Mee-baw!

After one of many lunches at Potbelly's, my son Wyatt's first word was "meatball!" .  There's nothing cuter than when your kids start to talk and nothing better than when they can tell you what they want. Luckily I found a recipe on Pinterest that (almost) matches his enthusiasm with flavor.  (He's pretty enthusiastic).  They're moist, hearty, and absolutely delicious.  And I tried it with both ground turkey and beef.

Add them to your favorite spaghetti marinara or else enjoy them plain.  Recipe after the jump:

Turkey or Beef Meatballs
Yield: about 12-14 meatballs

Ingredients:
1 lb ground round or ground turkey
2 eggs beaten with a 1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 cup panko
1 small onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp salt
freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup minced basil

Mix all of ingredients together with your hands.  Form meatballs into the size of a golf ball.  Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until the internal temperature registers to at least 165 degrees.

PC: Wishfulchef.com
Recipe: courtesy of Pinterest

V Day

Looking to do something romantic at home? Skip the crowds and go for this hot and spicy menu that will make you fall in love all over again.  It's so good that that it will probably earn you the 'Kitchen Goddess' moniker... which could easily lead into other pet names if you play your cards right.  

It starts with a Whipped Feta and Heirloom Tomato crostini that should be paired with a crisp, white wine.  It's followed by a Spicy Caesar Salad with bacon and red chiles in honor of V Day.  The main event is the juiciest and most flavorful Paprika Roasted Chicken cooked over crispy (duck fat) potatoes.  And the icing on the cake is the most refreshing Lemon Yogurt Pound Cake with a citrus glaze. Happy V Day!

Heirloom Tomato Crostini with Whipped Feta

(my new favorite crostini of all time)

Spicy Caesar salad with bacon
(I've made it as is and low fat with light mayo and turkey bacon and it is still amazing)

Paprika roasted chicken with potatoes

(By far the best roasted chicken I've ever made)

Lemon yogurt citrus glazed pound cake

Recipes after the Jump

Heirloom Tomato Crostini by Ina Garten:
-Makes 20 to 25 crostini; serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:
6 ounces good feta cheese, crumbled
2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2/3 cup good olive oil, divided
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
2 Tbsp pine nuts
2 Tbsp minced shallots (2 shallots)
2 tsp minced garlic (2 cloves)
2 Tbsp good red wine vinegar
2 pounds ripe heirloom tomatoes 1/2" diced
3 Tbsp julienned fresh basil leaves, plus extra for servings
20 to 25 (1/2" thick) diagonal baguette slices, toasted)

Directions
Active time: 15 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes

Place feta and cream cheese in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse until cheeses are mixed. Add ⅓ cup olive oil, lemon juice, ½ tsp. salt, and ¼ tsp. pepper and process until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Place pine nuts in a dry sauté pan over low heat and cook 5 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until lightly browned. Set aside.

For the tomato topping, up to an hour before serving, combine shallots, garlic, and vinegar in a medium bowl. Set aside 5 minutes to allow shallots to absorb vinegar. Whisk in remaining ⅓ cup olive oil, 1 tsp. salt, and ½ tsp. pepper. Add tomatoes, stir gently, and set aside 10 minutes. Stir in basil and taste for seasoning.

To assemble crostini, spread each baguette slice with a generous amount of whipped feta. With a slotted spoon, place tomatoes on top. Put crostini on plates and scatter with the reserved toasted pine nuts. Sprinkle with basil and serve.

Spicy Caesar Salad from Food & Wine:
Servings: 6
Prep time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
1/2 baguette, sliced 1/3" thick
1/4 cup EVOO, plus more for brushing
1/2 cup mayonnaise
4 oil-packed anchovy fillets, preferably spicy, drained and chopped
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 tsp dijon mustard
freshly ground pepper
6 slices lean bacon (3 oz)
1 1/2 pounds romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
1 long red chile, seeded and thinly sliced crosswise
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 400°. Spread the baguette slices on a baking sheet and lightly brush both sides with olive oil. Bake for about 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Let the toasts cool, then break them into large pieces.

