Summer, Meet Fall

Ever so slowly we are creeping into more fall like weather.  A couple weeks ago, Tennessee had a cold front come through and we some genuinely early fall-like weather.  It was beautiful!  It made me crave slow cooked meat and rich amber beer.  Luckily, it was right about that week when grocery stores started busting out the pumpkin ales and oktoberfests.  (We opted for the Sierra Nevada Tumbler... it was a good choice.)  The vegetables are still decidedly summer though.  That is how this dinner came about.  Beer braised short ribs, a fresh summer salad, and some cooked down kale with garlic and red onions.

 I didn't write down recipes, but the general concept for all of this is really easy.

The local grassfed beef:  Trimmed off the (rather excessive) layer of fat--it was their cheap weekly special so I didn't complain.  Liberally coat with sea salt and black pepper.  Sear really well over med-high heat. Deglaze with some beer.  Add a couple crushed cloves of garlic and a sprig of fresh rosemary.  Add some more beer, maybe?  Cover and cook over med-low for about an hour adding beer as necessary to keep it all moist; until the beef is tender and falling off the bone.  Turn the heat up to med to cook off the liquid and form a glaze.

The summer salad:  Fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, and corn.  Fresh parsley and some lemon zest/juice.  A little olive oil, some plain lowfat yogurt, and salt and pepper.

The kale:  Caramelize about 1/2 an onion in extra virgin olive oil and/or butter. Throw in a little garlic and fresh thyme.  Add washed, chopped kale and a splash of liquid (stock, wine, beer....)  Cook until it is the desired texture.  ( I cook mine 8-10 minutes usually.)

Our Barbacoa

Barbacoa is a roasting/braising technique used throughout the Caribbean.  Traditionally it referred to the use of a whole animal, often a goat.  However, somewhere along the line it came to be the term for Mexican pot roast.  So, as much as I would like to roast a whole goat in my back yard, this is recipe is for a Latin-style pot roast slow cooked until everything literally melts together.  It is the perfect thing for the cooler weather and approaching autumn.

Our Barbacoa
~2 lb beef shoulder roast, cap fat removed if still on
1 14oz can crushed tomatoes
2 lrg cubanelle peppers, sliced  (or 1 lrg green bell pepper)
1 lrg clove of garlic, roughly chopped
1 chipotle in adobo, roughly chopped
salt and pepper

   Liberally salt and pepper beef.  I cut my roast in 3 pieces for faster cooking.  Place in Crock Pot.  Add the rest of the ingredients.
   Cook on HI for about 3 hours, until beef easily shreds apart.  (LO for 6-8 hours).
   Serve as you like.  Surprise, surprise, we made ours into tacos.
   Serves 4-6.

Garlic Pepper Burger w/ Chipotle Honey Mustard

Way back in June, for Father's Day, we made these burgers.  There is nothing too fussy about anything in this burger.  It is all about letting a few ingredients stand out.  (Entire menu at bottom of page.)

Garlic Pepper Burgers
2 lbs ground beef (I used an all natural 90/10)
slices of fresh tomato
cooked bacon (I used a locally made bacon)
6 slices white cheddar
6 buns, split and lightly toasted
   garlic pepper seasoning:
   2 tsp garlic chips, that are slightly crushed
   1 1/2 tsp sea salt
   3/4 tsp tri-color peppercorns
   1/4 tsp smoked black peppercorns
   1 tsp chopped fresh oregano (1/2 tsp dried)
   1/2 small onion, minced
   2 Tbsp worcestershire

   In a mortar and pestle or spice grinder, combine garlic, salt, and peppercorns.  Work into a powder that has some larger chunks.  Add that and the rest of the seasoning ingredients into the beef.  Use your hands to mix it together.
   Form into 6 patties that are slightly larger than the buns you plan to use.  Cook over medium heat using your desired method.  (Our original plan was to grill, but it poured down rain, so we did them in a skillet.)  Just before they reach your desired doneness, top with cheese to melt.
   Assemble burgers.
   Makes 6.

Chipotle Honey Mustard
1/4 C deli style mustard
1 Tbsp honey
1 tsp minced chiptole in adobo
1/2 tsp chipotle powder

Combine all ingredients.  Males enough for 6+ burgers.

Father's Day Dinner Menu

Crispy Smoked Chicken Rolls w/ Black Bean Hummus

-

Garlic Pepper Burgers w/ Chipotle Honey Mustard

"Black" Roasted White and Sweet Potatoes and Salad

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Lemon Buttermilk Pound Cake w/ Fresh Peaches

First Cookout of the Season

 Last Sunday, my parents came over for the first cookout of the year.  Yes, we have grilled before this.  I consider a cookout to be a meal of at least 2-3 grilled items, shared with people who don't live in your house, and eaten outdoors.  It was fantastic!  My parents brought the protein and we did everything else.

