Keeping the blog alive!

Hey guys-

Lots has been going on since my last post, but I'm going to try to keep this alive. Let me give a recap of some of the cool, interesting, and unique dishes I've been working on lately.


1. CHICKEN MEATBALLS- I used to hate meatball- I just thought they were so gross and they never tasted like anything much other than cardboard. But then, I came across this recipe for Italian wedding soup. Ina Garten's chicken meatballs are INCREDIBLE. They are so tasty...they have so much flavor- garlic, saltiness from the Parmesan, and I added some dried Italian seasoning, too. I took out the chicken sausage, I couldn't find that for a good price at my grocery store. But, man, they are so good. I made them for the soup originally, but I've been making them lately just to eat with pasta. Plus, ground chicken has WAY, way less fat than ground beef does- especially if you can find all-white meat ground chicken. I personally love how these meatballs are baked, too- that helps cut down on the fat too, and it gives them a nice crisp outside. It may cost an extra few cents for the ground chicken, and it's certainly easier to just pick up some frozen meatballs, but I think these are just too good to pass up.

2. SEMI-HOMEMADE PASTA SAUCE- Alright, I have to admit, Semi-Homemade Cooking is one of my least favorite shows on the Food Network- I think Sandra Lee is annoying, and every episode seems to be 10 minutes of her making a cocktail and 5 minutes of her actually making food. But, I fully support the concept- "semi-homemade" cooking is awesome. Sometimes, you just don't have the time or energy to put together a perfect homemade lasagna or pasta sauce or whatever. In my case, I've been whipping up a bunch of different types of pasta sauces. Basically, all you do is combine any pasta sauce with whatever vegetables and other add-ins you feel like. This week, I made a spicy olive sauce to go with the chicken meatballs...here's the recipe-

Olive oil
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (more to taste)
1 small can black olives, drained
1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced (or use garlic powder- I did that this week b/c I didn't have garlic)
Italian seasoning (basil, rosemary, oregano)
1/2 cup sherry, white wine, or red wine (whatever you've got sitting around works)
1-1.5 cups pasta sauce, any flavor (I used "7 Herb tomato")

Heat a large pan over high heat. Add in 1-1.5 Tbs. olive oil. Heat oil for about 30 seconds, then add crushed red pepper. Fry pepper flakes 30 seconds to 1 min., then reduce heat to medium and add onion and olives. Saute for 1-2 minutes, then add garlic and Italian seasoning. Saute until onion is translucent. Add sherry or wine and cook 30-45 seconds, until wine has reduced in half. Add pasta sauce and simmer covered for 10 minutes.

I've made a few different types of pasta sauce using this basic recipe- green pepper and onion, Parmesan and herb, sausage and olive. If you like mushrooms, you can add them- they will add some flavor too. If you choose to use meat in the sauce, try sweet Italian sausage, kielbasa, or ground beef. I would brown the meat first, then either A. drain the grease and use olive oil to saute the veggies or B. use the grease to saute the veggies. Either method works well, but I recommend draining the pan if you're using ground beef. I have my own special pasta sauce that I make from scratch...but this sauce is easy to put together after work or class, and it's as good as homemade.

3. ITALIAN STYLE HERB PASTE- Continuing with the Italian theme I've got going today, I've also got a great little trick for adding a lot of flavor to different meats (and even more solid vegetables like potatoes): make an herb paste. It's really simple- using an herb and salt, you can create a simple, flavorful spread to put on food before you cook it. Here's a recipe/explanation for mine:

1 clove garlic, minced
2-4 stalks rosemary, leaves removed and minced
Salt

Mix garlic and rosemary together on a cutting board, then add salt to mix. Using the back of a knife, squeeze mixture together. I've had the best luck using a large knife, applying pressure at the tip using the palm of my hand- BE VERY CAREFUL! Repeat until garlic has broken down into a paste. Spread paste onto any sort of meat you choose- I've used it on pork, beef roasts, and steak. It's delicious- it's got a lot of flavor- when I used it on pork chops and steak, I only spread it on one side- I put salt and pepper on the other.

4. VEGETABLES- I've really been trying to eat more vegetables this summer, and grilling them is a simple and easy way to cook them. I've done a lot of different veggies:

• Corn- wrap it with some butter and salt in foil and stick it on the grill for 15 minutes or so. It's delicious, and you can add extra spices, like chives, cumin, or even cinnamon if you like.
• Asparagus- I toss asparagus with a little olive oil and grill seasoning, then grill it over medium low heat, turning it frequently. This gives it a delicious smoky grill flavor, and I think it's my favorite grilled veggie. Another method is to wrap the asparagus in packets, like the corn, with a little olive oil and lemon juice. When you take them off the grill, try topping them with cashews- I love how the cashews add some crunch.
  
• Zucchini- Slice off the ends, then slice it longways into planks. A touch of olive oil keeps them from sticking on the grill. This should work for summer squash too.
• Onions- Grilled onions are great on burgers- cut them into rings and grill them over medium high heat. Also, if you like hot dogs or sausages, try grilling some onions, then dicing them and adding a touch of oregano- superb with kielbasa!
  
• Other options to try- peppers, sweet potatoes (cut them into planks and season with cinnamon and a touch of nutmeg), potatoes, tomatoes (haven't tried this yet, so I can't attest to the results!)

Another option for getting more veggies- try making semolins (I have no idea how to spell that lol). I got this recipe from my boyfriend, who said he ate tons of this during the summer. It's a simple recipe- saute a diced onion, a diced summer squash (the yellow ones), and a diced zucchini with a little olive oil. You'll know it's done when everything is soft and looks a little brown. It's delicious! All the veggies are sweet and tasty. The recipe my boyfriend said his family used had bacon grease in it too. Sure, I'm a good Midwesterner, and I think bacon's great, but this doesn't even need the bacon grease. Try it and you'll see!


Alright, well, that's all I've got to say for now. I'm still planning on doing an entry about spice mixes, so watch out for that. And yes, it will come before October lol. Also, I'm gonna put something together about kitchen essentials- from a college student's standpoint. I'm gonna tell you what things you need, and what you can do without. Check back soon!