. This mushroom pasta is easy and decadent. The rich, earthy, and creamy notes eat well with a glass of chilled white wine. (Maybe just what she needs after having to satisfy such diverse and demanding palates.) Wild Mushroom Pasta Serves 4 1 tablespoon Olive Oil 2 tablespoons Butter ½ Onion, diced 3 cups of assorted Mushrooms, cleaned with a paper towel and sliced (Chanterelles, Cremini, Oyster, White) 2 tsp Salt 3 cloves of Garlic, minced 2 tablespoons fresh Oregano, minced ½ cup Heavy Cream or Half and Half ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 ladle of pasta water 1 tablespoon flat leaf Parsley, minced In a large sauté pan place the olive oil and the butter. Add the diced onions and sauté on medium high heat until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the mushrooms and the salt. Saute on high heat, shaking the pan. When the mushroom release their water and begin to soften, add the garlic and oregano. Add cream and on low heat, let reduce until the cream thickens a bit Cook one package of pasta (Penne, Garganelli, Gemelli or Fettucini) and reserve one ladle of pasta water. Toss the pasta, the mushrooms, the pasta water, and 3/4 of the Parmesan. Mix until the pasta is well coated then place in serving bowl and sprinkle with the rest of the cheese and the parsley. We are always experimenting, trying to find new ways to spice up a salad. Lately, we have been obsessed with grilling some of the vegetables and combining them with raw. It gives the salad a nice combination and texture of soft versus crunchy and the char on the grilled veggies imparts a nice smoky flavor. What really though turns this salad on in the vinaigrette. Sweet, floral, spicy, tart, and tangy. It hits all the right umami notes. Try leftovers in a rice bowl with some steamed spinach and baked salmon.
Kale, Grilled Vegetable and Grilled Chicken salad with Coconut Lime vinaigrette Serves 4-6 3 cups kale, stemmed and sliced fine 2 cups red leaf lettuce sliced or shredded into bite sized pieces 1 small eggplant sliced into ¼ inch rings 5 scallions with tips removed 1 zucchini sliced long ways into ¼ inch thick pieces 1 yellow squash sliced long ways into ¼ inch thick pieces 1 firm stone fruit, diced (can be plums or peaches) ¼ cup radishes thinly sliced 2 Persian cucumbers, diced 1 chicken breast ½ -1 cup coconut lime vinaigrette ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon pepper On the grill or in a grill pan, grill eggplant, squash, zucchini and scallions until tender, then dice. Set aside. Season chicken breast with salt and pepper and grill in pan or on grill. (About 5 minutes per side.) Remove from heat and dice. Dress kale with ½ cup dressing and massage. Let kale sit for at least five minutes. Toss all ingredients together and add more dressing to your liking. Coconut lime Vinaigrette Makes about 2 cups Juice of 3 limes Zest of 3 limes 6 tablespoons fish sauce 3 tablespoons of fresh mint, minced 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, minced 1-cup full fat coconut milk 3 cloves garlic minced 1 Serrano pepper, seeded and minced 3 tablespoons brown sugar Whisk together the lime juice, fish sauce, garlic and brown sugar until sugar dissolves. Add the rest of the ingredients and whisk until mixed. Serve with rice bowls or as dressing for any salad including the Kale, Grilled Vegetable and Grilled Chicken salad. The little one loves soup, so we are always trying to find new combinations. This "classic" gets a twist by the use of the bounty of late summer heirloom tomatoes. The fennel seeds add a sweet undertone and feel free to experiment with different varieties of heirlooms. When we make it for the kids, we add a gooey grilled cheese on the side for dunking and for the adults a fresh salad. Heirloom Tomato Soup Serves 8 2 stalks celery, diced 1 large carrot, diced 1 large onion, diced 1 shallot, diced 4 cloves garlic, minced 3 tablespoons Olive Oil 1 tsp salt 1 tablespoon of fennel seeds 1 tsp dried oregano 2 tablespoons of flour 1 small can tomato paste 8 cups vegetable broth 1 tablespoon sugar 4 large heirloom tomatoes or 6 small, peeled and roughly diced 1 tablespoon fresh basil, sliced In a large pot heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add onions, carrots, shallots and celery and saute until translucent. About seven minutes. Add fennel seeds, garlic, and oregano, and cook another few minutes. Add flour and cook for two minutes, then add tomato