HOMEMADE SPAGHETTI & MEATBALLS

MEATBALLS
1 slice sourdough bread
1 tablespoon milk
1/3-1/2 cup Panko crumbs
1 pound fresh ground beef
3/4 pound fresh ground pork
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons fresh chopped flat leaf parsley
zest from 1 lemon
salt and pepper to taste

  • Using your hands mix everything together until well blended.  Use only as much Panko crumbs as needed to keep mixture from being too “wet”.
  • Roll into 1 inch meatballs.
  • Cover and chill meatballs while you prepare the rest of the recipe.
  • When ready bake meatballs for 1 hour in a 350 degree oven.

SAUCE
3 tablespoons avocado oil
1 small red onion, chopped
24 ounce can whole tomatoes
1 KNORR beef gel
3/4 cup moscato white wine
Juice from 1 lemon
5-6 cloves garlic, finely minced into a paste
3 tablespoons Classico sundried tomato pesto
1 teaspoon fresh ground Himalayan pink salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground red pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons fresh chopped Italian flat leaf parsley
2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil

  • Heat avocado oil in a large saute’ pan over medium high heat.
  • Add onions and garlic sauteeing until tender.
  • Whisk together the beef gel, wine, pesto and juice from the tomatoes.
  • Add seasonings, blending well.
  • Add tomatoes and gently crush.
  • Bring to a SLOW boil.
  • Reduce heat and simmer 2 hours.
  • Add meatballs to sauce during the last 30 minutes.
  • Serve over pasta.
  • Top with fresh grated Parmesan Cheese.

 

GREEN CHILE BUFFALO WINGS and QUINTESSENTIAL MAC & CHEESE

GREEN CHILE BUFFALO WINGS adapted from a recipe at recipegoldmine.com
1 pound chicken wings and/or drumettes
1 can Old El Paso chopped green chiles, drained
1/2 cup Frank’s Original Red Hot Sauce
1 cup Smucker’s Orange Marmalade or Apricot Pineapple Jam
1 cup King Arthur flour
1 stick Crisco
1 stick organic butter
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 + 1/2 teaspoon sugar

  • Melt Crisco stick and butter together in a large skillet over a medium high heat.
  • Add flour to a gallon size ziploc bag.
  • Add chicken pieces and toss to coat.
  • Add chicken pieces to oil, but do not crowd.  
  • Salt and pepper generously and then sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon sugar.
  • Cook until wings begin to bleed before turning.
  • Season again and sprinkle remaining sugar.
  • Cook until browned all over.
  • Add jam, hot sauce and green chiles to small food processor, processing until smooth.
  • When chicken is completely browned, dip each piece into the sauce and then place on baking sheet.
  • Bake 15 minutes until heated through.

Can’t say for sure who, though I highly suspect grams started it, but mom used to put crushed potato chips on top of casseroles, tuna in particular.  I decided to taste test it on mac and cheese.  I put it up against homemade crushed garlic croutons – the croutons won.

QUINTESSENTIAL MAC & CHEESE
16 ounces pasta, prepared per package
1/3 cup red onion, small dice
Himalayan Pink Salt
Fresh Ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons organic butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded Face Rock Vampire Slayer Cheddar Cheese
1/4 cup extra sharp Cheddar Cheese

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • In a large saucepan, melt butter.
  • Add onion, cooking until translucent.
  • Add flour, stirring until golden.
  • Add cream and stir until smooth.
  • Add seasonings, stirring to blend.
  • Add cheeses, blending until smooth.
  • Toss with cooked pasta and pour into prepared baking dish.
  • Top with crumbled bread crumbs or garlic croutons.
  • Bake 30 minutes until heated through.

HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY, CROCK POT CORNED BEEF & CORNED BEEF HASH

And what do you have for dinner?  Corned Beef of course.  I’m doing it in the crock pot with my secret ingredients with enough left over for corned beef hash.