First Cookout of 2012 Menu

Appetizer:

Coastal Blend Goat Cheese Dip w/ Veggies and Crackers

Entree:

New Orleans BBQ Shrimp, grilled

Slightly Smoked Filet Mignon seasoned w/ Pirates Bite

Salad w/ Roasted Asparagus, Bacon and Roasted Garlic Mustard Vinaigrette

Roasted Potatoes w/ Thyme

Dessert:

Grilled Pineapple w/ Greek Yogurt, Honey Berry Sauce, and Hazelnuts

Mozzarella Meatballs

Sometimes meatballs can get too complicated.  Delicious, but complicated.  These delicately balance complex flavor with easy technique.  It is my basic meatball recipe with a gooey, cheesy surprise that requires very little effort.  And they pair perfectly with the Spicy Bacon Tomato Sauce and spaghetti.

Mozzarella Meatballs
1 1/2 lb 80/20 ground beef
4 oz mozzarella, diced
2 eggs
1/3 C bread crumbs (seasoned or plain)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp chopped parsley
3/4 tsp salt (a little less or more depending on the amount of salt in your bread crumbs)
1/3 tsp black pepper

   Combine all ingredients except beef.
   Using your hands, work beef into mixture just until everything is evenly distributed.
   Form into 1 1/2 inch balls and place on a lightly sprayed baking sheet.
   Place in a 450 deg F oven for 7 minutes.
   Turn heat down to 350 deg F and cook another 10 minutes.
   (Reheat in simmering sauce if necessary.)
   Makes 18-20 meatballs.  (Serves 6-8)

Mozzarella Meatballs w/ Spicy Bacon Tomato Sauce over spaghetti

Rosemary and Garlic Beef Roast

Sorry it is taking so long for me to get these Dickensian recipes up.  This roast is a great weekend make-ahead for a comforting weeknight meal.  Seriously, I think the leftovers are better.  Which is why I served it leftover-style for the Christmas dinner I catered.  I cooked it on day one.  Let it cool, then thinly sliced it and reheated it in the juices.  So few ingredients, but so yummy!

Rosemary and Garlic Beef Roast
2.5-3 lb beef shoulder roast
3 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 tsp dried rosemary
8-10 dried mushrooms (like porcini caps, ~0.5 oz)
1/2 C beef broth
salt and pepper
oil

   Use a paring knife to poke holes in the meat.  Put slices of garlic in the holes.  Do this evenly over the whole roast.  Liberally salt and pepper.
   Heat about 1 Tbsp oil over med-high heat.  Sear roast on all sides to get a good caramelization.  (This step is optional, but adds a lot of flavor.)
   Place in roasting pan with broth, mushrooms, and liberally sprinkle with rosemary.  Cover with foil.
   Put in a 325 deg F oven for 2.5-3 hours. (Remove foil for the last 30 minutes.)
   Allow to rest for 10 minutes, slice and serve immediately.
-OR-
   Allow to cool and slice as thinly as possible.  Place in juices and store.  When the day comes for eating, reheat in juices.  Add more broth if necessary.  Toss meat during reheating.  You can do this in a pan or in the oven.
   Serves 6-8.

Steak House Shepard's Pie

I was watching Cooking for Real a while ago; Sunny Anderson was making some version of a shepard's pie.  Maybe it was traditional, I don't remember, because I had the idea for this.  I thought of combining all those wonderful elements of a steak house dinner into a single dish:  garlic mashed potatoes, steak, creamed spinach, and bleu cheese.

Steak House Shepard's Pie
1 1/2 lbs ground sirloin
1 onion, chopped
1 C green peas (thawed)
1 10oz pkg frozen spinach (thawed and most of water squeezed out)
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp dried rosemary
2 lb potatoes
2-3 cloves garlic
3/4-1 C milk
2-3 Tbsp butter
1 C crumbled bleu cheese (~4 oz)
1/4 C parmesan
salt and pepper
oil

   Heat about 2 tsp oil over med heat.  Saute onions 5-7 minutes until soft and translucent.  Add meat, brown and break apart.  When meat is cooked, add peas, spinach, worcestershire, and rosemary.  Salt and pepper to taste.