paste. Cook for one more minute and watch the heat so bottom does not burn. Add tomatoes, then broth and bring to a boil. Add sugar and stir, then turn heat down to medium low and simmer for 40 minutes. Turn off heat and let soup cool. In small batches, puree in blender and then place back on stove. Adjust seasoning and serve with a sprinkle of basil on top. *optional toppings can be shredded parmesean cheese, toasted croutons, a pinch of red pepper flakes, sour cream. *to peel tomatoes: bring a large pot of water to boil. Make a small x on the bottom of each tomato and plunge into boiling water for 45 seconds. Remove and place in bowl of ice water. Skin should just slide off. ![]() Every generation in our house loves take-out Orange Chicken, so that inspired us to try to make our own. This dish is lighter then your normal delivery as the only breading you have is a light coating of cornstarch and it is pan fried, not deep fried. It has a sweet and sour flavor that hits those citrus notes, with a subtle heat from the ginger and chili flakes. If you are making this for kids, you may want to skip the chili flakes and add some at the end for the grown-ups. Make-In Orange Chicken Serves 2-4 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch pieces 1 cup orange juice ¼ cup soy sauce 1 tsp. sesame oil 1 tsp. orange zest 2 tablespoons rice vinegar 2 tablespoons brown sugar ¼ tsp. red chili flakes ½ inch piece fresh ginger, minced 1 large clove garlic, minced 3-4 tablespoons cornstarch ¼ tsp. salt Canola oil for frying Scallions or sesame seeds for garnish( about one scallion and 1 tsp. sesame seeds) In a small saucepan bring orange juice, zest, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, brown sugar, chili flakes, ginger and garlic to a boil. Then, turn heat to medium and simmer until reduced by half. Pat chicken pieces with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. In a large bowl add salt and cornstarch and toss in chicken until all pieces are well coated. In a large sauté pan or wok heat enough Canola oil so that the oil comes up the side of pan about ¼ of an inch. When hot, add chicken in batches, browning on all sides. About 5 minutes per batch. Remove from pan. Drain pan of excess oil. Add all of the chicken back in and pour sauce over. Heat for 1-2 minutes until all of chicken is coated. Then, sprinkle sesame seeds or diced scallions over the top and serve. *If you want a thicker sauce add 1 tsp. of cornstarch to the sauce when you add it to the chicken. Serve with Rice In our family, we are always looking for ways to tweak the basic pasta sauces we always make. Everyone loves meat sauce, and this version gets a nice herby kick from the Italian sausage and dried herbs. If you are cooking for adults only, or your kids like a little bang in their bite, substitute the sweet Italian sausage with a spicy one. Italian Sausage and Turkey Bolognese Serves 8-10 1 pound Sweet Italian Sausage meat (uncooked) 1 pound ground Turkey meat (light or dark, your preference) 3 carrots, peeled ½ yellow onion 1 red pepper 3 cloves garlic 2-3 tablespoons Olive Oil 2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. dried basil 1 tsp. fennel seeds 1 cup red wine 1 small can tomato paste 2 large cans crushed tomatoes ¼ cup fresh parsley, minced ¼ cup fresh basil, minced 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 1 to 2 packages of your favorite pasta In a large sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and then add your meats. Season the meats with 1 teaspoon of salt and the dried spices. Brown meats then remove into a bowl and set aside. Place carrots, onion, red pepper, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse until pureed. In the same pan you browned the meat, add the pureed vegetables, and if pan looks a bit dry add another tablespoon of olive oil. Sautee vegetables with remaining salt until their liquid begins to evaporate, then add the meat back into the pan. