Comfort Food 101: Spaghetti Sauce and Meatballs

For any Bostonians out there, you'll remember the icky, non-August like weather we experienced early last week.  It was cold and raining - RAIN two weekends in a row!  I don't know about you, but that kind of weather makes me want to flip it the bird stay in bed all day and eat high carb comfort foods!  I was at work and my mind kept wandering to homemade meatballs and sauce.  I decided I must have spaghetti and meatballs for dinner!  I stopped at the supermarket on my way home to pick up the necessary ingredients I didn't already have on hand.
I was a bit giddy when I got home and assembled all of the ingredients for the meatballs and sauce.  Both the meatballs and sauce came together fairly quickly and I was sitting down to a delicious, comforting meal in about an hour.  The recipe makes about 20 meatballs, so this is a great make ahead and freeze option.  I've already pulled out a few meatballs to slice and use for a pizza.  I've also had just the sauce with some pasta and leftover veggies.  Meatballs and spaghetti sauce are so versatile - I'm almost looking forward to a semi cool night soon so I can heat up a big bowl of pasta with sauce and meatballs!

Meatballs and Sauce
Yields: ~20 meatballs and a whole lot of sauce
Servings: One About 8-10

Meatballs
1 1/4 pounds of lean ground beef (I used 97% lean since the pork would add some additional fat and moisture)
1/2 - 3/4 pounds of ground pork
Two eggs, slightly beaten
1/3 - 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs (I used a mix of unseasoned panko and whole wheat)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan (I used the kind in a shaker can because I think it distributes better throughout the mixture than freshly grated)
1 T dried parsley
Salt & pepper
1/2 medium vidalia (or yellow) onion
1 T garlic (I used the pre-chopped garlic in oil because I forgot to buy fresh garlic.  You can also use 1 clove of fresh or 1 tsp. garlic powder)
Olive oil

Place the ground beef and pork in a bowl large enough to combine when all ingredients have been added.  Add in the eggs, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, parsley, salt and pepper.  Start out by adding only 1/3 cup of breadcrumbs.  You may need to add more if the mixture is too sticky or wet after all the ingredients have been added.
Finely chop or grate the onion and add to the bowl.  I find by grating the onion, you add better flavor and moisture that you wouldn't get from just finely chopping the onion.  If using fresh garlic, grate the clove into the bowl.  This way, you don't bite down into a large chunk of garlic and the flavor blends nicely into the mixture.
Preheat a skillet large enough to brown your meatballs as well as big enough to fit the sauce and meatballs.  Add a small amount of oil and keep the pan on medium heat.
Gently combine all the ingredients.  Don't over mix or the meatballs will end up being tough.  If the mixture is too wet, add more breadcrumbs.  If you added too many breadcrumbs, you can add in any of the following, 1 tablespoon at a time to moisten the mixture: unflavored seltzer, egg whites or broth.
Form the meatballs and place directly into the preheated skillet.  I used a spring-loaded cookie scoop to form evenly sized meatballs.  Brown the meatballs on all sides - This should take about 12 minutes.  Keep in mind that you will finish cooking the meatballs in the sauce, so you want to just brown them to add color and flavor.  Take the meatballs out of the pan and place on a dish.
NOTE: You can skip this step and just drop the meatballs directly into the sauce to cook.  They won't be browned but you will save a few calories and some fat by omitting this step.

Spaghetti Sauce
Olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 T garlic (about two cloves)
1 small can tomato paste (I used about 3/4 a tube because that is what I had in the pantry - More may be needed depending on how thick/thin you like your sauce)
1 magnum 1/2 cup red wine (I used Ravenswood Zin)
About 1 tablespoon each of: dried parsley, dried oregano and dried basil (If using fresh, add a bit more of each)
Salt & pepper
1 large can crushed tomatoes (I used San Marzano)
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce (preferably no salt added)
Water
1 T sugar (if needed)

In the same skillet you used to brown the meatballs, add a small amount of olive oil and preheat.  Once heated, add in the onions and saute on medium heat until translucent.  Add in garlic (good idea to grate here too!) and cook for about 30 seconds to bring out the flavor.  Make sure the heat isn't too high - There's not much worse than burned garlic to make a sauce bitter!  Add in the tomato paste and combine with the onions and garlic.  Add in the whole bottle wine and the spices and cook for about two minutes.  Add in the crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce.  Fill the smaller can with water and add about 3/4 of the can to the pan to start.  You may need to add more later if the sauce is too thick.  Cover and let simmer for about five minutes.  Taste and add salt, pepper and sugar if needed.  Additional water and or tomato paste may need to be added at this time.  I prefer a thicker sauce, so I didn't add any water, but I did add some more tomato paste.  Cover and continue to simmer for another five minutes.  Once the sauce has the right seasoning, add in your browned meatballs.  Keeping the heat on medium-low, cover and cook for about 20 - 25 minutes.  Every 10 minutes or so, turn the meatballs to make sure they're cooking evenly.

