Caprese Meatballs

A simple and delicious recipe from Kelsey Nixon on the Cooking Channel.  I use a few different ingredients, the Quinoa pesto is a little lighter flavor than regular pesto and gives the meatballs a less oily taste.  Mozzerella cheese sticks make easy work of stuffing the meatballs (use a size 50 scoop). Serve over Capellini pasta.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/2 cup pesto (quinoa pesto from Trader Joe's)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (Fresh Mozzerella cheese sticks from Trader Joes)
• 5 cups Classic Tomato Basil Sauce, recipe follows
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

CLASSIC TOMATO BASIL SAUCE:

• 4 pounds ripe plum tomatoes or two 28-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice, such as Organic Muir Glen
• 2 heads garlic, cloves peeled and halved lengthwise (about 25 cloves)
• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 1/2 teaspoons hot red pepper flakes
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup chopped fresh basil

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

Combine the turkey, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, pesto, salt, pepper and egg in a large mixing bowl with your hands, taking care to not overwork the meat. Form golf ball-size meatballs (about 24 - a size 50 scoop works perfect) and stuff each with 1 mozzarella cube. Evenly space the meatballs on the baking sheet. Bake until just starting to brown, 15 minutes. 

Add the Classic Tomato Basil Sauce and chicken broth to the slow cooker. Transfer the meatballs to slow cooker, cover and cook on low 4 to 6 hours. 

Allow the meatballs to cool slightly before serving, and adjust with salt and pepper, if necessary.

Cut an "X" in the bottom of each tomato and blanch in a large pot of boiling water 10 seconds. Immediately transfer the tomatoes with a slotted spoon to an ice bath to cool, then peel, seed and chop. 

Cook the garlic in the oil in a small, heavy pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally until golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and red pepper flakes, season with salt and pepper, and add the fresh basil. Cover and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Yield: 6 cups.

Crunchy Parmesan Chicken and Campanella Pasta

My boys love this as long as the chicken is extra crunchy!  I have my easy version (where I just coat the chicken in the breadcrumb mixture) and the more time consuming version of dredging in flour, dipping in egg wash, and coating the chicken in breadcrumb mixture.  The chicken turns out great either way.

1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/4 grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
Salt
Pepper
1 egg
1/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
6-8 chicken tenders or 3-4 chicken breast cut up and pounded out to same thickness

Combine panko, parmesan, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper in a shallow dish.  If you are doing the easy version, just coat the chicken in this mixture.  If you want the other version, lightly coat the chicken in flour, then dip in egg wash, and then coat with breadcrumb mixture.

In a large non-stick skillet, combine butter and olive oil and heat over medium.  When oil/butter is hot dip one side of chicken in and then flip it over on the other side (that way you don't have to add more oil and butter to cook the other side of the chicken).  Continue this method with the rest of the chicken.  You  may have to do two batches depending on the size of your pan and amount of chicken.  When one batch is cooked through, remove from the pan and then add another tablespoon or two of oil and butter and start again.  Once all of the chicken is done, leave the pan with the dripping and use it for the pasta recipe below.

Campanella Pasta
8oz campanella pasta
1/4 cup grated parmesan
16oz can whole tomatoes, chopped using blender or hand chopper (reserve juice from can)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon dried basil or 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
Salt
Pepper

Cook pasta according to directions on package.  Once cooked, drain and then add to pan used to cook chicken.  Sprinkle parmesan cheese over hot pasta and then add chopped tomatoes, sugar, basil, salt and pepper to taste.  Stir to combine and use reserved tomato juice to thin out sauce if desired.

Spaetzle

I was probably fourteen or fifteen when I tried this dish but I'll never forget the cheese spaetzle I ordered in Switzerland and one with beef and gravy I ordered in Germany.  I thought I'd never tasted anything so good.  I'm lucky my parents provided me with opportunities to experience so many different countries and cultures.  Who knew I'd be making this for my family years later.   It's become kind of a tradition to have spaetzle with our roast on Sundays.  I'm always amazed at how much my kids eat, they love it!  I usually make a double batch and we have a little left over the next day for lunch.  This recipe is from Betty Crocker's New Cookbook.

2 large eggs, beaten
1/4 cup milk or water
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dash of pepper
1 tablespoon margarine or butter

Fill 4-quart Dutch oven half full with water; heat to boiling. In medium bowl, mix eggs, milk, flour, salt and pepper with fork (batter will be thick).

Press a few tablespoons of the batter at a time through colander with 1/4-inch holes, or spaetzle maker, into boiling water. Stir once or twice to prevent sticking. Cook about 2 to 5 minutes or until spaetzle rise to surface and are tender; drain. Toss with butter.

Makes 6 servings, about 1/2 cup each

Dillon's Mac-N-Cheese

Good and different.  I like to use half buttermilk and half regular milk as it's a little too tangy for me with all buttermilk.  Makes a lot so make it for a crowd or half the recipe.

1 lb cooked jumbo elbow macaroni

3 tablespoons flour

3 tablespoons butter

3 cups buttermilk (or replace 3T regular milk from 3 cups with 3T vinegar and let it sit for a few minutes to make butt)

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon barbecue sauce

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper (or a bit of cayene if you're like me)

2 lbs cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

1/2 cup corn niblets

1/2 cup cottage cheese

Topping

1 cup seasoned croutons, crushed

2 tablespoons melted butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Cook macaroni according to package instructions and drain well. Grease a large baking dish (~9x13"). In large sauce pan, stir flour into melted butter until blended. Add buttermilk, stirring constantly. Stir in Dijon mustard, BBQ sauce, salt, pepper, cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese, corn, and cottage cheese. Cook until well blended. Stir macaroni into cheese mixture and pour into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the topping mixture over the top of MAC-N-CHEESE. Bake uncovered for 40 minutes or until brown and bubbly. Best served warm. This recipe can easily be halved and baked in an 8x8" casserole. Enjoy!

Penne with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

Penne with Sun Dried Tomato Pesto

Ingredients
12 ounces penne pasta
1 (8.5-ounce) jar sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil
2 garlic cloves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
Meanwhile, blend the sun-dried tomatoes and their oil, garlic, salt and pepper, to taste, and basil in a food processor and blend until the tomatoes are finely chopped. Transfer the tomato mixture to a large bowl. Stir in the Parmesan.
Add the pasta to the pesto and toss to coat, adding enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten. Season the pasta, to taste, with salt and pepper and serve.

*I added the pesto to some sauteed chicken and then added the pasta and pasta water.

Parmesan Orzo

Parmesan Orzo

1 tbls. Butter
1 cup orzo pasta
2 ½ cups chicken broth or water
¼ cup parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Brown orzo in butter, add broth and simmer until broth is absorbed by pasta, add cheese salt & pepper. Other additions, sun-dried tomatoes, pinenuts, basil.