CROCK POT CORNED BEEF
3 pound corned beef brisket with seasoning packet*
6 cloves garlic, minced
2-8 ounce 7UP (or 12 ounces + 4 ounces water)
4 ounces organic butter, sliced
fresh ground pink Himalayan salt and pepper, to taste
1 bag baby carrots
1 pound baby potatoes

  • Lightly spray crock pot with non-stick spray.
  • Add butter.
  • Place brisket fat side up.
  • Generously sprinkle with fresh ground pink Himalayan salt and pepper, to taste. 
  • Add 7 up.
  • Cover and cook 4-5 hours on low.
  • Add carrots and potatoes.
  • Cover and cook another 2-3 hours until tender.
  • Thinly slice meat.
  • Drain potatoes and carrots.
  • Serve and Enjoy.

*I like to put the pickling spice in a cheesecloth bag so I don’t have to deal with it when I drain the veggies.

CORNED BEEF HASH
We like ours crisp so I use more of small dice/shredded mixture.   Cut yours according to your tastes. 
left over corned beef (about a pound), diced and shredded
2 tablespoons organic butter
1/2 pound cooked potatoes, diced
1 large bunch green onions, sliced
fresh ground pink Himalayan salt and pepper, to taste
1-2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

  • Melt butter in a large skillet over medium high heat.
  • Add onions, cooking a minute or two until translucent.
  • Add corned beef and potatoes.
  • Add seasoning and Worcestershire sauce, stirring and scraping bottom as necessary.
  • Serve with poached or fried eggs.

 

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HAPPY HOMEMAKER & MENU PLAN MONDAY

It’s time to link up for Happy Homemaker with Sandra over at Diary of a Stay at home mom and Laurie at I’m an Organizing Junkie  for Menu Plan Monday.

It was a lazy rainy weekend around here – lot’s of reading, baking, recipe creating, DVR catching up,  race watching and goofing off.

BREAKFAST

Yogurt, blueberries and granola.


THE WEATHER OUTSIDE
THIS MORNING:
Gray, dreary and drizzly.

FOR THE WEEK:
?? Keeps changing so we will see!

TO DO LIST
TODAY:  

  • Laundry 

  • Spring Cleaning

THIS WEEK:

  • EBAY

CURRENTLY READING

TELEVISION & DVR

  • Scandal

  • Justified

  • Perception

  • Rizzoli & Isles

PLAY TIME (If I can find any)
I’m still tweaking the new framework for my weekly menu and recipe links. 

And for those that were wondering what those acronyms you often see on my menus are:
C.O.R.N. = CLEAN OUT REFRIGERATOR NIGHT
Y.O.Y.O = YOU’RE ON YOUR OWN
 Menu Plan Monday hosted by Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie
BREAKFAST
DINNER
DESSERT
MONDAY
Oatmeal with Fruit
C.O.R.N. or Y.O.Y.O.

TUESDAY
Bagel & cream cheese
EXPERIMENT NIGHT

WEDNESDAY
Yogurt with Blueberries & Granola
Rosemary, Parsley & Thyme Chicken

THURSDAY
Scrambled Eggs with cheese & Toast
Garlic Cider Chicken

FRIDAY
Yogurt with Blueberries & Granola
 White Bean Gratin

SATURDAY
 Bacon & Eggs
Coffee Meatballs & Noodles
SUNDAY
 Pancakes
Apple Cider Pork Chops

LAST WEEK’S RECIPES I TRIED and their RECIPE LINKS

NEW RECIPES TO TRY IN THE NEAR FUTURE

  • Orange Cardamom Roast Chicken

  • Pork with Apple Cream Sauce

  • Hungarian Meatballs

  • Hawaiian Meatballs

  • Dulce De Leche Pineapple Ice Cream Sundaes

  • Dulce De Leche Cookie Bars

  • Couch Potato Bars – they have peanut butter, pretzels, bacon, potato chips and chocolate chips – A MUST TRY COMBINATION

    MY FAVORITE PHOTO FROM LAST WEEK

    I took a few photos for a golf pamphlet my mom is putting together.  This one turned out pretty.

    The pond looks like spring is about to bloom too.

    BLOGS TO CHECK OUT
    Nothing new this week.

    HOMEMAKING TIP / PRODUCT REVIEWS
    When using plastic ware for anything tomato or pizza sauce, a quick spray with non stick cooking spray will prevent the tomato sauce from staining your plastic.