   (If you like, peel the potatoes.  I left the skin on.)  Cube potatoes, place into a large pot with peeled garlic cloves and about 2 tsp salt, cover with cool water.  Bring to a boil.  Boil for about 15 minutes, until potatoes are fork tender.  Drain.  Mash with a potato masher, add butter and milk.  Salt and pepper to taste.

   Spoon meat mixture into an even layer in a 13x9 baking dish.  Sprinkle bleu cheese over meat.  Top with mashed potatoes.  Sprinkle with parmesan.

   At this point, cover and refrigerate or bake immediately.

   Bake uncovered at 350 deg F for 20-25 minutes.  (Add 10 minutes if refrigerated.)

   Serves 6-8.

  

Open Face Steak Sandwiches



I love burgers, but every once in a while things need to be changed up a bit.  Steak sandwiches can be casual or classy and this version is the perfect combination:  nice but unpretentious.  If you aren't into the pepper and onion thing with steak (but seriously, who isn't?), try just the marinade portion.  The port and Worcestershire are really delicious with the beef.  It will work on any cut.  The one-of-a-kind flavor of Worcestershire and the slightly sweet port play so well with the minerally red meat.

Port and Worcestershire Steak
1 lb beef (we used flat iron)
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp port wine
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp red wine vinegar
salt and pepper

   Liberally salt and pepper steak.  Use a fork to poke hole in the meat.  Combine wet ingredients.  Marinade beef for 1-24 hours turning over occasionally.
   Cook using desired method to preferred doneness. 
   Serves 3-4.

Open Face Steak Sandwiches
1 lb cooked Port and Worcestershire Steak, sliced*
2 Tbsp of reserved port and Worcestershire marinade
1 med red bell pepper, sliced
1 med onion, sliced
4 large slices sourdough bread, about 3/4 in thick
1 C shredded fontina cheese
oil

   Heat about 1 tsp oil in a non stick skillet over med heat.  Saute onion until translucent (4-5 minutes.)  Add bell pepper, cook another 5 or so minutes until pepper is tender.  Add reserved marinade.  Cook 3-4 minutes.
   Lightly toast bread slices.
   Top bread with meat, peppers and onions, and cheese.
   Place under a hot broiler until cheese is melted, brown and bubbly.
   Serves 4.

*Tip:  Slightly undercook the steak from your desired temperature because it will cook a little more under the broiler.

Bacon braised cabbage and sweet potato oven fries round out the meal.



Parsley and Parmesan "Crusted" Flank Steak

   The reason crusted is in quotations is that I found out my broiler doesn't work.  I turned on what I thought was a working broiler to 500 deg F, put the meat in and 5 minutes later it was just barely warm to the touch.  Attempting to broil something then finding out you do not have a top heating element is not fun.  So what started out as a "crusted" idea became a "melted" actuality.  It was still fantastically delicious, so it's not a big problem.  For now....  I know that at some point I am going to want to make something brown and crispy, though.

Parsley and Parmesan Flank Steak
2-2.5 lb flank steak
sea salt and fresh pepper
rosemary
garlic powder
onion powder
1/3 C fresh grated parmesan cheese
1/4 C chopped fresh parsley

   Lightly sprinkle both sides of steak with rosemary, garlic and onion powders.  Liberally salt and pepper steak.
   Place in 450 deg F oven near bottom rack for 6-7 minutes.  Flip and cook 3-4 minutes.  Combine cheese and parsley, top steak with it.  Cook another 3-4 minutes.  This should give you a medium/medium-rare steak.  Let rest 5-7 minutes.  Slice against the grain on a biased.
   Serves 4-6

Classic Meatballs... for a bunch of hungry people

   Sometimes meatballs aren't that exciting.  But a good meatball can't be beat.  Tender, meaty, lusciousness that is all heart and comfort.  I think everyone needs to have a great, basic, classic meatball recipe.  With it, you can branch out and experiment.  Or keep it close to tradition and satisfy a crowd.  This was the first time I ever used a beef and pork combo.  Why had I not done this before?!  It is perfect.  I always thought TV personalities were bullshitting about the awesomeness of this combination.  That was stupid on my part.  So many people wouldn't rave about it if it was bad.  I guess I just wasn't prepared for how good it actually was.  I never order meatballs out, so my standards for comparison were meatballs I made and the ones my mom made.  Not a wide variety there.  I am writing the recipe slightly different that what I actually did.  I am saying 1.5 lb ground sirloin.  However, I only used 1 lb and I had about 1/2 lb of ground 90/10 turkey in the freezer so I threw that in; but you could also use ground veal.  (I don't eat baby animals sooo.... not an option for me.)

