MONDAY MORNING RECIPE POST - SLOW COOKER MONSTER MEATBALLS IN TOMATO SAUCE

I forgot to take photos so came up with the artwork. When this is made again, I will add my own photos. In the meantime, you can see what the meal looks like if you go to the original website.

It’s been a while since I put meatballs on the menu. When I found this recipe, both ingredients and slow cooker won the day. There was no browning the meatballs first, which made it even easier. I am happy to say we both gave it a 10 out of 10, really delicious! My thanks goes to Louisa Clements, host of Living Lou. The original recipe can be found here.  I made another of her recipes which I put on this blog, a Greek Orzo Salad. You can see it here. It's not a salad I would serve with this meal, but is a really good one.

Slow Cooker Meatballs in Tomato Sauce 

Serves: 6

Calories: approximately 422 per serving 

For tomato Sauce:

1 28 ounce can whole tomatoes, broken up with a spoon

1 5.5 ounce tomato paste

1 carrot, chopped 

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon chili flakes 

10 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced, for garnish

For Meatballs:

1 pound lean ground beef

1 pound ground pork

2 eggs

3/4 cup breadcrumbs 

1/3 cup milk

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup minced fresh parsley 

1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

1/2 teaspoon fennel, crushed

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

In the slow cooker, add the tomatoes that you have broken up with a spoon, also tomato paste, onion, carrot, garlic, salt and hot pepper flakes. Mix until well combined.

In a large bowl, mix beef, pork, eggs, breadcrumbs, milk, garlic, parsley, Parmesan cheese, fennel seeds, salt and pepper until combined.

Shape in 12 large meatballs and arrange meatballs on top of tomato sauce in slow cooker.

Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, until carrots are tender and an instant-read thermometer inserted into meatballs read 160 degrees F. Skim off fat.

Serve sprinkled with basil. 

We made no changes  It is described as a traditional style meatball recipe. 

I was curious about using the fennel seeds as I don’t remember using this ingredient before. My super taster hubs could detect a faint taste of it but I couldn’t. All I know is that it was a delicious dish and as mentioned, we both easily gave it a 10 out of 10. 

We served it with Angel Hair Spaghetti and extra grated Parmesan sprinkled over the top, along with the thinly sliced basil leaves.

A nice mixed veggie salad would finish it off perfectly.

I checked after 6 hours and everything was cooked perfectly. You be the judge though as temperatures may differ from one slow cooker to another.  

There are leftovers which will taste even better the next day but…

we both said we would like more sauce and would double those ingredients next time  Not the meatballs though! Any sauce left over that we don’t finish, I will freeze it.  

The added ingredients might alter the length of cooking time, but I will allow for the 8 hours while checking after 6, for both carrot and meatball. Easy enough to check the carrot but will always use a thermometer to make sure the meatball is cooked all the way through. 

Another thing I wanted to add was that one of the commenters said her meatballs turned out softer than she likes. Louisa’s response was that they tend to be more tender than those made in a frying pan or in the oven as they are braised rather than roasted or fried.  I personally thought these were excellent both in texture and taste, but wanted to let you know just in case you wondered about them once served. I am looking forward to making this recipe again. 

That’s all I can remember for now but if you have any questions, write a comment and I will be happy to try and answer. I highly recommend visiting Louisa’s blog to look at the original recipe. 

Below is the full address if you prefer to copy and paste today’s recipe, as well as the salad,  rather than using the links above.

https://www.livinglou.com/slow-cooker-monster-meatballs-tomato-sauce/

and

https://www.livinglou.com/greek-orzo-salad

Thanks for looking and have a great week.

MONDAY RECIPE POST - ARTICHOKE CHICKEN - SERVES 4

Our recipe today came from a food blog called 'cook2eatwell', hosted by Elizabeth.  An excellent dish and as Dear Other Half said, "it gets better after each bite" and "let's make this again."  You can find the original recipe here.  There are also a lot of other recipes I am interested in, such as those linked in Elizabeth's recipe, "Chicken and Mushrooms" for instance.  We said before even reading this, that next time we would add mushrooms.  There is also "Chicken and Broccoli Pasta", "Artichoke Salad" and "Hot Artichoke Dip".  