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, then deglaze with wine. After 2 more minutes add your tomatoes, parsley, and basil. Stir on high heat until the mixture begins to bubble, add balsamic vinegar and reduce heat to a low simmer. Cook for at least and hour or up to two hours. Serve with your favorite pasta and a hearty helping of Parmesan cheese. *This recipe makes two dinners for a family of 4 using one package of pasta per meal, if serving more people this will make one dinner. Inspired by the bounty of peas in the garden, this simple pasta dish is a great thirty minute meal. You could easily use frozen peas, just follow the same recipe. The peas give the dish a slight sweetness which is a nice counterpoint to the cheese. The bread crumbs give the dish a toasty crunch. The kids gobbled it up! Rigatoni with Fresh Peas and Parmesean Serves 4-6 1 cup fresh, shelled peas ½ cup panko bread crumbs 2 garlic clove, minced 2 tablespoons olive oil plus 3 tablespoons ½ cup grated parmesean ½ cup heavy cream ¼ cup basil leaves, torn 1 box rigatoni salt and pepper to taste 1 tablespoon lemon zest Bring large pot of salted water to boil. When boiling, add peas and blanch for 3 minutes. Remove peas and chill in ice bath until ready. Add pasta and cook until al dente, reserving ½ cup pasta water. In sauté pan heat 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil. Add garlic and bread crumbs. Saute until light brown and toasty. Place in small bowl and set aside. In same pan add cream, and heat on medium until bubbling and beginning to reduce. Add peas and season with salt and pepper. Keep on low heat, stirring occasionally. You want the cream to thicken slightly. Add reserved pasta water and cheese. Toss pasta with peas and cheese sauce and the bread crumbs. Add remaining Olive oil, basil, and lemon zest. Serve immediately. We have been making these meatballs for as long as we have been cooking. They are based on a Marcela Hazan recipe that has been tweaked over time. My mother prefers to cook them in a pan as the recipe below states, and I prefer to cook them in the oven as I'm usually chasing children around and not always up for babysitting the stove! Either way they turn our tender and tasty. We always make double and freeze half. Again, my mother freezes with sauce, and I freeze after baking before making sauce. A tip on freezing without sauce, place them on a sheet tray and freeze, then stack in a ziploc bag. Meatballs and Tomatoes A slice of good quality white bread 1/3 cup milk 1 pound ground beef, preferably chuck (can sub dark meat turkey) 1 tablespoon onion chopped very fine 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 tablespoon chopped parsley 1 tablespoon chopped basil 1 egg 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil 3 tablespoon freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese ¼ teaspoon nutmeg 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper, ground fresh Panko bread crumbs Vegetable Oil 1 Cup fresh, ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped or canned imported Italian plum tomatoes, chopped up, with their juices. Put the milk and bread in a small saucepan, and turn on the heat to low. When the bread has soaked up all the milk, mash it to a pulp with a fork. Remove from heat and cool. Put into a bowl the chopped meat, onions, parsley, basil, egg, garlic, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the grated parmesan, nutmeg, the bread and milk mush, salt, black pepper. Gently knead the mixture with your hands without squeezing it. When all the ingredients are evenly combined, shape it gently and without squeezing into balls about 1 ½ inch in diameter. You can use an ice cream scooper. Place breadcrumbs on plate, enough to cover the plate. Roll the balls lightly in the breadcrumbs. Choose a sauté pant that can subsequently accommodate all the meatballs in a single layer. You may need to do in batches. Pour in enough vegetable oil to accommodate ¼ inch up the sides. Turn on heat to medium high, and when the oil is hot, slip in the meatballs. Brown the meatballs on all sides, turning them carefully so they won’t break. Remove the pan from the heat, tip the pan slightly and with a spoon, remove as much of the fat as possible. Return the pan to the burner over medium heat, add the chopped tomatoes with their juice, a pinch of salt, and turn the meatballs over once or twice to coat them well. Cover the pan and adjust the heat to cook steady simmer for about 20-25 minutes,. Taste, correct for salt and serve alone or with spaghetti. Alternative cooking method: Preheat oven to 350 F- place meatballs on cookie sheet with lip after rolling breadcrumbs and bake until cooked through about 20-30 minutes. Then, add both meatballs and tomatoes to sauté pan and heat until sauce is bubbling. |
A square meal is satisfying, nourishing, complete.
A round table includes all. Categories
All
|
Proudly powered by Weebly