Serve the sauce and meatballs with your favorite pasta or enjoy with a nice piece of fresh Italian bread!  I served mine with nice, hearty bucatini - No whole wheat pasta this time!  Throw a straw in the bottle Pour yourself a glass of wine and enjoy!

Some Damn Good Chicken

HAPPY 4th OF JULY!!!

I apologize for the directness of this title's post, but that's all I could think of when I tasted this chicken!  There's something about grilled BBQ chicken that just screams summer and deliciousness (is that a real word?!).  It also makes me think of the 4th of July, which makes this posting quite appropriate!

This was my first attempt at grilling a whole, butterflied chicken and I will definitely be grilling chicken using this method more often.  It's fairly simple to butterfly a chicken (see video) and even easier if your butcher will do it for you!
I urge you to try this method - I am positive you'll love it and want to grill chicken this way all the time.

2 1/2 - 3 pound whole chicken, butterflied
Salt and pepper
BBQ sauce - I used my top secret Maker's Mark recipe!

Preheat grill to about 500℉.  While grill is heating, salt and pepper the chicken on both sides.  Once the grill is heated, place the chicken skin side down, close the lid and cook until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Turn the heat down on the grill to around 400℉.  Turn the chicken over and cook for about 20 minutes with the lid closed.  Baste the chicken with BBQ sauce and turn over to baste the other side.  Cook for another 10 - 15 minutes and flip one last time.  Baste the chicken with some more sauce and cook for another 5 minutes.*  Remove the chicken from the grill and loosely cover with foil for about 10 minutes to let the juices redistribute.

*Cooking times may vary.  The times listed are based on the temperature of my grill and the size of the chicken.  Chicken should be cooked to about 160 - 165℉.  Remove chicken from the grill when your thermometer reads 150 - 155℉ as the chicken will continue to cook as it sits.  If you don't have a thermometer, slice a thigh and breast.  If the juices run clear, the chicken is done.

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Oat Pancakes

I think I mentioned the last time I posted a pancake recipe that I really, really love pancakes.  I also really, really love pumpkin.  This morning I decided to make pumpkin oat pancakes as I have a four mile training run ahead of me and I wanted something that would stay with me during the entire run.

A lot of people think to use pumpkin only in the fall, but pumpkin is a great low fat, low calorie food and it adds a great flavor to pancakes.  Canned pumpkin is a staple in my pantry and I use it year round.  I love using it since it adds no fat and I can feel better about inhaling a stack of pancakes!  :)

I noted that this recipe serves five to seven.  Since oat and wheat flours are used, the pancakes are a bit heavier and more hearty than say, buttermilk pancakes.  The recipe makes 15 pancakes and I figured two pancakes would make a good serving since they are on the heavier side.  However, this morning I had three since I am using my training run as an excuse to eat more!  :)

One great thing about these pancakes is they freeze well so you can make a batch over the weekend and warm them up during the week to have a quick, healthy meal on the go.

Pumpkin Oat Pancakes

Serves: 5-7

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup oat flour*

1 cup canned pureed pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix) 

2 egg whites

1 3/4 - 2 cups of nonfat milk

1 T molasses

2 t baking powder

1 t baking soda

1 t salt

1 1/2 t pumpkin pie spice

Preheat a griddle or skillet and spray with nonstick spray.  To tell when the griddle is ready for use, I use a tip my mom taught me when growing up - Splash the griddle with a bit of water.  If the water sizzles, dances and evaporates, the griddle is ready. If not, it still needs to be warmed.

Add the dry ingredients to a bowl.  Add in the pumpkin, molasses and egg whites.  Start by adding 1 3/4 cups of the milk.  Whisk together and add more milk as needed.  You want the batter to be thin enough to easily pour onto the griddle, but not so thin that they'll run all over the griddle.  I used almost two cups of milk to get to the right consistency.

