Ricotta Cheese Meatballs

Ricotta Cheese Meatballs

(4-6 servings)

Ingredients:

1 cup Ricotta Cheese

½ cup Panko Bread Crumbs

½ cup Milk

2 tsp. Dried Oregano

1½ tsp. Kosher Salt

2 large Fresh Eggs

2 lb. Ground Chuck

2 cups Parmesan Cheese, grated

¼ cup Fresh Italian Parsley, chopped

½ cup Olive Oil, for frying

as needed Favorite Marinara Sauce

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine ricotta, bread crumbs, milk, oregano, salt, and eggs.  Add the beef, parmesan cheese and parsley to mixture and combine.  Form into 16 meatballs.  In a large skillet over medium heat, warm half the oil.  Cook meatballs for about 3 minutes per side in batches as needed.  Remove to a paper towel lined bowl or plate and keep warm as you finish the batches.  Place meatballs in the marinara sauce that is warm.  Simmer meatballs in sauce for about 6-8 minutes or until cooked through.  Serve as appetizers or over pasta of your choice.

Notes:              For a little different flavor, try using half beef and half Italian sausage or ground pork.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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General Tso Meatballs

General Tso Meatballs

(4-6 servings)

Ingredients:

2 lb. Ground Chuck

1 cup Panko Bread Crumbs

8 Green Onions, thinly sliced and divided

2 large Fresh Eggs

4 cloves Fresh Garlic, minced

2 tsp. Fresh Ginger, minced

2 tsp. Sesame Oil

to taste Salt and Pepper

pinch Red Pepper Flakes

½ cup Cornstarch

½ cup Canola Oil, for frying

1 cup Chicken Broth

½ cup Soy Sauce

¼ cup Apple Cider Vinegar

¼ cup Hoisin Sauce

2 tbsp. Honey

1 tbsp. Sesame Seeds

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine beef, bread crumbs, half of green onions, eggs, garlic, ginger and sesame oil.  Season with salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes. Roll into balls using a heaping tablespoon of mixture and then toss in cornstarch.  In a large skillet over medium-high heat warm half of the canola oil.  Add meatballs in batches, as needed, and sear on all sides.  About 3 minutes per side.  Remove meatballs to a paper towel lined plate and keep warm.  When all meatballs are done, drain fat from skillet.  Lower heat to medium and add in the chicken broth, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, hoisin sauce and honey.  Whisk to combine and then add back meatballs.  Simmer until meatballs are cooked through.  About another 6-8 minutes.  Remove to a serving bowl or platter and sprinkle with remaining green onion and sesame seeds.

Notes:              Meatballs can be served as an appetizer or over noodles/pasta of your choice.  If you need more sauce, you can always increase the ingredients for the sauce part.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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Meatballs with a Twist

I don’t know about you, but I love meatballs.  Any kind of meatballs.  I believe there are over half a dozen meatball recipes of some flavor or another in the recipes tabs above.

This week, I have two new ones for this blog.  One is an Italian flavored meatball using ricotta cheese as an instrumental ingredient.  That recipe is up Thursday, it’s simply called “Ricotta Cheese Meatballs” and worth the try.  Don’t get nervous as you mix it up.

For tomorrow, Wednesday, I have an Asian version for you.  Most people have tried General Tso Chicken, I’m sure.  Well, how about “General Tso Meatballs” for something a little different.

Both recipes can be used as an appetizer or a main course entrée.  For that, just serve them over your favorite pasta or noodle.  These recipes appear here in a mild spice form.  You can, of course, ratchet up the heat to meet your taste preference.

Enjoy trying these two recipes and I’ll be back in two weeks.  “Happy Cooking” until then and please, share this link with others.  Thanks.

