Tag: home cooking (Page 5 of 16)

Recipe for Meatloaf Meatballs With Mom Glaze

September 14, 2015 / / 7 Comments

Lots of people have bad memories of meatloaf, but it’s always remained one of my favorite foods.

Growing-up, my mom always prepared the recipe from the back of the Quaker Oats box. She always spread a mixture of brown sugar and ketchup on the top of the loaf before baking and adorned it with strips of bacon. The next day, my favorite treat was enjoying cold meatloaf sandwiches. I think I looked forward to them more so than the meatloaf itself.

Food television really opened my eyes to different foods and watching people prepare familiar dishes in different ways than I’d seen at home. While my mom prepared meatloaf in a loaf pan, I’ve adopted the more freeform method of forming a mound on a pan that I first saw on Barefoot Contessa. My fondness of meatloaf led me to order it at different restaurants. Now, I don’t order it often anymore because I can usually make it better (or just as good) at home.

I’ll always remember the time I was hanging out at a grade-school friend’s house around dinner time. On our to grab our shoes at the front door, we wandered through the kitchen as her dad was making meatloaf. He was holding a big bottle of mustard and maniacally laughed as he squirted it to the meatloaf mix. My folks never added mustard to their meatloaf mix and so I made a mental note to try it someday when I had my own kitchen. Now I always add mustard to mine.

The real reason I turned my last batch of ground meat into meatloaf balls was because it was fun. That’s really all there is to it.

Meatloaf Meatballs With Mom Glaze
Serves two. 

Meatballs Pan

Ingredients:
1 lb ground meat (recommend pork and beef)
1 slice of bread soaked in milk
1 handful of parsley, finely chopped
1/4 onion, minced
1 clove garlic, grated
Mustard
BBQ Sauce
Salt
Pepper

Sauce:
Ketchup
Brown sugar, honey or maple syrup
Chili powder

Instructions:

  1. Tear one slice of bread into tiny pieces and soak in milk. The bread will be easier to break down into a paste as it softens.
  2. In a bowl, mix together the ground meat, bread and milk mixture, parsley, minced onion, garlic, at least one good squirt each of mustard and your favorite BBQ sauce, and pinches of salt and pepper.
  3. If you’d like to taste-test the mixture for seasoning, cook a tiny bit of the meat in a frying pan.
  4. Form meat mixture into balls and bake at about 375ºF (or 350ºF in a convection oven) until mostly cooked through. You can flip them partway through cooking, too. *Our new place is equipped with a convection oven which cooks foods must faster than our old ones. 
  5. While the meatballs bake, mix together the sauce by combining ketchup, brown sugar, and chili powder.
  6. Glaze the tops and sides of the meatballs with sauce. Return to the oven until the meatballs are cooked and the sauce glazes. Add more sauce, if desired, and return to the oven for a few minutes.

Remaking An Iowan Country Club Salad: Milleresque Salad

September 10, 2015 / / 6 Comments

Country clubs are interesting.

I worked at a country club very briefly before settling into my role at the auctioneering college in Mason City, Iowa. This was actually the first time I ever stepped foot in a country club. Growing up, my folks lived very frugally even though they could have afforded more splurges. They didn’t golf, dine out often, and were wary of arrangements involving automated membership fees. Therefore, country clubs really weren’t of interest to them.

I’ve always been fascinated with country clubs, as well as other grown-up clubs like sororities and fraternities and the Free Masons. It’s not that I’ve wanted to join them, per se, but just wanted to observe as a curious outsider.

Anyway, at this particular club, the dining services were primarily open to members or catered events like fundraisers or weddings (some special events are open to the public). It was a shame because the food was really quite good. People went nuts over the Miller Salad. It contained romaine, croutons, parmesan cheese, rotini pasta, and peppercorn ranch dressing.

The last week of the month was particularly busy when members had to meet their required minimum food purchases. We received a lot of take-out orders and requests for Miller Salads like always. I never did find out how they made the dressing, so here’s my take on the Mason City Country Club’s Miller Salad.

Milleresque Salad
Cook’s Notes: I’m going to do the Molly Yeh thing and give peppercorn ranch dressing clues instead of exact instructions. Making ranch is really a mix and taste process. It won’t taste exactly like the Hidden Valley ranch packets, but will create a creamy, onion and garlicky dressing. Packet ranch can still be good ranch. For additional homemade ranch inspiration, check out the Pioneer Woman & Once Upon a Chef.