    Tired of sticking your finger reaching for your cake tester?  Add some wine, OOPS I mean add a wine cork to the end for storage and make it safer.

    ON MY MIND LATELY & PRAYERS & INSPIRATION

    ORANGE BLOSSOM BRIOCHE ROLLS – BAKING PARTNERS

    This month Baking Partners are making Brioche from this adapted recipe from the book by famous pastry chef Dominique Ansel: The Secret Recipes. 

    Brioche is a pastry of French origin that is similar to a highly enriched bread with a high egg and butter content giving it a rich feel and taste.  It is light and slightly puffy.  It has a dark, golden, and flaky outer crust heightened by an egg wash. Brioche is made in the same basic way as bread, but has the richer aspect of a pastry because of the extra addition of eggs, butter, liquid (milk, water, cream, and, sometimes, brandy) and occasionally a bit of sugar.  Brioche is served as a pastry or as the basis of a dessert with local variations of added ingredients, fillings or toppings. 

    ORANGE BLOSSOM BRIOCHE ROLLS  
    Makes around 20-25 rolls

    2 cups bread flour
    ½ teaspoon salt
    ¼ cup sugar
    2 ¼ teaspoon of  instant yeast
    4 large eggs
    1 tablespoon whole milk
    11 tablespoon unsalted cold butter small dice
    ¼ teaspoon Orange extract
    Grated orange zest of one orange
    1 teaspoon orange blossom water
    Non stick spray as needed for greasing
    All purpose flour for dusting
      • In a bowl, combine the bread flour, salt, sugar, yeast and eggs and mix well using hands or if using kitchen aid stand mixer use dough hook. Mix until well combined, kneading well so that it develop gluten (may take 10 -15 minutes). When it develops gluten the dough will leave the sides and  it will pass the window pane test – when you pull a piece of dough you can extend the dough without breaking it, also you  can make a see through sheet that is called window pane test. 

     

      • Then add the cold diced butter, and mix again until all the butter is incorporated well. 

     

      • Then add orange extract, orange zest, orange blossom water and mix until everything is fully incorporated. The finished dough should be smooth, shiny and sticky. 

     

      • Lightly grease a medium bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap pressed directly on to the surface of the dough to prevent a skin from forming. Proof the dough at room temperature for doubled in size. It will take  about 1 ½ hours. 

     

    • Remove the plastic warp and punch down the dough by folding. Cover the dough again with plastic wrap pressed directly on the surface. Refrigerate overnight to relax the gluten.
    Next day
      • When you are ready to bake, transfer the dough to lightly floured area and divide the dough into small pieces and shape it into balls/rolls or any shape you want. 

     

      • If you using muffin tin grease them well and transfer the shaped balls, set aside for 45 minutes or 1 hour until the rolls puff up well. As you can see I proofed mine in a really warm kitchen and the kind of grew together.

     

    • While the shaped rolls are proofing preheat oven to 400 F.
      • After 1 hour, brush the brioche rolls with egg wash and  bake them for 10 minutes or until they become golden brown in color. 

     

      • Leave the brioche for 5 minutes in the pan and carefully remove them and enjoy as much you want. 

     

    • Brush them with little jam or Nutella if you like.

    ROSEMARY, PARSLEY & THYME CHICKEN

    Rainy and dreary here today so I started the crock pot and the oven for some yummy new recipes. This chicken recipe turned out particularly yummy and fork tender.

    ROSEMARY, PARSLEY & THYME CHICKEN
    4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
    1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, frozen
    2 stalks celery, sliced thick
    1 bag baby carrots
    2 shallots, sliced
    1 clove Elephant Garlic, minced
    1 teaspoon black peppercorns
    several sprigs fresh thyme
    several sprigs fresh rosemary
    several sprigs fresh parsley
    1 KNORR gel bouillon
    3 tablespoons plum jelly
    1/4 cup red wine
    1/2 cup hot water
    2 tablespoons quick cooking tapioca flakes
    Juice of 1 lemon
    2 cups egg noodles
    fresh ground pink Himalayan salt and black pepper
    1 cup frozen peas

    • Layer celery, carrots, shallots and garlic in bottom of crock pot.
    • Salt and pepper vegetables.
    • Place frozen chicken thighs on top of vegetables.
    • Gather peppercorns, thyme rosemary, and parsley into a cheesecloth bag and tie shut. Add bag to crock pot.
    • Whisk together wine, water, bouillon, jelly, lemon juice, and tapioca. Pour over chicken.
    • Cover and cook on low 6-7 hours.
    • Add peas and egg noodles. Re-cover and cook another hour.