Meatballs

1.5 lb lean ground beef (sirloin, 93/7)

1 lb ground pork (80/20)

2 eggs

1/2 C seasoned bread cumbs

1/4 C grated parmesan cheese

1 1/2 Tbsp worcestershire sauce

2 tsp salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp thyme

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

extra virgin olive oil

   Combine all ingredients except meats and oil.  Using hands, work in meats; be sure to not overwork meat.  (Let meat come up to room temp so it is easier to work with.)  Form into balls a little larger than golf balls.

   Spread a little evoo over the bottom of a baking pan.  Place meatballs in, leave a little bit of space between each one.  Mixture will make about 24 meatballs and they will all comfortably fit in a 13x9 pan.

   Bake at 375 deg F for about 25 minutes.

   Serves 12 (at most).

"Mince Meat" Pies

   Mince meat is delicious for those of you who have not eaten it.  However, the idea of it is scary to a vast majority of Americans.  Because of this, Christmas is the only time mince meat is available and those little jars don't hang around in the grocery store for very long.  My first intorduction to mince meat was in cookie form.  My aunt made them for Christmas one year and my cousins and I snatched them up before we even knew what the heck they were.  I knew it was fruit of some sort but I had no idea what kind.  Later I found out it was mince meat, was a little disgusted, then got over it.

   For Heather's Very Potter Birthday, I decided to make mince meat pies.  But not with real mince meat, I made up my own version using items that are readily available in my grocery store.  Actually, it is just mince meat inspired.  I didn't want to bother with pastry dough, so I used pizza dough.  Really, they are like sweet and savory hand-held sandwiches

"Mince Meat" Pies
1 recipe whole wheat maple dough (below)
1/4 C raisins
1/4 C chopped dates
1/4 C chopped figs
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/3 C rum or brandy (or stock)
1 lb lean ground beef
1 C diced onion
3/4 C diced carrot
2 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp garlic
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp hot paprika (optional)
1 bay leaf
1/4 C smokey BBQ sauce
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
oil, salt and pepper

   Combine dried fruits, cinnamon, nutmeg, and rum.  Microwave on high for 30 seconds.  Let stand for at least 10 minutes.
   Heat a little oil over med heat.  Saute onions and carrots until tender, 5 minutes.  Add ground beef and some salt and pepper.  Brown.  Add garlic, herbs, and worcestershire sauce.  Cook about 1 minute.  Add fruit with rum, BBQ sauce, and vinegar.  Turn heat to med-low.  Cook/simmer for about 15-20 minutes.  It will become sort of like paste.  Adjust seasoning to taste.  Cool.
   Divide dough into about 20 pieces.  Work into a 3 in circle.  Add about 1 rounded Tbsp of meat filling.  Bring dough edges together and crimp with a fork.  Place on a lightly greased pizza pan (or baking sheet).  Poke a small vent hole in the top of the pie and lightly brush with oil or melted butter.
   Bake at 375 deg F for 18-20 minutes, until golden brown.
   Serve warm or at room temp.
  
Whole Wheat Maple Dough
1 C better for bread flour
1 pkg active dry yeast
2 tsp maple syrup
1 3/4 C very warm water
1/2 tsp salt
1 C whole wheat flour + about 2 C more
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

   In a large glass or ceramic bowl add better for bread flour, yeast, and syrup.  Slowly add water, working out lumps.  Let sit for 5 minutes or until small bubbles form on the surface.  Add 1 C wheat flour and salt.  Combine.  Add whole wheat flour 1/2 C at a time until dough is not longer sticky and can be handled.  Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until dough is smooth and elastic. (It will take 6-8 minutes.)  Form into a ball.
   In the bottom of a clean large glass or ceramic bowl, add oil.  Turn dough in oil until evenly covered.  Place a warm damp towel over the bowl and let rise until double in size in a warm spot.  (I preheat my oven to a very low temp then immediately turn it off.)

Steak Faux-rite

   Steak frite.  Quintessential bistro fare.  Classically a sirloin cut of steak seared and cooked in butter with a generous portion of long-cut potatoes that have been deep-fried in animal (beef) fat.  Goodness, my mouth is watering.  So good, but obviously not waist or artery friendly.  Wouldn't you love a healthy version that you can make at home and not have any hot oil to worry about?  This incredibly easy meat and potato meal will satisfy the urge for an expensive steakhouse dinner and fast food fries all in one go. 

