OVEN BAKED MEATBALLS by Kathy Cappuccitti

Today's recipe and tips come from my cousin, Kathy.  She is an avid cook and often shares recipes with me.  Kathy and I haven't seen each other in years but recently "found" each other on Facebook.  One of these days, I picture us in a kitchen together cooking up a storm. 

I prefer to cook one tray at a time (I think they brown better that way), but you could always switch up the trays half-way through cooking. Serve with your favorite tomato sauce. Great on pasta or in sandwiches. Meatballs can be frozen. Next time you make a tomato sauce, toss in a few frozen meatballs and let them sop up the sauce as they heat through. Double the recipe if you dare.  - Kathy

The Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 lb. lean ground veal
1 lb. lean ground pork
9 eggs
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 c soft bread, diced
1 1/2 c milk
1 1/2 c Parmesan cheese, grated
6 tbsp flour
1/4 c parsley, finely chopped
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
Chile flakes, to taste (optional)

1 c water
1 c white wine

The Method:
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F.

Place all ingredients (with the exception of water and wine) into a very large mixing bowl. Using your hands, mix well. Prepare two baking sheets with light spray of Pam. Using an ice cream scoop, shape meatballs and place on baking sheet, leaving a little space between them. Mix 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup wine (per pan) and pour the mixture between the meatballs. Do the same with the remaining water and wine on the second tray of meatballs.

Bake for 30 minutes, until the meatballs are lightly browned.

Note: If ground veal is not available, replace with ground pork or ground beef.

Shrimp Fra Diavlo

Fra Diavlo means Brother Devil...Obviously, this dish was named after my brother, Markie.  Oh. He so hates when I call him that.  Muhahahahaha (evil laugh)!  Actually, he hates the name Markie now that he is a man. His nickname when he was young was Prince Markie.I think he would like being called that now!  I am off topic but he'll understand.  Another muhahahaha!  This recipe can be served as an appetizer or served with pasta for a main course.  The heat is up to you...it's called devil for a reason.  Muhahahahha.  The evil laugh is courtesy of Ileana and Victor, who respond to facebook posts once a day with that response.  Love that! Copy that!

The Ingredients:
1 lb large shrimp (peeled, deveined)
1 tsp chile flakes (more if you like spice)
1/2 cup olive oil (extra for other dishes)
8 cloves of garlic, sliced (divided)
2 pints of cherry tomatoes
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup marinara sauce (I like Mario Batali's new brand)
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup chicken stock
4 tbsp heavy cream
1 tsp honey

The Method:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Marinate shrimp in 1/4 tsp of chile flakes. Keep refrigerated.
Make garlic oil.  Add olive oil and 6 cloves of sliced garlic to small sauce pan. Heat over low heat until garlic is soft and oil is very fragrant, about 20 minutes.  Save any remaining from this recipe.  You can use it for many other dishes to add flavor!
Make the tomatoes.  Add tomatoes to a sheet pan with 1 tbsp of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until tomatoes are wrinkled and just beginning to brown.
Heat skillet over medium high heat until hot.  Add 2-3 tbsp of garlic oil.  Add shrimp.  Saute for 1 minute per side.  Pan should be hot!  Shrimp should be just turning pink and slightly browned. Do not overcook shrimp. Remove to a plate and cover with foil. 
Add 2 tbs garlic oil to skillet. Add roasted, cherry tomatoes. Saute on medium high for 8-10 minutes. Add remaining 2 cloves of garlic. Saute for 2-3 minutes. Deglaze with white wine, 2-3 minutes, add marinara, chicken stock and garlic slices from the garlic oil.  Add additional chile flakes now if you want more "devil".   Cook over medium for 20 minutes.  Strain sauce through a strainer, press out all yummy solids or blend in a blender.  Return to pan.  Heat to simmer. Add honey and cream.  Add shrimp & pasta, if serving as a main dish or serve with garlic toast as an appetizer.
(Hint: save 1-2 ladles of pasta water and add if sauce is too thick)

Wine Can Chicken

OK. I know there is no such thing as a wine can but this is really wine can chicken.  Poured a beer for Mark into a frosty mug, more on that later, then filled the can with white wine, lemon juice, garlic, onions and herbs.  After seasoning the chicken I mounted/stuffed/stuck the chicken on top of the can and grilled it. The best part was using the liquids in the can to make a pan sauce to serve with the chicken. I also did foil wrapped potatoes as a side dish, which I'll post tomorrow.

