Spaghetti & Meatballs

After perusing a few meatball recipes and their comments, I arrived at this one for dinner tonight. It takes some effort to make meatballs but in the end it is SO worth it. Besides, you can pop them in the freezer for future quick dinners.
Sure beats those grisly store-bought frozen meatballs!
Start by making sauce: use 1/2 a jar of store-bought pasta sauce (Shaw's tomato, garlic & onion), add a 14 oz can of diced tomatoes (Muir Glen).
One tip I learned: calcium chloride is used in cans of diced tomatoes so they maintain their shape/don't fall apart even after a long simmer. If you want a chunk-less sauce, opt for whole canned tomatoes or just the jarred sauce instead. Add a bit of butter to make your sauce taste rich (1-2 Tb).
Make your meatballs!

Use a food processor or some such device (a fork is fine) and pick at/crumble some bread of choice to equal 1 cup. I used a nearly stale english muffin. Go for bread heels or pieces you may not otherwise consume.
Pour 1/3 cup milk on the crumbs and allow to sit for 10 minutes.

Chop up some parsley (no more than 1/2 cup), dump into large mixing bowl.
Microplane (fine grate) 1 cup of Parmesan into bowl.
Zest 1/2 lemon peel on same microplane into bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk two eggs and add two cloves of garlic (fine chopped or through a press).

Squeeze the excess milk out of the bread with your hands and put bread blobs into the bowl, get rid of the excess milk (not much). Use your fingers to fluff up the bread and toss to incorporate all.

Open a package of meatloaf mixed meat (8 oz hamburger, 8 oz pork), pull apart and add to the bowl.
Pour in egg mix and use your hands to mix carefully just until combined.

Roll into desirably sized balls (set on 2 plates/1 per fry session). I fried right away in olive oil over medium heat but there is a recommendation to refrigerate 15 min-1 hour (so they firm up a bit).

As you fry them, they are fragile so handle minimally at first. Once the bottom is browned after 4 minutes or so, carefully flick them around from underneath to turn.
Tend to them almost constantly.
They're done once all sides are nicely browned.
I found it necessary to discard grease properly (not down the drain) in between fry sessions.

Boil up a pot of spaghetti! I like Barilla's whole grain.

Taster loved!

Cranberry Nut Bread

This bread is a classic for this time of year.
Though substantial on its own, I enjoy it with slivers of cold, salted butter.
I happened to receive the recipe today on a "Happy Thanksgiving" postcard from a lovely lady friend. The recipe is also printed on bags of Ocean Spray Cranberries.
The difference between the postcard recipe and bag recipe: card calls for shortening while bag used vegetable oil. The card calls for 1 cup of roughly chopped cranberries while the bag, 1 1/2 cups. The more the merrier, right?
The recipe is for one loaf in a 9 x 5 x 3" pan. Instead I used 2 8 x 3.5 x 2" pans and the same bake time of one hour. I thought they may be done (tops were browned) after 45 minutes but they didn't pass the toothpick test (batter stuck to it).
Didn't measure the zest, just grated a whole orange into the flour mix. Juiced it and got 1/2 cup from one orange. Supplemented with oj from the fridge.
Measure and wash your cranberries. Be sure to remove soft (rotting) berries as you chop them. There weren't many. I have such fond memories of picking and eating them from the woods behind my childhood home, in Hell Swamp.

The stand mixer allows for quick prep but this can easily be made by hand mixing.

Cranberry Nut Bread

2 c. all purpose flour
1 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/4 c. shortening or vegetable oil
3/4 c. orange juice
1 tb. grated orange rind
1 egg well beaten
1/2 c. chopped nuts (pecans are my preference)
1 1/2 c. fresh cranberries, washed and coarsely chopped

Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, soda and salt.
Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.
Grate in orange rind.
Combine orange juice and egg, pour into dry ingredients, mixing enough just to dampen.
Carefully fold in nuts and berries (mix as minimally as possible).
Pour evenly into pan(s).
Bake at preheated 350º oven for 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean when stuck in center.
Remove from pan and cool. Store overnight for easy slicing.

Parsley, Fennel, and Celery Root Salad

By request, I've made this for Thanksgiving and/or Christmas dinner the past 5 years.
It is a terrific palate cleanser, or, as the excerpt from The Gourmet Cookbook (2004) states, ...."a particularly refreshing respite during a Thanksgiving feast or any other extensive, rich meal."
The photo below was taken of leftovers from our Lithuanian Christmas dinner. The salad holds up well for a few days and can be made a day ahead of time.

Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 45 min Yield: Makes 10 servings 1 large fennel bulb with lots of fronds (1 1/4 lb) 4 1/2 cups small fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs (from 3 large bunches) 1 1/2 cups small curly parsley sprigs (from 2 large bunches) 1 medium celery root (1 lb), peeled and cut into 1/8-inch-thick matchsticks (use mandoline to slice into 1/8" disks then a knife to easily slice into matchsticks) 2 1/2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (to taste) 2 tablespoons minced shallots 3/4 teaspoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/3 cup olive oil special equipment: a mandoline or adjustable-blade slicer Tear enough fennel fronds into small sprigs to measure 1 1/2 cups. Trim fennel stalks flush with bulb and discard stalks. Quarter bulb lengthwise, then cut lengthwise into paper-thin slices with a mandoline or other manual slicer. Toss sliced fennel with fronds, parsley, and celery root in a large bowl. Whisk together lemon juice, shallot, sugar, salt, pepper, and oil in a small bowl. Toss salad with dressing.