Meanwhile, in a mini food processor, combine the mayonnaise, anchovies, lemon juice, garlic and mustard and blend until smooth. With the processor on, slowly pour in the 1/4 cup of olive oil. Season the dressing with pepper.

In a large skillet, cook the bacon over moderate heat until browned and crisp, about 3 minutes per side. Drain and slice crosswise 1 inch thick

In a large bowl, toss the romaine with the sliced chile, croutons and the bacon. Add the dressing and toss. Sprinkle the Parmesan over the salad, toss again and serve right away.

MAKE AHEAD The dressing can be refrigerated overnight.

Paprika Roasted Chicken with Potatoes:

-recipe from dianeabroad.com adapted from lottie + doof

Servings: 2-3

Ingredients

1 chicken, around 3 pounds
1 tablespoon salt
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1/2 onion
4 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon hot Hungarian paprika
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2-2 pounds waxy potatoes (I used yukon gold) scrubbed and dried
3 tablespoons duck fat, rendered bacon fat, or oil (I used canola oil, but would have loved duck fat)
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
salt and pepper

8 hours to 3 days before you plan to cook the bird, pat it completely dry inside and out with paper towels, removing the gizzards and fat from inside the cavity if they were included. Sprinkle a little of the salt inside the cavity, along the backbone. Sprinkle the rest of the salt all over the skin. Cover loosely and refrigerate until you’re ready to roast.

Prepare the rub: finely grate 1 of the cloves of garlic and mix in a small bowl with the smoked paprika, Hungarian paprika, and olive oil.

Heat your oven to 475°F (250°C).

Remove the chicken from the fridge and stuff with the thyme sprigs, 1/2 an onion, and the 3 remaining garlic cloves, smashed with the blade of a knife or with the bottom of a heavy mug. Rub the paprika mixture all over the outside of the chicken. Truss the bird if desired, or just tie the legs together with a bit of twine.


Cut the potatoes into a 3/4″ dice. Warm the duck fat (or bacon fat or oil) in a heavy cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until the fat is melted. Add the diced potatoes, smoked paprika, and salt and pepper to taste, and toss well to coat the potatoes with the fat.

Make a well in the center of the potatoes to expose some of the cast iron (if you have enough room in your skillet to do so). Lay the chicken breast-side up in the center of the cast iron and immediately transfer to the hot oven. After 30 minutes, remove the chicken to a plate, give the potatoes a stir, flip the bird breast-side down onto the potatoes and place back into the oven. Lower the heat to 425°F (220°C). Roast for another 15-20 minutes, then flip again breast-side up. Finish roasting for 5-10 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of the thighs registers 165°F (74°C).

Remove the chicken to a plate or carving board to rest for 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile, give the potatoes another toss and return to the oven for a final crisping. Serve the potatoes hot out of the oven and the chicken carved or whole.

PCM: the Oprah magazine, Simply Recipes, Diane-A-Broad, Food & Wine

Winning

Nutella-Stuffed Brown Butter Cookies with Sea Salt 

The only thing Superbowl Sunday does for me is gives me a good run for my money.  Not literally since I could care less about gambling or football, but more so that I have to figure out THE dish to bring to the party every, single, year. I mean, it basically sums up your last year's worth of cooking/baking talent in one fell swoop and that's no easy feat!

This year I came out on top since I chose a cookie that is probably the best thing I've ever tasted: Nutella-Stuffed Brown Butter Cookies with Sea Salt. Need a visual? Picture a Carol's Cookie on steroids with a pop of warm nutella in its center and a sprinkle of sea salt to make you extra excited.  Feeling skinny? Make them.   Feeling fat? I don't know what to tell you.  Suck it up, what's an extra 1000 calories?

*Just a note, the dough is so thick and crumbly that I first made the balls and then after the refrigeration step, I warmed each one up with my hands, broke it half, made them into semi-flat circles, put on the dollop of nutella and covered it with the other side to form a ball.  I cooked them for exactly 10 minutes and removed them from the pan after 2 minutes.  I found that they started to burn if not and nobody likes burned chocolate. Not even Sexual Chocolate!