Once it's heated, pour the batter onto the griddle.  I find it easiest to use a spring-loaded ice cream scoop. It makes more evenly shaped pancakes and it's just less messy than using a ladle.  A 1/3 cup measure also does the trick.  Since these pancakes are a bit heavier than others, you can't use the bubble test to know when to flip them (top of pancake is covered in small bubbles).  I find they take about two minutes and then they're ready to flip.  You can lift one up and check for doneness.  If they're a golden brown, they're ready to flip.  If not, give them another 30 seconds or so and they should be ready.  Cook for another two minutes until done.  A good way to check if they're done is by lightly pressing on the center of a pancake.  If it springs back, it's done.

I served my pancakes with fresh blueberries and a bit of maple-agave syrup.  During the week, these would be great smeared with almond butter - Sort of a pumpkin-almond butter sandwich.  I would even serve these with some pumpkin butter, but I am definitely a sucker for 100% maple syrup!

Enjoy!

*I made my oat flour by placing steel cut oats in a food processor and pulsing until the oats were finely ground.  You can also buy oat flour but I figured since I already have oats in the pantry, it would save me money by just making my own.

Nutrition info (based on three pancakes):

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 199 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories  231 Calories from Fat  16

% Daily Value*

Total Fat  1.8g 3%

Trans Fat  0.0g

Cholesterol  2mg 1%

Sodium  781mg 33%

Total Carbohydrates  44.3g 15%

Dietary Fiber  4.0g 16%

Sugars  8.4g

Protein  9.9g

Vitamin A 156% • Vitamin C 4% Calcium 24% • Iron 18%

Nutrition Grade A

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Apple Chicken Sausages with Sauteed Apples and Onions

This is a really simple and delicious meal.  It's a fairly versatile dish and can be served for dinner or even brunch.  This would be great with a french toast casserole.  :)  I served this alongside brown rice and broccoli, but I'm sure this would be great with some stuffing or a baked sweet potato.

My favorite part about this meal is the sauteed apples and onions.  They have a slight sweetness from the agave syrup and a warm, homey (not as in the clown, as in feeling like home!) flavor from the poultry seasoning.

Apple Chicken Sausages with Sauteed Apples and Onions
Serves: 2

One package of apple chicken sausage (I used Nature's Promise)
Nonstick spray
One large onion, thinly sliced
One medium apple, thinly sliced and skin on (I used a delicious since that's what I had on hand but any type will work)
1 T agave syrup
1 1/2 t poultry seasoning
Salt & Pepper to taste

Preheat two skillets - One for the sausages and one for the onions and apples (this one should be large enough for the onion mixture and sausages).  Spray both skillets with nonstick spray.  Preheat oven to 350℉.  Once the skillets are warm, add the sausages to one skillet and the onions to the other.  Turn the sausages to brown on all sides.  You don't need to worry about cooking them all the way through as they will finish cooking in the oven.

Cook the onions until almost tender and add the apples.  Cook a few minutes more until the apples are almost done, but not too soft.  Add agave syrup, poultry seasoning and, if using, salt and pepper.  Stir to combine.  Add the sausages to the onion mixture and place in the oven until the sausages are thoroughly cooked, about 10-12 minutes (when sliced, the juices should run clear).

Enjoy!

Toaster Oven Tostadas!

That's right.  Your eyes didn't fool you.  This is a recipe for tostadas...  Made in a toaster oven*.  They took me about 15 minutes total - From gathering the ingredients and making the tostadas to sitting down and enjoying them with a glass of Rioja.  The best part of this is there is little to no clean-up which is always a bonus on a work night.  They're healthy, filling and delicious.  Although this recipe is for one serving, you can quite easily make it for more.

¡Olé!

* While this recipe was made in a toaster oven, you can easily make these in a standard oven.

Toaster Oven Tostadas
Servings: 1

Two corn tortillas
Nonstick spray
1/2 cup canned black beans
A couple dashes of chipotle tabasco sauce (optional)
1/2 cup reduced fat shredded cheddar
2 T reduced fat sour cream
2 T salsa
1/4 cup lettuce, shredded
1/4 cup tomato, seeded and diced

Line a cookie sheet with foil and spray with non-stick spray.  Place the tortillas on the cookie sheet and lightly spray with nonstick spray (this helps crisp the tortillas).  Toast the tortillas on a low to medium setting until the tortillas' edges just begin to curl (about 3-5 minutes).  Remove the cookie sheet from the toaster oven and turn the oven to 300℉.