Yum.

I need to confess about the frosty mug.  We don't have any beer mugs in the house so I took a water glass, stuck it into the ice bin for a few minutes and pulled out.....this.  (Insert picture here)

The Ingredients:
1 3-4 lb roasting chicken
2 lemons
4 sprigs rosemary
6 sprigs basil
3-4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 can of beer (give the beer to someone)
6 oz. white wine (enough to fill the can about 3/4's full)
Lawry's season salt
pepper
olive oil

Here is what you need! Simple!

All stuffed and ready to grill!

The Method:
Preheat grill or get BBQ ready using indirect heat method. (one side hot, the other warm)
Remove innards from chicken.  Rub chicken with 2-3 tbsp of olive oil. Sprinkle with Lawry's and pepper. Massage so oil and seasoning is covering all parts.  Slide you hand under the skin on the breast to loosen the skin. Place 2 sprigs of rosemary and 4 sprigs of basil under the skin of both breasts.  Pour the wine and juice from both lemons into the can.  Stuff the cavity of the chicken with 1-2 used lemons.  Add the remaining herbs to the can along with the garlic. Place the chicken onto the can and place on a pie plate or other pan that can withstand heat.  Place on the cooler side of the grill.  Grill for 45-60 minutes until internal temperature of the chicken is 170 degrees.  Rotate occasionally to ensure even browning.  Let rest for 15 minutes covered with foil.  To make the pan sauce, add any chicken juices and contents from the pan into a saucepan, remove herbs and garlic, bring to a boil until reduced.  Add 2-3 tbs heavy cream or 2-3 tbs of butter and serve.

Firecracker Pork with Habanero Pesto

This is my version of a dish from a local restaurant called Fuzio's.  It is the signature dish on their menu and while it doesn't sound like the ingredients go together...they do.  This is one of Benjamin's favorite meals now.  I made this on a weekday but I wouldn't recommend that unless you want to eat at 8pm like we did.  This is a low and slow kind of meal that is perfect for a weekend because most of the cooking is in the oven.  This makes enough pork to have leftovers but that is another post!  Try this and let me know what you think...that's what the comment section is for!  Don't be shy!

The Ingredients:
2 pork tenderloins, cut into 3" pieces
Olive Oil
6 cloves garlic
4 green onions
1 yellow onion, cut into chunks
2 bunches of cilantro, cut off stems
5 tbsp ginger, sliced
5 cups pineapple juice
1-2 cups low sodium soy sauce

Habanero Pesto
2 bunches of cilantro, cut off stems
5 cloves garlic
2 habanero peppers
about 1/4 cup of ollive oil

1 1/2 lbs cavatelli or large elbow macaroni
sour cream

The Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare the sauce.  Put garlic, green onions, yellow onion, ginger and cilantro in a food processor.  Pulse 8-10 times until paste forms.  Put mixture in a large pot, add pineapple juice and 1 cup soy sauce.  Bring to a simmer.  Taste, if needed, add more soy sauce.  Brown the pork on all sides and when well browned add to the large pot with the sauce.  Bake for 2 hours until pork is fork tender.  Remove pork from the sauce.  Bring the sauce up to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes.  In the meantime, shred the pork, cover with foil to keep warm.  Make the habanero pesto: add the garlic, cilantro, and 2 habanero's (seeds and membranes removed...carefully), pulse 3-4 times.  Slowly add the oil until the consistency is like pesto.  Set aside.  Make the pasta...cook for 2 minutes less than package recommends.  Drain the pasta and add to the reduced sauce.  Cook for 2 minutes.  To serve:  place pasta in individual bowls, top with shredded pork and a dollop of habanero pesto and sour cream. 

