Spasgetty and Meatballs

Mmm mmm mmm mm mmmmmmmmmmmmm. There's just something about eating a big plate of pasta with perfectly seasoned little mounds of meat. And to make it even more fun, I secretly play a game with myself to make sure that my meat:sauce:pasta ratio is perfect with every bite. Yes, it takes some planning, but I think it's worth it. My special recipe for...

Spaghetti and Meatballs

For the meatballs:

1 lb lean ground beef (15% fat is perfect)
1 egg
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup beef broth
1/3 cup panko* bread crumbs
1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tsp drided basil

For the sauce:

42 oz. canned diced tomatoes (1 big and 1 small can)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp sugar
1 tbsp dried basil
1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

1 lb spaghetti noodles, or favorite pasta

* Panko bread crumbs can be found in the asian food section of your grocery store, and often the bulk bins. They have a light, crispy crumb that has much more texture than standard store bought bread crumbs. They are almost always my first choice when I need crumbs.

Combine all ingredients for meatballs, mixing until just combined. If you handle the meat too much, it will become tough when cooked.

Use a cookie scoop to measure your meat balls and roll between your palms to form a ball. Place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and topped with a cookie rack. Drizzle meatballs with olive oil and place under broiler for 5-6 mins, or until the tops start to brown. Remove from oven.

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Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil over medium heat and saute garlic until fragrant. Add tomatoes and sugar. Bring to a simmer and add meatballs. Let simmer until slightly thickened. Stir in basil, parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper to taste.



Serve with cooked spaghetti noodles and top with more parmesan (can you tell I like parm?)
Enjoy!

... was deeelish!

Although I cook a lot, and think of myself as a pretty darn good cook, it's not often that I really, truly enjoy the meals I make. Sure, they taste good, but I think it's the fact- yes, a FACT- that things taste better when you don't make them. Sandwiches prove this point to me every time I eat one. I can make the same ham and cheese as someone else, and theirs will always taste better than mine to me. Am I just crazy? Any who, I bring this up because the other night I made something that just knocked my socks off and I had to share it. This recipe originally came from Martha, but of course, I tweaked it. I give you...

Ham and Sage Stuffed Chicken with Dijon Dill Sauce

4 slices white sandwich bread, cut into cubes

2 oz. sliced ham, chopped

½ tsp. dried sage

4 sliced Swiss cheese, chopped

4 tbsp. olive oil

Salt and Pepper

4 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp flour

1 cup milk

½ tsp dill weed

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1. In a bowl, combine bread, ham, cheese, sage, and 2 tbsp olive oil.

2. Lay chicken flat on work surface. Using a paring knife, cut a 2-in-long slit in the thick side of the chicken breast. Insert knife, and pivot, carefully forming a deep pocket without enlarging the opening. Stuff each pocket with the bread mixture, packing tightly; season chicken with salt and pepper.

3. In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp. oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until browned on one side, 6-8 mins. Turn chicken over, cover skillet, and reduce to medium heat. Cook until opaque throughout, 6-8 mins. more. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.

4. Melt butter over medium heat in small sauce pan. Add flour and stir until combined. Pour milk slowly into flour mixture, stirring constantly until thickened adding more milk as necessary to achieve desired thickness. Stir in dill and mustard to finish. Ladle sauce over chicken to serve.

Give this recipe a try and let me know what you think. I served it up with a baked potato, and some broccoli and green beans that I sautéed in the pan used for the chicken. It tied the veggies in really nicely to the chicken.

On a side note, I’ve been working on Emmie’s Halloween Costume today. She’s been mildly obsessed with the Wizard of Oz after watching it for the first time last month. She’ll make a stinkin’ cute Dorothy.

A Pizza Day

Saturday night I had hankerin' for a good slice of deep dish. This isn't uncommon, really. Pizza is pretty much my food of choice all the time. Sad, I know considering all the amazing food I've tried. I just can't shake its cheesy bready goodness.

Memories of my last attempt (Christmas Eve ’08-sad!) at making the perfect deep dish- heavy dough, burnt cheese, soggy middle- made me less than enthusiastic about trying it again. But I did some searching and found a recipe that I thought would work well... and it did! This recipe comes to us from America’s Test Kitchen.

Pepperoni Pan Pizza

Dough:

½ Cup Olive Oil

¾ cup skim milk plus 2 addtl. Tbsp., warmed to 110 degrees. (I used 1%)

2 tsp sugar

2 1/3 cups AP flour, plus extra for counter

2 ¼ tsp instant yeast

½ tsp table salt

Sauce:

1 Tbsp. Olive Oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1- 28 oz can crushed tomatoes

Salt and Pepper

Topping:

3 cups part skim mozzarella cheese

1- 3 ½ oz. package sliced pepperoni

1. To make the dough: Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 200 degrees. When oven reaches 200 degrees, turn it off. Lightly grease large bowl with cooking spray. Coat each of two 9-inch cake pans with 3 tablespoons oil. (Next time I’ll use 1 ½ tbsp. olive oil, and 1 ½ tbsp. canola oil for each pan. The olive oil taste was a bit overpowering in the crust)

2. Mix milk, sugar, and remaining 2 tablespoons oil in measuring cup. Mix flour, yeast, and salt in standing mixer fitted with dough hook. Turn machine to low and slowly add milk mixture. After dough comes together, increase speed to medium-low and mix until dough is shiny and smooth, about 5 minutes. Turn dough onto lightly floured counter, gently shape into ball, and place in greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in warm oven until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

3. Cook oil and garlic in medium saucepan over low heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, increase heat to medium, and cook until slightly thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

4. To shape and top the dough: Transfer dough to lightly floured counter, divide in half, and lightly roll each half into ball. Working with 1 dough ball at a time, roll and shape dough into 9 1/2-inch round and press into oiled pan. Cover with plastic wrap and set in warm spot (not in oven) until puffy and slightly risen, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, heat oven to 400 degrees.

(I didn’t have pepperoni on hand and made a Hawaiian and a veggie. Microwaving the pepperoni beforehand helps to render some of the fat off the pepperonis and makes your final pizza less greasy.)

5. While dough rises, put half of pepperoni in single layer on microwave-safe plate lined with 2 paper towels. Cover with 2 more paper towels and microwave on high for 30 seconds. Discard towels and set pepperoni aside; repeat with new paper towels and remaining pepperoni.

6. Remove plastic wrap from dough. Ladle 2/3 cup sauce on each round, leaving 1/2-inch border around edges. Sprinkle each with 1 1/2 cups cheese and top with pepperoni. Bake until cheese is melted and pepperoni is browning around edges, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven; let pizzas rest in pans for 1 minute. ( Wait more than 1 minute to take out of pan, my first pizza was a mess trying to get out of the pan)Using spatula, transfer pizzas to cutting board and cut each into 8 wedges. Serve.

I wish I had pictures of the finished pizza, but I was so focused on eating, I spaced it! Try it out, you'll love it!