Grilled New York Strips with Horseradish Sauce
1.5 lb New York strips (two 1 1/4 inch thick steaks)
2 tsp grill seasoning  (ie McCormick Grill Mates for Steak)
*cooking spray
2 Tbsp light sour cream
1 Tbsp plain yogurt
2 1/2 tsp grated horseradish
1 tsp minced garlic

   Cut steak in half or grill and then cut in half, that is up to you.  Season both sides of steaks very well with grill seasoning.  Lightly spray steaks on both sides to prevent sticking.  Pre-heat grill to high.  Cook steaks 4 minutes each side (if whole, 3 min per side if cut in half) for medium/medium-rare.  Let rest for 3-5 minutes before serving.
   Combine sour cream, yogurt, horseradish, and garlic for sauce.
   Serves 4 (6 oz portions).

Total Ingredient Cost: $14, four good steaks and sauce for the price of one mediocre steak at a restaurant.
Per Serving (assuming you do not eat the fat layer on the edge of the steak):  Calories 312, Fat 10g, Total Carb 1g, Protein 23.5 g
Daily Values:  Vit A 1%, Vit E 3.25%, Vit K 3.25%, Vit B6 53.5%, Vit B12 42%, Calcium 5.5%, Iron 16.75%   

Rosemary Roasted Potatoes
3 large russet or Idaho potatoes, scrubbed and cubed
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp sea salt
cracked black pepper

   First of all, do not peel the potatoes!  Place cubed potatoes on a baking sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil.  Sprinkle with rosemary, salt, and pepper.  Toss to coat potatoes.  Spread into a single layer.
   Roast at 400 deg F for 35-40 minutes.  Toss once during cooking.  Don't open the oven too often to look at them because they won't get crispy if you do.
   Serves 4.

Total Ingredient Cost:  $1.30, doesn't get any cheaper.
Per Serving:  Calories 140, Fat 3g, Total Carb 25.75g, Fiber 2g, Protein 2g
Daily Values:  Vitamin C 45%, Vit B6 10%, Calcium 2%, Iron 3%


   If you have the steak with sauce, crispy roasted potatoes, and a caesar salad, you are looking at under $20 for a very nice meal for 4!  Each plate of food is only around 500 calories, and remember that those calories are not coming from large quantities of bad fats or nutritionally void starchy carbohydrates!  The average steak house meal with sides and a salad will probably run you $40/meal (not including drinks) and 1000 calories.  Plus, you can eat this in your underwear on the sofa if you like.

Beef Stir Fry with Peanut Sauce

   I seriously debated about whether or not to post this.  Stir fry is really easy, but it is all about timing.  If you don't have everything planned out and added at just the correct time, your whole meal can be thrown off.  For example, I first started making stir fry when I was about 14, my onions would be mushy and my broccoli would be too crunchy.  It's a delicate process of timing and perfecting.  But once you master your own timing, it is great!  Stir fry is the best way to use the last bit of veggies left in your fridge.  I made stir fry at least once a week for 7 months because my husband craves it more than I do.  We usually had it the day before grocery shopping to clean out our refrigerator.

   Cleaning out is exactly what we did last night.  We had left over beef tenderloin from the holidays and like one zucchini, one stalk of broccoli, etc.  I don't expect you to use beef tenderloin in your stir fry because normally it is $15/lb.  Flank steak and any cut of sirloin will work just as well in this and be considerably cheaper without increasing fat or calories.  You can also use chicken or shrimp if you would like.  Literally, whatever you want to put in this. 

   Don't freak when you see the calorie count, fat, carbs, etc.  Remember this is an entire meal which is packed with good protein, fiber, and vitamins!  When you take that into consideration everything is extremely reasonable.  I do suggest using reduced fat peanut butter, though.  We just couldn't find the brand I like the last time I was at the store.  And obviously, if you use chicken, shrimp, or no meat the meal will have less fat and calories, but also less protein.  A lime wedge and sprinkle of Skillin's Roasted Peanuts sent to me by my lovely friend over at 87Life perfectly finished this dish!