Obsessed with Buffalo Chicken Pasta

Not long ago, I posted buffalo chicken burgers and last week we had buffalo wings and now this?  We are obsessed.  Andrew wanted buffalo chicken burgers again but I wanted to make something with pasta.  As a compromise, I came up with this recipe.  For the meatballs I just followed my recipe for the buffalo chicken burgers but shaped into meatball shapes...well, duh.  The bleu cheese cream sauce was AMAZING.  Please give this one a try you will not be disappointed!

The Ingredients:
2 lbs ground chicken (or 1 lb ground chicken and 1 lb ground turkey)

1/2 red onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp grill seasoning
1 egg, beaten
1/4c buffalo wing sauce ( I use Franks)
1 c panko bread crumbs

2 carrots, peeled and diced
4 stalks celery, diced
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp grill seasoning
1 tsp Lawry's Season salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 c white wine
1 c chicken stock
1/4 c buffalo wing sauce
1 c heavy cream
1 tbsp butter
2-3 tbsp good bleu cheese (add more if you love bleu cheese; taste as you go)
1 package pasta (shells or penne)

The method:
PreHeat oven to 425 degrees
Place chicken/turkey and next 6 ingredients in a medium bowl. Toss and mix gently until ingredients are combined. Don't over mix or squeeze or the meatballs will be tough. Divide into equal portions and shape into meatballs. They will be sticky so wet your hands in between each one and have a sheet pan lined with foil ready to put them on. Chill for at least one hour to firm up before baking.

Tip:  Add all ingredients to the bowl first and mix. Then add chicken/turkey and panko. Less mixing means tender meatballs.

The Method Continued:

Cook the pasta according to package directions.  Cook just until firm or al dente.  Do not overcook. Drain and save 2 ladles of pasta cooking water.

To a large saucepan, add the olive oil and heat over medium.  Add the carrots, celery and onions to the pan and cook for approximately 10-15 minutes until well caramelized.  Add the garlic, grill seasoning, Lawry's and pepper. 

This is what the vegetable should look like before and after.

After the vegetables are caramelized, add the white wine,  Bring to a boil and reduce by half.  Next add the chicken stock and buffalo wing sauce.  Bring to a boil.  Simmer for 3-4 minutes.  Reduce heat and add the cream and butter. Cook for another 3 minutes.  Add the blue cheese.  Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.   Add the pasta and mix to combine, about 1-2 minutes.  If the sauce is too thick add 1-2 ladles of the pasta water.  Serve immediately with the meatballs and extra buffalo sauce.

Melon and Arugula salad and Pounded Chicken

 

Watermelon, orange and arugula..oh my!  Dinner last night was healthy but tasty.  A peppery salad made with arugula and sweetened up with watermelon and oranges.  A lemon vinaigrette lightly dresses the whole yummy thing.  The pan fried chicken is easy and fast because it's pounded to cook quickly and a pan sauce is optional, especially when served with a salad.

The Ingredients:
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Lawry's Season salt or sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil

Package of arugula
1 c watermelon, diced into 1/2" cubes
1 orange, peeled and sliced into 1'2" pieces
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
10-12 cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1-2 lemons, juiced (about 1/8 cup)
2 tbsp champagne or citrus vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp Dijon mustard
about 1/2 cup olive oil

The Method:
Make the vinaigrette: Add first 7 ingredients to small bow. Whisk together.  Slowly drizzle olive oil while continuously whisking until emulsion forms.  Taste and adjust seasoning.
Prep the chicken: Place chicken one at a time in resealable plastic bag and pound to 1/2 inch thickness with a heavy bottomed saucepan.  Season with Lawry's and pepper.  Heat skillet over medium-high heat until hot.  Sear chicken (may need to be done in batches) 3-5 minutes on first side until golden.  Turn over and sear remaining side.  Repeat with all pieces.  Transfer chicken to serving platter and cover with foil until ready to serve.
Add salad ingredients to medium bowl and toss with 2-3 tablespoons of vinaigrette.