Place 1/4 cup of black beans on each of the tortillas.  Sprinkle tabasco sauce over the beans and top each tortilla with 1/4 cup of cheese.  Place the cookie sheet back in the preheated toaster oven and cook for about 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted.  Divide the lettuce, tomatoes, salsa and sour cream between the tortillas and enjoy.

Milk Chocolate Ice Cream with Brownie Bits

Yum.  All I have to say is yum!  I decided to make this ice cream because I'd baked some brownies for my running group and they did not come out the way I'd planned.  The tester came out clean, but sadly when I went to cut the brownies they were grossly undercooked.  So, when life hands you undercooked brownies...  You make ice cream!  Sorry, I couldn't resist!  :)


This was my first try at making ice cream in the ice cream maker I received as a birthday gift in July.  I have to say the process isn't nearly as scary as I'd thought.  In fact, it's pretty simple!  The hardest part is waiting for the ice cream to freeze so it can be eaten!  This recipe came together really quickly.  You can use the following brownie recipe (which is my favorite!) or you can use your own favorite.  I'd even suggest picking up some already made brownies to make this simple process even easier.


For the Ghirardelli brownies
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 t vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup Ghirardelli sweet ground chocolate and cocoa
2/3 cup unsifted flour
1/4 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
*I added about 1/4 cup of mini chocolate chips as well as 1/4 cup of caramel bites.  The caramels can be found here at Nuts Online.


Preheat oven to 350°F.  Coat an 8x8" or 9x9" pan with nonstick spray.  Using a spoon, stir eggs, sugar, and vanilla; add butter.  Sift together Sweet ground chocolate, flour, salt and baking powder.  Stir into egg mixture.  Spread into 8" or 9" square baking pan.  Bake 20-30 minutes.  For chewy brownies use 8" pan and less baking time.  For cake like brownies use 9" pan and more baking time.


For the ice cream (from: Annie's Eats):
8 oz. milk chocolate (at least 30% cacao solids), finely chopped
1½ cups heavy cream
1½ cups whole milk
¾ cup sugar
Pinch of salt
4 large egg yolks


To make the ice cream, combine the milk chocolate and heavy cream in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.  Heat, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth.  Remove from the heat and set a mesh sieve over the top of the bowl.

In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, sugar and salt.  Heat until the sugar is dissolved.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks.  When the milk mixture is warm, slowly add to the bowl with the beaten egg yolks, whisking constantly.  Return the mixture to the saucepan and continue to heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens just slightly and coats the back of a spoon (170-175˚ F on an instant-read thermometer).  Remove from the heat and pour the custard through the strainer into the milk chocolate mixture.

Cover and chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator.  Freeze the batter in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.  Once frozen, fold in the brownie bits with a spatula.  Transfer to an airtight container and freeze until ready to serve.

Spinach and Asparagus Frittata

I love frittatas!  They're quick, easy and versatile.  Best of all, you can use whatever you have in the fridge. It's a great way to use leftover veggies from last night's dinner!  This frittata has the asparagus that was leftover from last night as well as the egg whites I had set aside when I made ice cream (post to come soon!).  :)

Like many frittatas, this one came together pretty quickly.  From start to finish, it took about 15 minutes which would make this a great weeknight meal or a last minute brunch dish.  Frittatas are great since you can add just about anything and can be served at any meal - Hot or cold!  The best part is that one serving of this frittata is 210 calories.  I served it along some Ezequiel toast (yum!) and grapes for some added, delicious fiber.

Recipe:
Serves 2

2 whole large eggs
3 egg whites
A couple tablespoons of water (optional)
1 cup raw baby spinach
1/2 cup cooked asparagus, cut into bite sized pieces
Salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup shredded asiago cheese (or any cheese you like)
Nonstick spray

Heat a nonstick, oven safe skillet and coat with nonstick spray.  Preheat broiler on high and move one of the racks directly under the broiler.

Beat the eggs.  If you'd like to slightly increase the volume, add 1 - 2 T of water (I added about 1T).  Once the skillet is warm, add the asparagus and heat through.  Add the spinach and toss with asparagus to wilt slightly.  Pour eggs over the veggies and stir slightly and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Cook until the eggs are almost done and sprinkle with the cheese.

Place the skillet under the broiler and cook for a few minutes until the cheese is melted and browned.  I usually leave the door propped open while the frittata is cooking because the frittata can go from browned to burned in a matter of seconds!  Cool slightly and cut frittata into quarters.  Enjoy!