Beef Stir Fry with Peanut Sauce
Sauce:
1/4 C smooth peanut butter
2 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 tsp mirin (optional)
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp grated ginger
1/2 tsp sriracha (more or less to taste)
1/2 tsp lemon grass puree (optional)
zest of 1/4 lime
juice of 1/2 lime
2/3-3/4 C reserved pasta water

1/2 lb whole wheat (or whole grain) pasta (cooked in lightly salted water)
1/2 lb lean beef, sliced into very thin strips
1/9 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
a couple grinds black pepper
~1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 zucchini, sliced into half rounds
1 yellow squash, sliced into half rounds
1 medium stalk of broccoli, broken down into florets
1 medium onion, sliced
2 medium carrots, sliced
4 oz crimini mushrooms, sliced

   Combine sauce ingredients together (minus pasta water).
   Toss beef in salt, pepper, and baking soda (which helps tenderize the meat).
   Heat a little bit of oil over medium/med-high heat.  Sear beef very quickly, not cooking all the way through, and remove from pan.  Toss in onions and carrots.  Saute for about 2 minutes.  Add broccoli.  Cook for another 2 minutes.  Add squashes, mushrooms, and beef.  Cook for about 3 minutes.
   Pasta should be cooking while vegetables are cooking.  Before draining the pasta, add 1/2 C of the water to the beef and vegetables and reserve another 1/4 C.  Add peanut sauce to pan and stir.  If it seems globby, add a little more of the reserved water.  Toss in pasta.
   Serves 4.

Per Serving:  Calories 415, Fat 12g, Total Carb 59 g, Fiber 12g, Protein 30g
Daily Values:  Vit A 127%, Vit C 75%, Calcium 6.5%, Iron 16%
Total Ingredient Cost:  $8.80  This can obviously be brought down by using a less expensive meat.  We used 1/2 lb of beef tenderloin that was purchased at $9.99/lb (sale).

Meatballs Stuffed with Smoked Gouda in a Sundried Tomato Vinaigrette

  I know, sounds fancy.  But they aren't too terribly hard.  Time consuming yes.  It will take a while to form all the meatballs.  Especially if you make a full batch of these.  Luckily, the recipe is easy to pare down.  And there is no need to wait for a party to make these mini meatballs.  Make them regular sized and shake up spaghetti night!  It's really just a technique.  Try out different cheeses, different sauces, make them with just the turkey sausage, or with ground chicken... the possibilities may not be endless, but there are a lot of them.

   I am sort of obsessed with these.  I made them about a month ago for a neighbor's going away party.  (Which I didn't even attend by the way... I was invited by the hosts, and then my parents uninvited me!)  I already had them planned for the hafla, but I really wanted to test them out.  It was the perfect excuse!  I found that using just smoked gouda wasn't the greatest because it doesn't melt that well inside of the meatballs when they are cooked.  So for last Saturday I added in little mozzarella pearls.  The texture of the mozzarella is nice and you still get a hint of smokiness from the gouda.  I really wanted to use smoked mozzarella as the only cheese from the very beginning but it was magically no where to be found when it came time to make them.

   The vinaigrette is really easy; I sort of cheated when I found sundried tomato pesto on sale.  I simply added a couple things.  If you don't have both vinegars, use all of one kind.  I personally think the mix gives the best balance of flavor and tanginess.  Try it over salads or grilled/roasted veggies.  Or just toss it with some pasta and the meatballs!

Sundried Tomato Vinaigrette
4 Tbsp sundried tomato pesto
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2-3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

   Combine ingredients.  (Total no-brainer!)

Mini Meatballs Stuffed with Smoked Gouda and Mozzarella
1 1/2 lb ground beef (85/15 worked best for me, if you can find it)
3 links (~1/2 lb) hot Italian turkey sausage (casing removed)
1 egg
6 Tbsp bread crumbs
1/4 C grated parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp chopped parsley
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
8 oz mozzarella pearls (these are very small, quarter bocconcini if you can't find the pearls
4 oz smoked gouda, diced (1/4 in sq cubes)
salt and pepper

   In a large bowl, thoroughly combine egg, parmesan, bread crumbs, herbs, and pepper flakes.  Add meat.  Gently break up meat with a fork and fold into bread crumb mixture.  Salt and pepper.  Use hands to finish mixing.  (Now would be a good time to cook a little patty to see if it seasoned properly.)
   Take a rounded teaspoon of the meat.  Flatten it in your palm to form a roughly 2 in circle.  Add one mozzarella pearl and one piece of the smoked gouda.  Carefully fold the meat around the cheeses.  Roll in your palms to form the meat ball.  Repeat (about 50 times.....)
   Bake at 370 deg F for 12-15 minutes until cooked through.
  OR
   Pan fry over medium heat in a little oil for 8-10 minutes, until cooked through.  (Don't worry if the cheese oozes out a bit; it will just let your guests know that there is a cheese inside!)
   While hot, toss with the vinaigrette.  Serve immediately or allow to cool to room temperature.  (Or I don't see any reason you couldn't keep them warm in a crock pot!)
   Makes about 5 dozen mini meatballs

Pastisio... finally!