Pasta Alla Carbonara

Well, I am back after a lengthy break due to lack of planning meals with enough time to write a recipe and take pictures before scarfing it down.  I've never made this Pasta Carbonara before but lately I've been craving eggs so I gave this a shot.  I added peas and chile flakes because, well...it sounded good.  Turns out it was.  I served this with an arugula and cherry tomato salad with a lemon vinagrette.  Perfect summer meal.

Ingredients:


1 pound dry spaghetti (I used thick spaghetti but you could also use fettucine)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces pancetta or slab bacon, cubed or sliced into small strips
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/2 to 1 tsp chile flakes
3 large eggs
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving
Freshly ground black pepper (lots and lots)
1 handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1-3 ladles reserved pasta water

Directions:

Prepare the sauce while the pasta is cooking to ensure that the spaghetti will be hot and ready when the sauce is finished; it is very important that the pasta is hot when adding the egg mixture, so that the heat of the pasta cooks the raw eggs in the sauce.

Bring a large pot of salted water (and I do mean salted...to taste like the ocean) to a boil, add the pasta and cook for 8 to10 minutes almost tender but still firm (as they say in Italian "al dente.") Drain the pasta well, reserving 1 cup of the starchy cooking water to use in the sauce if you wish.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a deep skillet over medium flame. Add the pancetta and saute for about 3-5 minutes, until the bacon is crisp and the fat is rendered. Toss the garlic and chile flakes into the fat and saute for 1 minute to soften.  Add the peas and cook for another 2-3 minutes.  Add lots of pepper.

Add the hot, drained spaghetti to the pan and toss for 2 minutes to coat the strands in the bacon fat. Beat the eggs and Parmesan together in a mixing bowl, stirring well to prevent lumps. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the egg/cheese mixture into the pasta, whisking quickly until the eggs thicken, but do not scramble (this is done off the heat to ensure this does not happen.) Thin out the sauce with a bit of the reserved pasta water, until it reaches desired consistency. Season the carbonara with several more turns of freshly ground black pepper and taste for salt. Mound the spaghetti carbonara into warm serving bowls and garnish with chopped parsley. Pass more cheese around the table.

Pineapple Pork

In our quest to eat healthy I came up with this recipe using lean pork tenderloin and fresh pineapple.  Too make it even healthier I served it with brown rice jazzed up with garlic, ginger, lite soy sauce and fresh spinach.  This is a new family favorite because it's quick, easy and satisfies the cravings for a certain fast food orange chicken, which is delicious, but I'm pretty sure it has a billion calories.

To jazz up the brown rice, follow package directions, but add 2 cloves of peeled, smashed garlic, 1 inch of peeled, smashed ginger and 3 tbs of either lite soy sauce or teriyaki sauce to the rice and liquid called for (I use chicken stock instead of water) and cook as directed.  When the rice is ready, stir in 1/2 bag of baby spinach and serve.

The Ingredients:
1 pork tenderloin, cut into 1 to 2 inch pieces
5-6 tbs corn starch, placed in a storage bag
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Pinch of red chile flakes
1/2 pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into 1' chunks
3/4 cup of pineapple juice
3 tbs lite soy or teriyaki sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbs peanut or vegetable oil

The Method:
Place pork in bag with the cornstarch, salt and pepper.  Shake well to combine. Let stand while preparing the pineapple.  Heat a large skillet until hot, add the oil, shake off any excess corn starch from the pork and saute the pork (in batches if necessary) until browned.  After the pork is browned, add the chile flakes and garlic and cook for 2 minutes.  Add the pineapple, pineapple juice and soy or teriyaki sauce.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 4-5 minutes until the pork is cooked through and the sauce has thickened.  Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