Everything is done on the stove top.  We practically stop using the oven on hot and humid days.  

Artichoke Chicken 

Serves: 4

Calories per portion: approximately 371  

Described by our host as "an Italian-inspired blend".

Total time from prep to finish is approximately 40 minutes.

1¼ – 1½ pound Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast, fat trimmed off if needed and cut into 1 inch pieces 

1 teaspoon Salt, plus extra if needed (we used kosher salt)

½ teaspoon Dried Oregano

½ teaspoon Dried Thyme

¼ teaspoon Dried Rosemary

¼ teaspoon Black Pepper

2 tablespoons Olive Oil

3-4 Garlic Cloves, minced

¼ cup White Wine

½ cup Chicken Broth

2 tablespoons Lemon Juice (1 – 2 lemons)

1 (14 ounce) can quartered artichokes, drained

1 pint Grape or Cherry Tomatoes

2 tablespoons Butter

For garnish:

1 to 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Grated Parmesan Cheese

1 16 oz. box of Barilla Fettuccini (the only reason I mention the brand is that Gregg prefers this to any other and wants it on the shopping list.  Any of your favorite brands would do.

I like to get all the ingredients measured out and prepared first.  I am teased for this but it suits my corner-to-corner personality (i.e. I insist on spreading that butter corner-to-corner on a slice of toast).  

Start with the water to cook pasta, so that it will be ready to serve along with your chicken and artichokes.  Use the cooking directions on the packet.

Add salt, oregano, thyme, rosemary and black pepper to a small bowl.  Stir to combine.

Sprinkle the chicken pieces with seasoning mix and stir well to coat.

Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat.  When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the chicken.  Arrange so that it is in one layer.  Cook for 3 minutes.

Turn each piece and cook an additional 3 minutes.

Add garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring frequently.

Carefully add the white wine and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the chicken broth, lemon juice, artichokes and tomatoes.  Stir well to combine.  Cover the skillet.  When the liquid comes to a simmer, lower the heat to medium-low and continue cooking (covered) for 15 minutes.  Stir occasionally.

When the chicken is cooked through (at least 165 deg. F. at the center of the largest, thickest piece) and the tomatoes burst, add 2 tablespoons of butter and stir until it melts.  Turn off the heat.

Taste the sauce and add salt if needed.  

Garnish with the chopped parsley and serve over pasta.

Serve with a slice of your favorite crusty bread. 

A mixed green salad on the side would be nice.

(Elizabeth provides nutritional information at the end of her recipe if you need them.  Click here to see those.

Nothing much to add other than we look forward to making this again.  It was added to the favorites folder.

No changes today, we bought every ingredient we needed.

DOH said he would like to add shrimp, and I thought mushrooms would be a nice addition.

The wine we used was Beringer's White Zinfandel.

We got it at our local supermarket and neither of us can remember how much it cost there, but at Total Wine & more when I checked online, it goes for $4.99 a bottle.  You can see that page at this link. Anytime we need wine in a recipe, we will have a glass with our meal. We are no connoisseurs and don't have it often enough to be, but we know what we like.  We also follow the rule of thumb when buying wine as an ingredient, don't buy anything you wouldn't enjoy a glass of yourself. 

 And these special coasters were part of a birthday gift from my son and daughter-in-law.  Thank you my Darlings, I love them!  They know how much I enjoy my bees and positive quotes.

There was more than enough for two servings on my plate.  I wrapped what I had left and put it in the fridge.  There were leftovers for two more meals which we enjoyed over the weekend.  This meal tastes even better the next day.  

Here is the address in full if you prefer to cut and paste instead of using the link.

https://www.cook2eatwell.com/artichoke-chicken/

That's all I can think of at the moment.  If you have any questions, please leave them in the comment section and I will do my best to answer them.

MONDAY RECIPE POST - CHEESY PASTA AL FORNO WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE - SERVES 6 to 8

This is another meal very much enjoyed, and I know it always depends on individual tastes, but we gave it a 10 out of 10.  You can make ahead of time by a couple of days, or freeze for up to two months.  I found it at The Kitchn and the recipe comes from Sheela Prakash.  The original recipe can be found  here.  