   Recently regular Italian lasagna was discussed.  Now it is time for Greek lasagna!  Ok, it's not really lasagna but it is the same basic idea:  ground meat, pasta, tomatoes, cheesy sauce.  My friends and I went to the Nashville Greek Festival a couple months ago.  Heather bought some pastisio that was delish.  I was like, "Hey, we can totally make this at home!"  So a few weeks later we did.  I would have blogged it earlier except that I didn't write down amounts and I forgot to put eggs in the bechamel (basic white sauce.)  Well, I forgot to tell Sarina to put eggs in the bechamel (she makes a kickass cheesy white sauce!)  It was still super yummy, but there was no way I could share it as a recipe.  This past Sunday we made it again so now I can share!

Pastisio
1 recipe parmesan sauce (see below)
1 lb short cut pasta, cooked 2 min less than package directions
1 lb ground beef (or lamb)
1 lrg zucchini, chopped
2 lrg carrots, chopped
1 med onion, chopped
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
1 can (14 oz) crushed or diced tomatoes
1/2 C red wine (optional, stock maybe substituted)
1 Tbsp minced garlic
2 bay leaves
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp ground clove
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
oil
salt and pepper

   In a large pan, saute onions and carrots in a little bit of oil over medium heat until tender, 5 min.  Brown ground beef.  Add zucchini, mushrooms, tomatoes, wine, and spices.  Simmer until liquid reduces by one half, ~15 min.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Fold in cooked pasta.  Pour into a greased 13x9x2 baking dish.  Evenly spread parmesan sauce over the top.
   Bake at 400 deg F for 30-35 min.
   Serves 8
TIP:  Oh no!  You don't have the amount of cinnamon you thought you had!  Do you have pumpkin pie spice?  2 1/2 tsp of pumpkin pie spice may be used instead of the cinnamon and clove.  The spice blend is mostly cinnamon with just a touch of clove, nutmeg, and ginger.  Pumpkin pie spice may be used in any recipe that calls for cinnamon as long as you don't have some weird blend that has sugar added.  (This happened to us the first time we made pastisio.)
   And shit!  That can of tomatoes is no where to be found?  Use half a jar of marinara, your audience will never know the difference.  (This happened to us the second time we made it.)

Parmesan Sauce
3 Tbsp butter
1/4 C flour
1 1/2 C milk
1/2 C cream*
1 1/2 C parmesan cheese
2 lrg eggs
1/4 tsp nutmeg
salt and pepper
*If you are using whole milk, all 2C can be milk.

   Melt butter over medium heat.  Whisk in flour, make sure there are no lumps.  Slowly add milk and cream, whisking constantly.  Cook for 3-4 min until mixture starts to thicken.
   Beat eggs in a bowl.  Add a few tablespoons of hot milk mixture to eggs, stir constantly.  (This is tempering... making sure your eggs don't scramble when they hit the pan of hot sauce.)  Add eggs to sauce.
   Slowly work cheese into sauce.  Add nutmeg.  Lightly salt and pepper.
**This is a good basic sauce and would be great with vegetables (ie. veggie gratin)

Photos by Heather!<3
Oh! And check it, Heather has a photography blog now!

Pierogies

   Today is my dad's 58th birthday!  Last night we had his birthday dinner.  I have been planning this particular pierogi making adventure for over a month.  Piergoies remind me of something my dad would have grown up eating.  Never mind the fact that my grandmother is neither a great cook nor Polish.  In fact, there is absolutely no Polish in our veins.  Although, half of my heritage did invade Poland a few years back (.... too soon?)

   I love homemade pierogies but they are seriously time intensive.  You can't come home on a Tuesday night and be like,  "Oh, hey!  I think I'll make pierogies from scratch!"  It doesn't work that way.  But it is sooo worth it to make them yourself!  Good new is that they freeze amazingly well.  While they are not hard to make, the process will take a few hours so be prepared.  Do this on a Sunday afternoon or a snow day.  This recipe makes a lot because if you are going to make them, make a bunch!  Go all out, make half meat and half potato... variety is the spice of life, right? 

Pierogi Dough
5 C flour
16 oz sour cream
2 eggs (whole)
1 egg yolk
2 Tbsp butter, melted
1 Tbsp oil
1 tsp salt

   Combine everything except flour.  Add 4 1/2 C flour.  Incorporate.  The dough probably will not form a ball on its own (don't worry!)
   Sprinkle 1/4 C flour on surface.  Turn out dough.  Sprinkle the last 1/4 C over the dough.  Knead dough until it comes together.  Add more flour if needed.  Divide dough into easily managed pieces (2-4).  Let rest at least 10 min.
   On floured surface.  Carefully roll out dough to 1/4 inch thick.  Cut into 3 inch circles.  (NOTE:  Once cut, the dough has a tendency to spring back a little.  The dough may need to be stretched a little when it comes time to fill.)
   Makes 8-10 servings.