    BLUEBERRY CRUMB CAKE

    Rainy and dreary here today so I started the crock pot and the oven for some yummy new recipes.

    BLUEBERRY CRUMB CAKE also makes great muffins

    CAKE
    1/4 cup organic butter, softened
    3/4 cup sugar
    1 JUMBO egg
    1/2 cup whole milk
    1/2 teaspoon PURE vanilla
    2 cups flour
    2 teaspoon baking powder
    1/4 teaspoon sea salt
    1 teaspoon lemon zest
    2 cups small wild blueberries

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
    • Spray a 10 inch spring form pan with non-stick spray.
    • In a large bowl cream butter with sugar.
    • Add egg, blending well.
    • Sift together flour, baking powder and salt.
    • Alternately add flour mixture and milk, beating until well blended.
    • Fold in lemon zest and blueberries.
    • Spread into prepared pan.

    TOPPING
    1/4 cup organic butter, softened
    1/3 cup flour
    1/2 cup quick cooking oats
    1/2 cup sugar
    1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
    1/3 cup brown sugar
    2 tablespoons chilled butter, sliced thin

    • In a medium bowl mix together softened butter, flour, oats, white sugar and cinnamon until well blended.
    • Sprinkle on top of cake.
    • Sprinkle brown sugar on top evenly.
    • Place chilled butter slices randomly around.
    • Bake 40-45 minutes until cake tester comes out clean from middle of cake.

    CAPPUCCINO CRÈME CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE PIE

    1/3 cup butter
    1/2 cup Hershey’s cocoa
    1/4 cup sugar
    14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
    1 – cup semi-sweet Chocolate Chips
    2 – eggs, slightly beaten
    1 1/2 cups ground ginger snaps
    1 1/2 cups ground vanilla wafers
    4 tablespoons butter, melted
    CAPPUCCINO CRÈME (recipe below)
    Cherry cordial Hershey’s milk kisses

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
    • In a small saucepan melt thebutter over low heat.
    • Stir in cocoa and sugar.
    • Add the sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips and eggs.
    • Stir until smooth. Remove from heat. Pour into crust.
    • Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until center is almost set.
    • Cool completely.
    • Refrigerate until ready to serve.
    • Just before serving, prepare and spread CAPPUCCINO CREME over top.
    • Garnish with chocolate pieces, if desired.
    • Cover and refrigerate leftover pie.

    CAPPUCCINO CRÈME
    1 cup (1/2 pint) whipping cream

    1 1/2 teaspoons powdered espresso
    2 teaspoons Hershey’s Cocoa
    3 tablespoons powdered sugar

    Directions:
    In a mixing bowl, combine whipping cream, powdered espresso, Cocoa and powdered sugar. Beat until stiff. Makes about 2 cups.

    SAUER PULLED PORK

    SAUER PULLED PORK
    2 cups sauerkraut, rinsed and drained*
    2 pound pork tenderloin
    2 tablespoons Dijon mustard mayonnaise mixture
    1 cup beer**
    salt and pepper, to taste

    • Place sauerkraut on the bottom of your slow cooker.
    • Cut tenderloin in half and lay on top of sauerkraut.
    • Generously salt and pepper meat.
    • Spread Dijon on top of meat.
    • Pour beer over around meat.
    • Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours or on high 4-5 hours.
    • Remove meat to cutting board and shred using 2 forks.
    • Serve on thick toast layers with sauerkraut and with sliced red onion.

    *I used a local organic sauerkraut as is without rinsing or draining
    **I used a pumpkin ale and used ALL of it