It is always worth checking the food blogs I get my recipes from.  You can look at their photos and also read all notes made, which will help making this dish.  Thank you Sheela for helping to add a delicious meal to our make again folder.  This would be great for company.

Cheesy Pasta al Forno with Italian Sausage

Serves 6 to 8

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 40 to 45 minutes

1/2 medium yellow onion

4 cloves garlic

1 pound uncut low-moisture whole milk mozzarella cheese

2 ounces Parmesan cheese (1 cup firmly packed freshly grated or 2/3 cup store-bought grated)

1 pound uncooked hot or sweet Italian sausage

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 (about 24-ounce) jars marinara sauce (about 6 cups total), divided

1 pound dried rigatoni pasta

Chopped fresh parsley leaves, for serving (optional)

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F.

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over high heat. 

Get all ingredients prepared.

Dice 1/2 medium yellow onion (about 1/2 cup). 

Mince 4 garlic cloves. 

Cut 1 pound mozzarella cheese into 1/2-inch cubes (about 3 cups). 

Finely grate 2 ounces Parmesan cheese (about 1 packed cup). 

Remove the casings from 1 pound Italian sausage if needed.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. 

Add the onion and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. 

Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Add the sausage, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. 

Cook, breaking up the sausage with a wooden spoon or spatula into small pieces, until browned and cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. 

Add 1 jar of the marinara sauce (about 3 cups) and stir to combine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. 

Remove the pan from the heat.

Add 1 pound rigatoni pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package directions but for 2 minutes less than al dente, about 8 minutes. 

Drain the pasta and return it to the now-empty pot off the heat.

Add the sausage mixture and remaining jar of marinara sauce to the pasta.  Fold in until we’ll combined.

Add half of the mozzarella and fold in.

Transfer the mixture to a 9x13-inch baking dish, or divide between 2 (8-inch) baking dishes.  You can use disposable foil trays, or a freeze-to-oven-safe baking dish if you’re planning to freeze. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.

Bake until the edges are bubbling and the cheese on top is completely melted and browned in spots, about 30 minutes. 

Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. 

Garnish with chopped fresh parsley leaves if using.

Sheela's notes:

Make ahead: The unbaked casserole can be prepared up to 2 days in advance, covered with aluminum foil, and refrigerated. When ready to bake, remove from the refrigerator while the oven heats. Uncover and add 5 to 10 minutes to the baking time.

Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Baking from frozen: If you plan to bake the casserole straight from the freezer, you can assemble it in a metal or disposable foil baking dish. Let the unbaked casserole cool completely in the pan, then wrap tightly in aluminum foil and freeze for up to 2 months.  Bake the casserole, still wrapped in the foil, at 350ºF until heated through and an instant-read thermometer registers 165°F in the center. 

For a frozen casserole, this will take 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours. 

For a thawed casserole (thaw overnight in the refrigerator), this will take about 1 hour. 

Whether baking from frozen or thawed, bake uncovered for the last 15 minutes so the cheese can brown.

Denise's notes:

We actually divided this into four separate dishes, using one larger dish for the meal that day, and two smaller 2-meal dishes, and also one individual meal size, the smaller ones to be put in the freezer for another day.   The larger dish we had originally, there were leftovers for the next day.  Cooking times would be different and I'm not sure by how much. There will be a little bit of guesswork involved. 

We served it with a mixed green salad.

We forgot to use the second jar of marinara sauce and didn't realize what we had done until after eating.  I noticed later when I picked up the unused jar while tidying the kitchen. It was not missed in the tasting of this dish, not dry at all and so delicious. If we added garlic bread that extra bottle of marinara would be added following the original list of ingredients.  Gregg’s suggestion, as he thought he would enjoy dipping his bread in the extra sauce.

Another suggestion of his was that he would like to add sliced mushrooms at the same time he cooks the onions.  We both enjoy those.

This recipe was made on a very hot and humid day.   Even with our A/C on, our kitchen was like a sauna, so that’s something to think about.  

Nothing else to say except that we truly enjoyed this meal!  

Thanks for looking and have a great week.

MONDAY RECIPE POST - CLASSIC SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS

I found the recipe at 'To Feed a Loon' hosted by Kris and Wesley, and you can see the original recipe here.  They have all kinds of good tips that are worth reading. All the extra effort is well worth it by the way. We gave this meal a 10 out of 10.