DSC_0575

Ingredients:
Romaine lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces
Croutons (my homemade method)
Parmesan cheese
Cooked rotini pasta

Peppercorn Ranch Dressing Ingredients:
Mayo
Sour cream
Buttermilk
Apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
Cracked black pepper. A lot.
Finely sliced green onion or chives, or both!
Chopped parsley
Dill
Garlic powder or fresh grated garlic
Salt
Sugar
Optional: Cayenne

Instructions:

  1. Plop equal parts mayo and sour cream into a bowl. Whisk in buttermilk until you like its consistency.
  2. Stir in a splash or two of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice. The acidity will balance out the creaminess.
  3. Throw in thinly sliced scallion or chives or both for a gentle onion flavor.
  4. Add chopped parsley and dill.
  5. Season with garlic powder or freshly grated garlic for a greater zing, salt, and a little bit of sugar.
  6. Adjust ingredients until you like the flavor (i.e. add more mayo for body, vinegar for tang, garlic for bite, etc.). It will also taste better after it mingles in the fridge for a while.

To Assemble The Salad: 

  • Throw romaine lettuce, pasta, croutons, and parmesan cheese in a bowl. Toss with the peppercorn ranch and serve. I like to season the lettuce with an extra sprinkle of salt and pepper and throw in sliced red onion, too.

How To Make Gyro Pita Pizzas

September 5, 2015 / / 3 Comments

We’re never too old for pita pizzas. Don’t let anyone tell you this because it’s not true.

This weekend Jake put in a special dinner request for gyros. I bought my ingredients at Mideast Market in Ballwin, MO. It’s not a huge store, but they do have an in-house Halal butcher shop, produce, and a chaat deli counter where you can order pani puri and gyro tacos.

The sight of pani puri on a menu transported me back to this little (now closed) restaurant in Northeast Minneapolis called Bombay 2 Deli where I fell in love with spicy Indian food as a new grad. One afternoon, I brought a coworker who used to live in India and remember how flipped when she saw pani puri. She ordered them on the spot and taught me how to dunk the crunchy, little shells filled with curried potato into the spicy water before popping them into my mouth. Before Bombay 2 Deli, I had only visited Indian buffets serving northern cuisine so this was pretty revelatory.

Two of the items I bought included Cham Bakery pita and a box of frozen Olympia-brand gyro meat. The pita reminds me of the Lebanese flatbread a college friend used to bring from home. It’s larger than the typical store-bought pita, thinner, and chewier. In a nutshell, Cham’s pita crisps into the perfect pita pizza base. I’m guessing MSP residents can find something similar at Holy Land Deli or St. Paul Flatbread. One lesson I learned was that frozen gyro slices differ in quality. These slices browned around the edges nicely and rendered little fat, while the last ones I bought at a grocery store in Iowa melted into liquid goo. These are good products.

The next day I turned some of our leftovers into pita pizzas. I whipped together a simple tomato sauce and topped them with pinches of fresh mozzarella, basil, roasted eggplant, and gyro meat. There’s really no exact recipe. Taste as you go and add whatever you like.


 Pita pizza bowl

Sauce Ingredients:
Olive Oil
1 garlic clove, slivered
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
1 – 8.5 oz can tomato sauce
Splash balsamic
Black pepper
Salt
Sugar
Oregano
Dab of butter
Fresh basil

Sauce Instructions:

  1. Gently saute silvered garlic in a good glug of olive oil.
  2. Add a couple spoonfuls of tomato paste and briefly cook.
  3. Pour in tomato sauce and incorporate into tomato paste.
  4. Season sauce to taste with a splash of balsamic vinegar or red wine, pepper, salt, sugar, oregano and basil. Add a little dab of butter for some richness.
  5. If you use the tomato sauce and/or tomato sauce that’s already flavored with Italian seasonings, be aware that they might contain a lot of salt.
  6. Simmer until you’re ready to top the pizzas.

Roasted Eggplant
I used to work at Broders’ Cucina Italiana where I got hooked on their Eggplant Special pizza. Roasted eggplant is my favorite pizza topping. 

If you have a larger eggplant with tough skin, remove most of it with a peeler. Cut into bite-sized cubes or strips. Drizzle with lots of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast until it’s tender and caramelizes. Toss eggplant occasionally during cooking. If it seems too dry, add more oil.

Pizza Assembly

  1. Lightly rub pita with olive oil on both sides. Place on a sheet pan.
  2. Spread pizza sauce on pita.
  3. Top with mozzarella, roasted eggplant, and whatever toppings strike your fancy. We also made pizzas with leftover gyro meat, fresh basil, shaved onions, and hot pepper flakes.
  4. Bake until the pita crisps and cheese starts to bubble.
  5. Serve with extra tzatziki sauce. We made ours similar to this recipe. If you can find it, Lebanese labneh is a delightfully thick yogurt. The lemon juice and cucumber will thin it out.

Chinese Long Beans Are Delicious: A Simple Preparation

August 3, 2015 / / 6 Comments

Allow me introduce you to my new friend, Chinese long beans.

IMG_6705

If you have ever strolled through Asian markets, you may have noticed this unusual-looking vegetable.