Lamb Burgers with Mint Sauce

Lamb Burgers with Mint Sauce

(4-6 servings)

Ingredients:

12 oz. Ground Lamb

12 oz. Ground Beef

1 small Onion, diced

3 tbsp. Fresh Flat-Leaf Parsley, chopped

3 tbsp. Fresh Mint, chopped

1 tsp. Kosher Salt

1 tsp. Black Pepper

Buns or Pita Bread

Lettuce Leaves

Cucumber Slices

Tomato Slices

Thin Sliced Red Onion

Mint Sauce:

1 clove Fresh Garlic, minced

½ tsp. Kosher Salt

1 cup Plain Yogurt

2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 tbsp. Fresh Mint, chopped

season to taste Salt and Peppers

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine lamb, beef, onion, parsley, mint, salt and pepper.  Do not over mix.  Wet hands with cold water and form meat mixture into 4-6 patties.  Place patties on a wax paper lined plate or tray and refrigerate until ready to grill.  When grill is ready with high heat, oil grates and place patties on them.  Cook burgers to desired doneness, about 5-8 minutes per side.  Serve on buns, that have been grilled, or in pita bread, that has been warmed on grill.  Add sauce and desired toppings and enjoy.  For sauce, place garlic and salt in a medium bowl.  Using the back of a spoon, mash into a paste.  Stir in yogurt, oil and mint.  Taste and season with pepper and additional salt if needed.  You can make this ahead and refrigerate until needed.

Notes:              You want an unsweetened and unflavored yogurt for this sauce.  It should also be highly seasoned with salt and pepper.  But make it meet your taste profile.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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Grilled Meatloaf

Grilled Meatloaf

(8 servings)

Ingredients:

2 large Fresh Eggs

½ cup Milk

1 tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce

1 cup Plain Bread Crumbs

1 tbsp. Canola Oil

1 medium Onion, diced

3 gloves Fresh Garlic, minced

1½ lb. Ground Beef (90/10 lean)

1 lb. Ground Pork

1 cup Fresh Carrots, grated

2 tbsp. Fresh Thyme, chopped

1 tsp. Salt

1 Cedar Grilling Plank (see note)

12 slices Bacon

1 1/3 cups BBQ Sauce

2/3 cup Ketchup

Directions:

In a bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, Worcestershire sauce before adding bread crumbs.  Stir to mix and then set aside.  In a large skillet over medium heat, warm oil.  Add onion and garlic.  Cook for about 5 minutes or until softened, stirring often.  In a large bowl, combine ground beef, ground pork, carrot, thyme, salt, bread crumb mixture and onion mixture.  Refrigerate while you prepare grill (gas or charcoal) according to note below.  Place prepared plank on a work surface and arrange bacon crosswise on plank touching but not overlapping.  Take meat mixture and place on the bacon forming a loaf about 4-inches wide and 12-inches long.  Bring ends of bacon up to meet overlapping the strips.  Secure with wooden tooth picks.  Place the plank over direct heat and grill for 5 minutes or until plank starts to smoke.  Now move plank to indirect heat area and grill for 40 minutes covered.  While this is going on, combine bbq sauce and ketchup together.  Divide in half, saving one half for service.  In a small sauce pan, heat the other half through and brush all over meatloaf.  Repeat every 10 minutes until the internal temperature of meatloaf reaches 160-degrees.   Remove from grill, cover loosely with foil and let rest 10 minutes before serving.  Heat remaining sauce and serve with meal.

Notes:              Do not soak plank.  Set grill up for indirect heating over medium-high heat.  Place plank over direct heat and warm for 2-3 minutes, turning occasionally, until lightly toasted on both sides.  Let cool before continuing.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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Grilling Time Satrts with Memorial Day Weekend

The official grilling season is here with Memorial Day Weekend.  It’s time for everyone to get their grills in shape for the coming summer ritual of cooking out.

So let’s get out there and get started.

Burgers and dogs are probably number one for cooking on the grills.  So I will try and give a few tips on producing the better burger this summer.

First, always work with cold product and work quickly.

Second, don’t over work the meat.  It makes it tougher.

Third, always wet your hands with cold water before forming the patties.  This helps keep the fat in the meat from sticking to your hands as you work.

Fourth, form patties slightly larger than the bun you are using.  The meat shrinks as it cooks.

Fifth, make a slight impression in the center of each patty.  This helps keep the burgers from looking like meatballs when they’re done.

Lastly, for each their own.  The higher the fat content in the ground beef, the better the flavor.  Ground chuck or ground brisket are best for this.  However, some will want to go the other way for your own health reasons.  If you do this, try adding different seasonings to improve taste and satisfaction.