Recipe after the jump:

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter
• 1 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon plain greek yogurt
• 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1 jar of Nutella, chilled in refrigerator
• Coarse sea salt for sprinkling

Instructions

1. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and set aside. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. The butter will begin to foam. Make sure you whisk consistently during this process. After a couple of minutes, the butter will begin to brown on the bottom of the saucepan; continue to whisk and remove from heat as soon as the butter begins to brown and give off a nutty aroma. Immediately transfer the butter to a bowl to prevent burning. Set aside to cool for a few minutes.
2. With an electric mixer, mix the butter and sugars until thoroughly blended. Beat in the egg, yolk, vanilla, and yogurt until combined. Add the dry ingredients slowly and beat on low-speed just until combined. Gently fold in all of the chocolate chips.
3. Chill your dough for 2 hours in the refrigerator, or place in freezer for 30 minutes if you are super eager, although I cannot promise the same results if you do this.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Once dough is chilled measure about 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough and roll into a ball. Flatten the dough ball very thinly into the palm of your hand. Place 1 teaspoon of chilled nutella in the middle and fold dough around it; gently roll into a ball — it doesn’t have to be perfectly rolled! Make sure that the nutella is not seeping out of the dough. Add more dough if necessary. Place dough balls on cookie sheet, 2 inches apart and flatten with your hand VERY gently. (Really only the tops need to be flattened a bit!)
5. Bake the cookies 9-11 minutes or until the edges of the cookies begin to turn golden brown. They will look a bit underdone in the middle, but will continue to cook once out of the oven. Cool the cookies on the sheets at least 2 minutes. Sprinkle with a little sea salt. Remove the cooled cookies from the baking sheets after a few minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough.

PC: Ambitious Kitchen

Mexicana Mama

After a recent babysitter cancellation, I decided no one was going to bring me down on a Friday night; so I ran to the market and whipped up a nice Mexican meal for two. I made homemade margaritas, spicy guacamole, and chicken enchiladas with roasted asparagus and refried black beans.  To finish it off, I served nutella-stuffed chocolate chip cookies sprinkled with sea salt. I had made them for Superbowl Sunday, it's not like I can just have those sitting around the house.  It was a meal to remember (even though I can't say I do).

Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients:
8 soft corn tortillas

Filling:
3 cups chicken broth
4 pieces boneless, skinless chicken breast, 6-8 oz
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
2 sprigs fresh oregano
1 small onion, quartered
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon chili powder, 1/3 palm full
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt

Sauce:

2 cups tomato sauce

2 teaspoons hot cayenne pepper sauce, several drops

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 2 pinches

1 teaspoon chili powder

2 1/2 cups Monterey Jack shredded cheese, available on dairy aisle

Directions

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.

Wrap corn tortillas in foil and warm in the oven. Bring broth to a boil in a saute pan. Set chicken into broth with bay and oregano and onion. Return to a boil, cover and reduce heat to simmer. Poach chicken in broth 10 minutes. Remove chicken breasts to a bowl and shred with 2 forks. Add 1/2 cup of cooking liquid and tomato paste, spices and salt and work through the chicken using the forks.

Combine all sauce ingredients and heat through, keeping warm until needed.

Remove tortillas from oven and switch broiler on high.

Pile chicken mixture into warm corn tortillas and roll. Line casserole or baking dish with enchiladas, seam side down. Pour hot tomato sauce over the chicken enchiladas and top with cheese. Place in enchiladas in hot oven 6 inches from broiler and broil 5 minutes to melt cheese and set enchiladas.

PC: Annie's Eats
Recipe: Rachel Ray

The Crunch Burger

This recipe is for all of you who grew up sneaking potato chips in your sandwiches-I'm guessing Doritos.  You know who you are and I'm here to tell you that you're not alone or weird. At least that's what I tell myself. Bobby Flay liked it so much as a kid that he created a burger to celebrate it.

The chips and horseradish mayo add the perfect punch and crunch to your palate.  I don't think I'll ever be able to eat an uncrunchified burger again. 