Buffalo Chicken Burger

Last week, Mark and I booked a trip to Las Vegas, just the two of us, for a long weekend in June.  You know what that means...no, not that!  It means working out and eating healthy so I can actually put on a bathing suit in about 5 weeks.  So one of the first recipes we tried was this chicken burger, which is actually 1/2 chicken and 1/2 turkey because the grocery store only had one package of chicken breast left.  This store runs out of everything..but don't get me started on that.  Anyway, we love buffalo wings and this is a much healthier version, even with the creamy bleu cheese sauce.  If you are a hater of bleu cheese, you can substitute light Ranch.  If you have any leftover chicken you can make them into meatballs and serve with wing sauce for a healthy appetizer the next day.

The Ingredients:
2 lbs ground chicken
1/2 red onion, chopped
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp grill seasoning
1 egg, beaten
1/4c + 1/4c buffalo wing sauce, 1/4 cup reserved for basting
1/2 c panko bread crumbs
whole wheat buns
spinach leaves

For the sauce:
1/2 c light mayo
2 stalks celery
Point Reyes Bleu Cheese or other good brand
salt & pepper
Mix all sauce ingredients in a small bowl and chill.

The Method:
Place chicken and next 6 ingredients, reserving 1/4 cup of buffalo wing sauce, in a medium bowl.  Toss and mix gently until ingredients are combined.  Don't over mix or squeeze or the burgers will be tough.  Divide into equal portions and shape into patties.  They will be sticky so wet your hands between burgers and have a sheet pan lined with foil ready to put them on.  Chill burgers for at least one hour to firm up before broiling or grilling.  Broil or grill each side for about 6 minutes before flipping.  Brush cooked side with reserved buffalo sauce.  Cook another 6 minutes and flip and baste.  Check internal temperature for 165 degrees.  Set onto a platter, baste again and cover with foil while you put together the buns and sauce.  I used spinach but arugula or plain iceberg lettuce would be good also.

The Real Deal Shepherds Pie

Yum, yum, yum!  This is comfort food to the max for me.  Why do I call this the real deal?  Because the recipe is from my Grandma and she came from Ireland. Ireland has lots of shepherds.  This is what they eat. I've seen many other recipes for Shepherds pie and I always thought "that's not right". So now I will set the record straight.  By the way, the shepherd's in the part of Ireland where my Grandma grew up lwatched over cows because this recipe uses ground beef, not lamb.  This recipe is great to use up leftover mashed potatoes. 

The Ingredients:
1 1/2 pds 80/20 ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce (apparently they had soy sauce in Ireland...wink)
1 tsp Lawry's season salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp flour
1/2 -3/4 cup of chicken or beef broth

3-4 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
salt
pepper
3 tbsp butter + 2 tbsp butter melted (used to drizzle on casserole top)
1/2 cup milk
1 bag of white corn, thawed and dried in paper towels

The method:

First, place potatoes in cold water, bring to a boil and cook until softened, about 15-20 minutes. 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Next start the ground beef.  Brown the ground beef in saucepan.  Add the season salt and pepper. Add the onions and garlic and cook for 3-4 minutes.  In a small bowl, add the flour, broth (start with a 1/2 cup, add more if too thick), worcestershire and soy sauces,  Whisk until smooth.  Add the mixture to the ground beef.  You should have a thick gravy after 2-3 minutes.  If too thick, add a bit more broth.  You don't want it soupy or your casserole will be runny.  Cook for about 5 more minutes and then turn off heat. Adjust seasonings.

Mash potatoes and add butter, salt, pepper and milk.

