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.

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.