Potato Filling
1/2 lb potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1/2 C white cheddar
1/2 C soft farmers cheese (ricotta salata or cream cheese will also work)
2 Tbsp grated parmesan
1/4 tsp nutmeg (optional)
salt and pepper
oil

   Place potatoes in a medium pot and cover with cold water.  Bring to boil.  Liberally salt water.  Boil until potatoes are fork tender.  Drain potatoes.  Mash.
   Saute onions for 5-7 min in a little bit of oil.
   Add the onions and the rest of the ingredients to the potatoes.  Mix.  Salt and pepper to taste.
   (Enough filling for half the amount of dough made. 20-25 pierogies)

Meat Filling
1/2 lb ground beef (93/7 I think is best)
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp mashed potato filling (optional... it works as a binder)
salt and pepper
oil

   Saute onions in a little bit of oil for about 5 min.  Add ground beef.  Brown and cook thoroughly.  Turn off heat.  Add the rest of the ingredients.  Salt and pepper to taste.
   (Enough filling for half the amount of dough made. 20-25 pierogies)

Assembling, Cooking and Serving (Exactly the same for meat and potato fillings)
Place a heaping tsp (really its about 2 tsp...) in the center of a dough circle.

Gently stretch dough around filling, bringing edges together.

  Yeah... Look at those awesome purple nails!

Seal dough completely.  (NOTE:  The dough should have enough moisture to stick to itself, but if it is not sticking, dab a little bit of water at the edges.  Or use a fork to crimp edges.  I use a fork to crimp the edges of the meat filled ones so I can tell the difference between the two.)

I bought it 'cause the color is called "climax".

In a large pot, boil pierogies in salted water for 6-7 minutes.  Do this in batches.  Drain off excess water.  (This is the point where you would freeze them.)

For every 4 servings:

1 medium onion, sliced

2 1/2 Tbsp butter

1/3 C chopped parsley

Saute onions in 1/2 Tbsp butter until golden brown over med-high heat.  Melt in the other 2 Tbsp butter.  Saute pierogies for 6-8 min.  Cover and cook another 5 min.  Toss in parsley and serve!

 

Trust me, it is all worth it in the end!!!!

Latin Herb Grilled Flat Iron Steak with Fruit Salsa

   A couple days ago I had the privilege of speaking to a high school culinary class.  It was a last minute thing, and I was sort of thrown into it.  I felt completely unprepared and scatter-brained, but I had so much fun!  It was so amazing to see kids excited about food and what I was talking about.  I asked for suggestions for what they would like to see on this blog.  This post is the first of those suggestions.  Or at least a modified version.  The request was for a mango salsa, but when I was at the grocery store, the mangoes didn't look too great.  So I made a pineapple salsa instead.  The great thing about this recipe is that you could easily use mango... or kiwi, or strawberries, or orange segments, or any combination of fruit.... experiment and have fun with it!  You could even leave out the fruit to have an awesome, simple fresh salsa.  The salsa I made is super chunky.  If you want to made something more conducive to dipping, just chop everything smaller.

Garlic Cilantro Marinade
1 C parsley, chopped
1/2 C cilantro, chopped
1/3 C olive oil
1/4 C lime juice (about 2 limes)
1 Tbsp minced garlic
zest of 1 lime
salt and pepper

Combine ingredients.  Reserve 1/4 C of marinade for fruit salsa.  The amount of marinade that is left is enough for about 1 1/2 lbs of meat.  This marinade can literally be used for any type of meat:  steak, chicken, pork, even seafood.
Rub meat with marinade.  Let meat marinate for 30 min to overnight.  (Only let seafood marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour, no longer.)  Grill or broil meat until cooked.  For flat iron steak, grill for 8 minutes on each side for medium.

Pineapple Salsa
1/4 C of reserved garlic cilantro marinade
1/2 C chopped tomato
1/3 C chopped pineapple (or other tropical fruit, like mango)
1/4 C chopped onion
1 small jalapeno, seeded and minced (optional)
salt and pepper

Combine ingredients.  Chop chunky or fine, depending on use.  Leave chunky to top meat or toss with a salad.  Chop finer for a dip to serve with tortilla chips.