Recipe after the jump:



Recipe by Bobby Flay:
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs ground chuck (80% lean) or ground turkey (90% lean)
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tbsp canola oil
8 slices american cheese, each 1/4" thick
4 potato hamburger burns, split, toasted
4 slices tomato (optional)
4 leaves romaine lettuce (optional)
4 slices red onion (optional)
Horseradish Mustard Mayonnaise, recipe follows
4 handfuls of potato chips (I use Kettle Chips)

Horseradish Mustard Mayonnaise:
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp dijon mustard
2 tbsp drained, prepared horseradish
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, and horseradish in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. The sauce can be prepared 1 day in advance and kept covered in the refrigerator.

Directions for burgers:

Divide the meat into 4 equal portions (about 6 oz each).  Form each portion loosely into a 3/4" thick burger and make a deep depression in the center with your thumb.  Season both sides of each burger with salt and pepper.

Cook the burgers*, using the oil and topping each one with two slices of cheese and a basting cover during the last minute of cooking. 

Place the burgers on the bun bottoms and, if desired, top with tomato, lettuce, onion, and a dollop of horseradish mustard mayonnaise. Pile on the potato chips, top with the bun tops, and serve immediately.

*If using a grill: heat a gas grill to high or heat coals in a charcoal grill until they glow bright orange and ash over.  Brush the burgers with oil.  Grill the burgers until golden brown and slightly charred on the first side, about 3 minutes for beef and 5 minutes for turkey.  Flip over the burgers.   Cook beef burgers until golden brown and slightly charred on second side, 4 minutes for medium rare or until cooked to desired degree of doneness.  Cook turkey burgers until cooked throughout, about 5 minutes on second side.

If using a grill pan: Heat a grill pan over high heat on top of the stove.  Cook the burgers as for a grill, above.

If using a saute pan or griddle (preferably cast iron): Heat the oil in the pan or griddle over high heat until the oil begins to shimmer. Cook the burgers until golden brown and slightly charred on the first side, about 3 minutes for beef and 5 minutes for turkey. Flip over the burgers. Cook beef burgers until golden brown and slightly charred on the second side, 4 minutes for medium rare (3 minutes if topping with cheese) or until cooked to desired degree of doneness. Cook turkey burgers until cooked throughout, about 5 minutes on the second side.

Add the cheese, if using, to the tops of the burgers during the last minute of cooking and top with a basting cover, close the grill cover, or tent the burgers with aluminum foil to melt the cheese.

Sandwich the hot burgers between the buns and serve immediately.

Mac n' Cheese Please

Hosting an afternoon playdate brings out the chef in me since I love to try out new recipes on my kids and their friends.  My most recent playdate included Weelicious's Classic Mac n' Cheese after I sampled it at my friend's Olivia's house.  It is as classic and as it is scrumptious and I can't wait to make it again and again.   Go for it, your kids will thank you (and your husband/partner will too).

Recipe after the jump:

Ingredients

• Topping:
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 
  Mac and cheese:
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 3 cups whole milk
• 4 cups grated cheddar cheese
• 1 pound elbow macaroni (you can also use campanelle, cavatappi, or shells)

Preparation

1. 1. Place the topping ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine.
2. 2. Preheat oven to 400° F.
3. 3. Cook pasta in salted water* for about 3 minutes less than package directions call for, until al dente, reserving half a cup of the pasta water.
4. 4. In a large pot melt the butter and then add the flour, whisking continuously over low-medium heat for 2-3 minutes to make a roux.
5. 5. Slowly whisk in the milk and bring to a boil.
6. 6. Reduce heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes, or until sauce is gently bubbling and starting to thicken.
7. 7. Add reserved pasta water and cheddar cheese and whisk until melted.
8. 8. Stir in the pasta.
9. 9. Transfer to a greased 13″ x 9″ baking dish.**
10. 10. Sprinkle topping on macaroni and cheese.
11. 11. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until top is golden and bubbling.
12. 12. Serve.
13. * Use about 2 Tbsp of kosher salt for 4 quarts of water.
14. ** If making ahead, mixture can be cooled after this step to room temperature, covered and then refrigerated for up to a day.
15. PC and recipe: Weelicious

Just Brunch

After one too many failed brunch attempts with friends and kids, my husband and I decided that hosting at home is a win-win for everyone.  It's a playdate for kids and adults alike where you can actually connect and enjoy a good meal.  Remember those days? Best of all, it's the perfect recipe for an afternoon nap for the whole family. Priceless. 