Chinese long beans bring to mind a shopping trip years ago where my friend and I stared in equal parts horror and wonder at a woman’s dangling, long bean-like fingernails. This is precisely why I’ve walked passed them many times in Asian groceries and given them strange looks at Twin Cities farmers markets.

This all changed the following summer when I noticed the little boy I nannied chewing on a long bean his mother gave him as a snack. Long beans were one of his favorite snacks and he seemed content using his two and only teeth to nibble the wrinkly, green strands. Suddenly, they seemed less menacing.

Now, long beans are one of my favorite vegetables. They look more unusual than they taste and I actually prefer their sweet flavor and crunchy texture to standard green beans. If you are looking to add a new vegetable to your repertoire, try this simple preparation.

Chinese long beans

Be careful when adding the sauces to a smoking hot pan. I learned the glaze can burn when I scorched my first batch.

Ingredients:
Long Beans, cut into bit sized pieces (about two cups)
Vegetable oil (not olive)
Eggs, scrambled
Onion, diced or cut into half moons
Salt
Black Pepper
Soy Sauce
Sugar
Optional: Sesame seeds to garnish

Instructions:

  1. Wash the long beans, trim off the ends, and cut into manageable pieces.
  2. Cook scrambled eggs in a little bit of oil and set aside. Cut into strips or break into small pieces. If you plan to use the same pan to cook the beans, rinse or wipe out the pan when it’s cool enough to safely handle.
  3. In a hot pan, stir fry the onion in a little oil (not olive oil).
  4. Before the onions brown, add the green beans and stir fry until they are tender. If the outsides of the beans slightly blister, they will taste even better. Make sure the onion does not burn.
  5. Turn off the heat and remove the pan from the burner. If the pan is scorching hot, let it cool slightly so that the glaze does not burn.
  6. Toss the beans with soy sauce or miso mixed with a little it of water, plus a sprinkle of sugar or drizzle of honey for a salty-sweet glaze. Taste as you go and adjust the soy and sugar as needed.
  7. You could also add hot pepper, garlic, or sesame seeds.

Recipe: Red Wine & Rosemary Pulled Beef In The Slow Cooker

August 2, 2015 / / 5 Comments

“Chuck roast hitting a hot, oiled pan.”

chuck roast

Beef from Baumann’s Fine Meats in Maplewood, MO.

If this was an essential oil, I’d totally join your team.

My folks made their first trip to St. Louis to see us and I invited them over for a home-cooked birthday dinner. As I was searching for an uncomplicated one-pot meal to prepare, Whitney of Little Leopard Book’s recipe for Slow Cooked Beef Ragu caught my eye. This recipe for slow cooker beef is a breeze to prepare in the morning and has a short ingredient list.

Slow cooking turns the beef silky and fork tender. At the end of the day you’ll find a rich, complicated sauce made from just the broth, aromatics, red wine, and canned tomatoes. I served the beef with parmesan polenta and crusty french bread to soak up every last drop of the sauce.

Everyone returned for seconds and that’s all we need to know.

Italian Slow Cooker Beef
Thank you Whitney of Little Leopard Book for giving me your blessing to share my tweaks on your recipe! This recipe served our family of four, providing everyone with seconds + some leftovers. 

DSC_0550

Ingredients:
3 lb chuck roast
1 onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
1-2 tablespoons fresh rosemary (or 1 teaspoon per 1 tablespoon dried)
1 can chopped tomatoes (I used the a variety seasoned with Italian herbs)
1 can tomato paste
About 1/2 cup red wine (I used Merlot)
About 1/2 cup beef broth
1 tsp kosher salt (or less, depending on how salty the broth is)
1 tsp black pepper
1 tablespoon brown sugar

Instructions:

  1. Spread sliced onions, rosemary, and smashed garlic cloves in the bottom of a large crock pot.
  2. Season the beef lightly with salt and pepper.
  3. Sear the roast on all sides in a hot, oiled pan.
  4. Place the roast in the crock pot.
  5. In a bowl, mix together the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, wine, beef broth, salt, pepper, and sugar. Pour over the roast.
  6. Cover the slow cooker and cook until the meat is fork tender. Whitney’s instructions suggest cooking the roast on high for 6-8 hours. My slow cooker runs hot so I cooked the meat for about four hours on high and two on low.
  7. When the meat is tender, remove it from the crock pot and set aside on a plate. Turn off the heat for about 15 minutes so that the fat can settle at the top of the sauce.
  8. Skim off as much fat as you’d like. Return the meat to the crock pot and shred. Hold at a warm temperature until ready to serve.

IMG_7505

I served the pulled beef with creamy, parmesan polenta.

For a sweet and savory breakfast treat, make enough polenta to have leftovers. Store it in a flat container in the refrigerator so that it will congeal into a shape that’s easy to cut. The next morning, carefully cut out a slice of polenta and lightly dredge it in flour. Saute the polenta in hot butter until golden brown on both sides and drizzle with maple syrup or honey.

polenta

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