Also, please don’t overcook the burgers.  They dry out quickly.  Take them off the grill a little early as they continue to cook after removing them from the heat.

This week I have a burger and something unique for the grill.  Wednesday, give “Grilled Meatloaf” a try.  This one is wrapped in bacon and glazed with a bbq sauce.  Then for Thursday we have “Lamb Burgers with Mint Sauce” for a twist on burgers.

“Happy Cooking” and “Grilling” this summer.  See you in two weeks and please help share this blog with others.  Thanks.

Chicken Tortilla Soup with Lime (GF)

Chicken Tortilla Soup with Lime (GF)

(6 servings)

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. Canola Oil

1 cup Onion, chopped

1 large Poblano Pepper, seeded and chopped

4 cups Chicken Broth

1½ cups Fresh Tomato, chopped

1 tsp. Ground Cumin

½ tsp. Salt

¼ tsp. Black Pepper

4 6-inch Corn Tortillas (see note)

2 cups Cooked Chicken, shredded

1 cup Whole Kernel Corn (fresh or frozen)

2 medium Avocado, chopped

1 large Fresh Lime, juiced

garnish with cilantro and radish slices

Directions:

In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, warm oil.  Add onion and Poblano pepper to pan and cook about 5 minutes or until tender.  Stir in chicken broth, tomato, cumin, salt and pepper.  Bring mixture to a boil.  Reduce heat to simmer and cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Stir in chicken and corn.  Heat through.  Just before serving, stir in avocado and lime juice.  Serve and top with tortilla strips and garnishes.

Notes:              You can use rotisserie chicken or bake boneless skinless chicken breasts.  To bake chicken, salt and pepper breasts and place in a 7x11 baking dish that has been sprayed.  Add 1 cup of chicken broth from above ingredients, cover and bake 45 minutes.  Use a pre-heated oven at 350-degrees and reserve liquid from dish to use in the soup as part of the 4 cups of broth it calls for above.

Notes:              Cut tortillas into strips.  Place tortilla strips on a baking sheet and place in a pre-heated 375-degree oven for 10 minutes or until crisp.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup (GF)

Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup (GF)

(8 servings)

Ingredients:

1¼ lb. Chicken Breast (see note)

1 tbsp. Canola Oil

1 medium Onion, chopped

1 Jalapeno Pepper, seeded and chopped

3 cloves Fresh Garlic, chopped

4 cups Chicken Broth

1 tsp. Chile Powder

1 tsp. Ground Cumin

1 tsp. Paprika

1 can (14½ oz.) Tomatoes with Green Chiles

1/3 cup Masa Harina

1 1/3 cup Milk

1 can (15 oz.) Black Beans, drained and rinsed

1 can (16 oz.) Pinto Beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup Whole Kernel Corn (fresh or frozen)

2/3 cup Heavy Cream

1/3 cup Sour Cream

6 6-inch Corn Tortillas (see note)

toppings: Diced Avocado, sour cream, shredded cheese and lime wedges

Directions:

In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm oil.  Add onion and jalapeno to pan and cook 3-5 minutes.  Now add garlic and cook 30 seconds to a minute before adding the chicken broth.  Also add the chile powder, cumin, paprika and tomatoes.  Stir to combine and continue cooking.  Whisk together the masa harina and milk.  Then add to mixture, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes or until mixture boils and thickens.  Now stir in chicken, beans and corn.  Combine and cook 5-10 minutes more.  Reduce heat to low now and add in the heavy cream and sour cream.  Heat through and serve with toppings of tortilla strips, diced avocado, more sour cream, shredded Mexican blend cheese and lime wedges.

Notes:              You can use rotisserie chicken or bake boneless skinless chicken breasts.  To bake chicken, salt and pepper breasts and place in a 7x11 baking dish that has been sprayed.  Add 1 cup of chicken broth from above ingredients, cover and bake 45 minutes.  Use a pre-heated oven at 350-degrees and reserve liquid from dish to use in the soup as part of the 4 cups of broth it calls for above.

Notes:              Cut tortillas into strips.  Place tortilla strips on a baking sheet and place in a pre-heated 375-degree oven for 10 minutes or until crisp.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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