I like to serve it from a large wooden bowl, with salad servers.

Gourmet | November 2001

Beef Chili with Bacon and Black Beans

This is a Sunday favorite for us in the cooler months. Perfect on game day, when you are hanging around the house for a few hours. If you have to go out, it's also fine to finish cooking it in a slow cooker, which we have done on a couple of occasions.
It's ok to double this recipe but for the 2.5 people in our house, this is plenty and then some!
8 or more servings.

Beef Chili with Bacon and Black Beans
10 slices bacon
1 medium onion, chopped fine
1/2 red bell pepper (ok if you use green), chopped
3 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1/8 cup chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 pound 85% lean ground beef
1 15oz. can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 15oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 14oz. can diced tomatoes
1 14oz. can tomato puree

Cut 10 slices of bacon into 1/2 inch pieces. Fry the bacon in large Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring frequently until crisped up. Use a spatula or slotted spoon to remove the bacon to a bowl, then drain the bacon fat so that you are left with around 2 tablespoons.
Measure the spices into a small bowl.Put the bacon back in and add the onions, bell pepper and spice blend. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and beginning to brown.
Increase heat and add the ground beef. Cook, breaking it up, until no longer pink.

Add the beans, tomatoes, tomato puree, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer for an hour, stirring occasionally.

After an hour, remove the cover and cook for another hour, stirring occasionally. The chili will become thick, dark and rich. Optionally, we always sneak in a few pieces of chocolate. It seems to deepen the flavor. Serve in bowls with some condiments: I like to use a dollop of sour cream and some cilantro.
It's also nice to dip tortilla chips into. Other thoughts: sliced lime to squeeze on top, fresh diced tomatoes, diced avocado, sliced green onions, shredded Monteray Jack or cheddar cheese.

The flavor of this chili improves with age. If serving for a crowd, you should make it a day or two ahead. Leftovers (if you have some after a couple days) can be frozen for up to a month.Taster approved! (With lots of cheese and sour cream added since it is spicy.)

Baked Victorian French Toast

Brunch with a couple of lovely ladies!

You can prepare this delicious recipe the day/night before! What's not to like about that?
It takes around 35 minutes to bake in the oven (don't bother to preheat it, just stick it in and turn it on). In the morning your only tasks are washing/slicing up some strawberries, frying bacon, putting out fruit salad and a pitcher of orange juice, setting the table/etc.
This recipe is very rich and filling.
You will enter into a food coma after eating it. Hours later, I am still satiated.
It was good to go on a walk to the Allston Artists Open Studios afterward!

Baked Victorian French Toast (feeds 4 hungry people)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup butter (salted or unsalted, doesn't matter)
2 Tb light corn syrup
8 slices of "Cinnabon" bread (or any bread you'd like to try)
5 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk (2%)
1 tsp cinnamon
sliced strawberries
maple syrup
(optional: powdered sugar)

In a small saucepan cook and stir brown sugar, butter and light corn syrup just until butter is melted. Pour brown sugar mixture into an ungreased 12 x 7 1/2 x 2 inch baking dish (approximate size/determine how 4 slices of bread fit in your baking dish/cut if necessary). Arrange bread slices in a single layer on top of the brown sugar mixture. Flip to coat. Add additional layer of bread slices, flipping to get some sugary goodness on those slices as well.

In a medium or large mixing bowl, beat eggs, milk and cinnamon until combined.
Pour egg mixture over bread in baking dish. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours.

Remove the cover and bake in a 350º oven for 30-35 minutes, or until the center appears set and the top is lightly browned. Let stand for 10 minutes to cool before serving.

Top with fresh fruit: sliced strawberries, peaches or pears or blueberries or raspberries.

Optionally dust with powdered sugar. Offer maple syrup.

Serve bacon and fruit salad on the side. Don't forget mimosas!

Steelhead Trout

I was about to buy the usual rainbow trout and just requested, "A filet of trout" to the fishmonger. To which he replied, "Steelhead or Rainbow?"
I looked right past the Steelhead since it appears very much like salmon (pinkish flesh). It was $6.99/lb as opposed to $8.99/lb so I was sold!
How to cook it? As quick as possible (hunger dictates).
This method was simple enough, yet very satisfying. I ate it straight from the baking pan, only leaving the skin behind.
While baking in the (toaster) oven, I ran out to the garden and picked some cilantro to sprinkle on top. I love cilantro!

Dot with pats of butter (next time I will melt butter and drizzle over).

Mix 2 Tb or so of soy sauce and chopped garlic (jarred to save time). Pour over carefully, to distribute the garlic evenly.

Season with black pepper then smoked paprika. Smoked, not regular paprika!
No need to salt; the soy sauce fulfills that requirement.

Bake at 400º for 10 minutes.
Yummy, plate licking delicious!
Tried the skin but was not a fan. No big deal, the fish flakes easily from it.
Had 1/2 lb steamed mussels as an appetizer.