Classic Spaghetti and Meatballs - serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:

1-1/2 lb. ground beef (80% is what was preferred by the host)
1/2 lb. ground veal
1/2 lb. ground pork
2 large eggs, beaten
1/4 cup fresh Italian breadcrumbs (recipe below)
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
1 tablespoon salt
2 cloves of garlic, finely diced
1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
4 slices of firm Italian bread, crusts removed (let them sit out for about an hour to firm up)
1 cup of milk
1 cup of freshly grated Romano cheese
Olive oil for cooking the meatballs
10 cups of fresh Marinara sauce (recipe below)

For the fresh Italian breadcrumbs:

3 slices of white Italian bread, torn into large pieces
1/4 cup of freshly grated Romano cheese
1 tablespoon of chopped garlic
1 tablespoon of chopped parsley
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste

1 lb. of dried spaghetti
Parmesan cheese for topping

Instructions:

Making the breadcrumb mixture:

Process the bread in a food processor until coarsely ground.  Add the rest of the ingredients and pulse until finely ground.

Make the meatballs:

In a large mixing bowl, using your hands, mix together the beef, veal, pork and eggs.  Gently mix, don't overdo it.  Add the breadcrumbs, parsley, basil, salt, garlic and pepper.  Mix well.

Tear the bread into pieces and put in a bowl.  Add the milk and let it sit for about 8 minutes.  Press the bread with your fingers, make sure the milk is absorbed by the bread.

Add the soaked bread to the meat mixture and mix it in.  Next, add the grated cheese and 1 tablespoon of the milk (discarding the remaining milk).

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for about an hour.

Using an ice cream scoop pick up chunks of meat mixture and roll between your hands, forming into balls.  You can damp your hands with water if this helps.  Place the balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment or wax paper.  Refrigerate the rolled balls for at least 10 minutes.

Heat about a teaspoon of olive oil in a good, non-stick skillet.  When the pan is hot, working in batches, add the meatballs and cook them for about 10 minutes, turning them until they are browned on all sides.  Transfer to a platter and set aside. (They don't have to be cooked all the way through at this point and can be a little pink in the center.  They will finish cooking when in the marinara sauce.)

Meanwhile, in a large pot heat the marinara over medium-high heat.

Slowly, and carefully, add the meatballs and any left-over juice to the marinara.  Lower the heat to medium and cook for at least 45 minutes.  This gives plenty of time for the meatballs to pick up that delicious flavor of the sauce.  

Now, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente, about 10 to 11 minutes.

Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat, add about a cup of the sauce.

Add the cooked pasta so that the sauce already in the pan will coat the pasta.

Add more sauce, stir and transfer to a serving platter.  

Add the meatballs to the top and pass with extra sauce.

Top with grated Parmesan cheese.



Fresh Marinara  -  serves 4 to 6

Found here at the same website.


Ingredients

3-28 oz. cns of Italian whole tomatoes (suggested brand San Marzano)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup of garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Instructions:

Drain the tomatoes in a colander set in a large bowl for 5 minutes. Reserve the tomato liquid.

In a large pot heat the olive oil over medium heat.

When the oil is hot, add the garlic and cook while stirring for about 5 minutes, or until it is golden brown.  It should turn golden but don't let it burn.

Add the basil, parsley, salt and pepper.  Cook the mixture for 30 seconds.

Add just the tomatoes (not the juice but hold onto the juice). Increase the heat to high and cook for 5 minutes.

Reduce the heat and simmer the sauce for about 10 minutes.

Add the reserved tomato liquid.

Increase the heat to high and bring the sauce to a boil.  Boil for 12 minutes, or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally and scraping bottom to prevent burning.

Turn off the heat and let it stay for at least an hour before going on with the rest of the recipe.

What did we think of this dish?  We both agreed that it is the best spaghetti and meatballs we have ever put together.  Time consuming but very worth the extra effort.  

It is a good idea to make the marinara sauce the day.  It allows the flavors of the sauce to blend even more.  

For spaghetti we always use Angel Hair.  We both prefer this to regular spaghetti. 

Thanks for visiting and Bon Appétit!