Spray 9x12 casserole dish with cooking spray.  Layer the ground beef mixture on the bottom, top with all of the corn and then spread mashed potatoes on the top. Be careful not to "pull up" the corn while spreading the mashed potatoes.  Run a fork lightly across the top of the casserole to create little valleys.  Drizzle with melted butter.  Bake for approximately 30 minutes and then broil for 3-4 minutes until top is golden brown.  Let sit for about 10 minutes before serving.

Chicken and Brie Panini

Panini's are like grown up grilled cheese sandwiches.  Cheese is a main component of any panini but you can mix it up by using different varieties of cheese, meat and other yummy fillings.  Brie is one of my favorite cheeses but not often used in sandwiches, mostly cheese trays.  When brie is served on a cheese tray it's usually accompanied by something sweet. Think figs, dried apricots...etc.  Yesterday, when I was thinking about this sandwich my mind turned to carmelized onions to add the sweetness necessary to use Brie.  Round out the chicken, carmelized onions and brie with some peppery arugula and you have one hell of a panini!

The Ingredients:
Ciabatta (or other crusty bread), sliced lengthwise
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, roasted and sliced
1/4 wheel of brie, room temperature
mayonaisse
2 onions, sliced
bag of arugula
olive oil
sea salt
pepper
1 tbls butter
1 tsp sugar

The method:
Pre Heat the oven to 400
Cover a cookie sheet with foil and place chicken breasts on the sheet.  Drizzle well with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Roast until breasts are golden, juices run clear and internal temperature is 170 degrees.  Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
While the chicken is roasting add onions, butter and 1 tbsp olive oil to a saute pan.  Cook over medium heat until onions and wilted and starting to brown, about 15 minutes.  Add sugar and continue cooking for another 15 minutes.  To prepare the sandwich:  spread thin layer of mayo on both sides of the bread, spread brie on one side of bread, add a layer of chicken, arugula and finish with the camelized onions.  Place bread halves together and press down.  You can use a panini press or sandwich maker but if you don't have those items here is what I do:  Put half the sandwich in a saute pan, top with a sheet of foil and then add a heavy skillet.  I use my cast iron skillet.  Press down occasionally.  Cook over medium heat until bottom is golden, flip over and cook the other side the same way.  Slice and enjoy!  Bon Appetit!

Turkey Taquitos

Turkey, Turkey, Turkey!  You won't even know this is the same thing you've eaten for the past 4 days. Trust me.  Oh yah, did I mention this turkey dinner is healthy?  These yummy, healthy taquitos can be served with a salad or some rice made with chicken stock and tomatoes.

Ingredients:
2 cups leftover turkey (or chicken), shredded
1/4 cup of store bought salsa
1 c pepper jack cheese, shredded
8-10 soft taco size flour tortillas
cooking spray

The method:
Pre-Heat oven to 425 degrees
Cover a cookie sheet with non-stick foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.
Combine turkey, salsa and cheese in a bowl and mix to combine.  Place approximately 3 tbls of the mixture on one end of the tortilla and roll up tightly.  Place seam side down on the cookie sheet and repeat with remaining tortillas.  Spray the tops of all the taquitos lightly with cooking spray and place in oven.  After about 10 minutes turn the taquitos over and continue baking for 10 minutes or until light golden brown.  Serve with salsa and light sour cream.

Before baking...

After baking. Yum!

Home Run Chicken

Mark loves the St. Louis Cardinals.  He really, really, really loves Albert Pujols.  According to Mark he might just be the best, all-time, greatest player...EVER!  Picture this, Food Network is on (and it usually is in our house), Paula Deen's show is just starting and there on the screen is Albert and Dee Dee Pujol's!  Where is Mark?  Right in front of the television with a big smile on his face.  How could I not create the very meal Albert has been eating his entire life for the LOML?  It came out really good, even though the recipe found here on Food Network didn't include the most important component, a Dominican spice mixture, called Sazon seasoning.  A simple google turned up this method found here.  The entire meal was a success and we're having it again tonight!  Go Cardinals!