Friday, June 1, 2012

Well, hello June!

I have been terrible at updating! I apologize! My June resolution is to post more, so here we go!

I just bought my herbs. I am very excited to get those planted and use them all summer.


What I bought and what I plan on making:

  • Basil - My favorite herb! I will pretty much make anything, from pesto to caprese to basil butter. YUM!
  • Italian Parsley - I can smell already over freshly grilled veggies
  • Mint - Mojitos are calling my name
  • Italian Oregano - Pasta sauce
  • Rosemary - roasted potatoes with garlic
  • Thyme - Freshens almost any dish
My mouth is literally salivating thinking about it all. I also bought 2 tomatoes. We'll give those a try again this year!

Enjoy!
Melissa

Monday, January 30, 2012

Balsamic Glazed Meatloaf

Why meatloaf? Well, MK is on a high protein diet so the more meat and veggies the better. I found this recipe from Bobby Flay and modified it for what was on sale and what we already had.






Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 zucchini, finely diced
1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced
1/2 yellow bell pepper, finely diced
1/2 yellow onion, finely diced
5 cloves garlic, smashed to a paste with coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 pounds ground chicken
1 cup panko
1/2 cup freshly grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar


Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. 
  2. Heat the oil in a large saute pan over high heat. Add the zucchini, bell peppers, onion, garlic paste and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the vegetables are almost soft, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
  3. Whisk the egg and fresh herbs in a large bowl. Add the turkey, panko, grated cheese, 1/2 cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar and the cooled vegetables; mix until just combined.
  4. Gently press the mixture into a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. Whisk the remaining 1/4 cup ketchup, 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes in a small bowl; brush the mixture over the entire loaf. Bake for 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
Tips for meatloaf
  • Place loaf pan on a baking sheet covered in foil. Easy clean up if (or when) your glaze boils over!
  • Use a meat thermometer! Ensure the internal temperature is 160 degrees before serving (I also accept 155 and then resting it). You do not anyone getting sick!
  • Invest is a good glazing brush. I love mine!
  • The original recipe used ground turkey, so that is a delicious option. Or there is always a good meatloaf mix: ground beef and ground pork.

Yum, meatloaf!
Adding the glaze.

Friday, January 20, 2012

Soup is in Season

Passatelli in Broth or worm soup as our 5 year old selves called it at Nonna's. With the bitter cold temperatures that settled into the Mitten this week, I just had to make soup. This soup is hearty but has a pinch of freshness with the lemon zest. I can tell you, I was warm for like 3 hours after eating this.

If you are making this, please note you need a potato ricer and someone strong to push the dough through. The smaller batches you make, the easier it is to press.



Passatelli in Broth

64 oz. Broth (any kind!)
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups plain bread crumbs
4 eggs
2 tbsp. flour
1 tbsp. grated lemon zest
1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1. Put the broth in a large pot to boil.
2. Combine the remaining ingredients. The dough will likely be crumby and this is ok!
3. Once the broth is boiling, squeeze the dough those a passatelli maker (a potato rices as non-Italians may call it). Cut once the noodles, once they are an inch or so long, into the boiling broth.
4. Cook at a gentle boil for approximately 5 minutes. Serve warm.

Click here for how it should look. I could not press it hard enough for the longer strands. A quick google search shows many ways to add veggies!

Stay warm out there!
MP

Sunday, January 1, 2012

New Year New Blog posts!

Hello all!

Thanks for hanging in there! I know I have completely let this go for the last half of 2011 but now it's 2012 and I need to get started again!

2012 is going to be a great year. I'll be posting some healthy living tips, recipes and links to Pinterest.

Let's make 2012 a healthy one! More from me soon!
M