Here's what I served this weekend (the kids loved it too):

Overnight French Toast Casserole (courtesy of my MIL)

Ina's Roasted Parmesan Asparagus with Scrambled Eggs

Grilled Chicken Apple Sausage

Ina Garten's Provencal Cherry Tomato Gratin 

I prepared the French Toast Casserole and the Tomato Gratin the night before so my morning wouldn't be so hectic.  It was easy peasy.  

Recipes after the jump

Overnight French Toast Casserole: 

Ingredients:

Casserole:

1 loaf of French bread-sliced into thick slices

6 eggs

1 1/2 cups milk

1 1/2 cups cream

1 tsp vanilla

1/8 tsp cinnamon

In a 9" x 13" greased pan, arrange the French bread in one layer.  (Or you can cut the bread into 1" slices and layer until you use the entire loaf).  The pieces of bread should touch each other.

Beat the eggs, milk, and cream until foamy. Add the vanilla and cinnamon.  Pour the egg mixture over the bread trying to saturate each piece.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Topping: 

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter  

1 1/2 cups brown granulated sugar

3 tsp karo syrup

Soften the butter and mix in the brown sugar and karo syrup.  Spread the mixture over the tops of the bread.  

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until puffy and brown looking.  It will puff up and then come down once it starts to settle.  Serve warm.  

Ina's Roasted Asparagus with Scrambled Eggs:

Serves 2

(I made this amount for four since I had so many other dishes)

Ingredients: 

3/4 lb fresh asparagus

good olive oil

kosher salt/black pepper

1/8 cup freshly grated Parmesan

6 Extra Large eggs

3 tbsp half-and-half

1 tbsp unsalted butter, divided

2 to 4 slices 7-grain bread

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Break off the tough ends of the asparagus.  Place on a cooking sheet in a single layer, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Toss to coat completely.  Roast for 15-20 minutes, until tender but still crisp.  (I took mine out after 15 minutes).  Sprinkle with parmesan and return to the oven for five minutes until cheese melts.  (Try to cook over 20 minutes total or else you'll overcook them).

While the asparagus is roasting, whisk the eggs in a bowl with half-and-half and salt and pepper.  Melt 1/2 tbsp butter in a large skillet.  Cook the eggs on the lowest heat, adding the remaining tbsp of butter, and stir until it melts.  Check for seasoning, salt and pepper, if needed and serve with the roasted asparagus and 7-grain bread.  

Grilled Chicken Apple Sausage:

4 links, sliced into 1/2" slices

I prefer Applegate Chicken and Apple Sausage.  Cook in a grill pan or saute pan for 6-8 minutes, flipping so they don't burn.  Serve warm.  

Ina's Provencal Provencal Tomato Gratin

Serves 6

Ingredients: 

3 pints cherry or grape tomatoes

1 1/2 tbsp plus 1/4 cup good olive oil

1 tsp dried thyme or herbs de provence

1 1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

3 large garlic cloves

1/3 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped

2 cups coarse bread crumbs (you can buy this at whole foods)

Prep:

1) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Place tomatoes in a 9X13 ceramic dish.  Add 1 1/2 tbsp oil, thyme, 1 tsp salt and pepper.  Toss together.  Spread tomatoes evenly in pan. 

2) Place the garlic, parsley, and 1/2 tsp salt in a bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and process until the garlic is finely chopped.  Add the bread cubes (or crumbs) and process until the bread is in crumbs.  Add the 1/4 cup olive oil and pulse a few times to blend.  Sprinkle the crumbs evenly over the tomatoes.

Bake the gratin for 40 to 45 minutes, until the crumbs are golden and the tomato juices are bubbling.  Serve hot or warm.  

PC: Pepperidge Farm, Barefoot Contessa, The Meatwave, and