Category Archives: meat

Slow Cooked Brisket–Super Easy

Posted on September 12, 2015 | Leave a comment

Featured Image -- 8316I am always on the look-out for a brisket recipe and it seems like everyone is always asking me for a good brisket recipe. This past New Years my friends and I were making dinner and wanted something we could do quickly that wouldn’t require a lot of prepping etc. My friend Susan gave me this recipe for a slow cooker brisket and I actually put it in the slow cooker Tuesday night before New Years. We came home from dinner and I cut up the onions , seared the brisket and got it all together in about 1/2 hour and put it in the slow cooker by midnight! When I woke up in the morning the house smelled amazing and the brisket had cooked for a full 8 hours! I then took the whole insert with cover and refrigerated it till later that day when I would remove any and all congealed fat that had naturally gathered in the pot. I highly recommend doing it ahead of time so that you can remove any unwanted fat from the brisket. You can even do it a week ahead and freeze the brisket, or a few days ahead whichever works best for you. The recipe is from the website Kitchn and Susan had already made it so I knew it would be good. So easy and so good.

This is such a wonderful recipe I highly recommend for the Jewish Holidays or any time you’re in the mood for good comfort food.

I also recommend an electric knife as it is the best tool for slicing a brisket thinly and getting the most out of the meat. I love my electric knife and it is great for cutting all roasts. Ingredients are simple and you probably have most of them in the house already.

*If you are freezing it, you can slice up and then put it in the freezer. Take out of freezer and re-heat the way I did.

* a 4 lb. Brisket with side dishes should serve 6 people

www.kitchn.com original title Slow-Cooked Brisket and Onion

Ingredients:

3 1/2 to 4 lb. Brisket

1 tablespoon olive oil

app. 2 large onions, sliced into half moons (not too thinly)

Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

6 cloves garlic , minced

2 cups beef broth

2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce

1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce ( reduced sodium is fine here)

Directions:

Heat a deep sauté pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat with the 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the onions and cook on medium-low to medium heat, stirring frequently for app. 20 minutes or until the onions have caramelized lightly. This means that the onions will lightly brown up and completely wilt.

Remove brisket from its packaging and pat it dry. While the onions cook if you have another large skillet or sauté pan heat it up over medium-high heat and turn on your vent or fan. Sear the brisket until a golden brown crust appears on both sides of the meat. Remove and place in a slow-cooker insert fatty side up.  I would spray the insert with cooking spray first. If you don’t want to dirty  2 pans wait till the onions are cooked and then just add brisket to that pot to sear.

Sprinkle the minced garlic over the meat. Pile the sautéed onions on top and around the meat. Mix the broth, Worcestershire Sauce and soy sauce and pour into the slow-cooker insert.

Cover and cook in the slow cooker on LOW for 6-8 hours or until the brisket is very tender. I did 8 hours because it depends on the size and shape of your brisket. This brisket was about 4 lbs. and pretty thick in spots.

Now the thing about cooking ahead was that I could refrigerate it right in the insert . The next day I removed from refrigerator mid afternoon and scraped off the congealed fat.

To reheat: First I slice the brisket if I haven’t already done so. Heat the oven to 300 degrees. Transfer the brisket and all the juices to a baking dish and cover tightly with a lid or two layers of aluminum foil. Warm in the oven for at least an hour till brisket is completely warmed through. Of course the timing will depend greatly on the size and shape of the brisket; once it’s sliced it will re-heat faster which is why I always do so.

If you don’t have a slow cooker and don’t want to buy one you can cook in the oven instead. You’ll need a dutch oven ( Le Creuset type) with a lid. Or a baking dish covered  very tightly with foil. Follow instructions as above but cook in the oven at 325 degrees for about 4 hours for a 4 lb. brisket. You may need to cook longer depending on the size and shape of your brisket.

Cooking Time varies for how you prefer your brisket. If you want a more formal presentation you’ll probably stay within the 8 hours . If you like it shredded and more like pulled beef you may want to increase cooking time by another hour. We sliced it after 8 hours and then re-heated it and it was perfect! Sorry I didn’t take more pictures.

IMG_6380

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Roast Pork Loin with Apples and Onions

Posted on February 20, 2015 | 2 comments

FullSizeRender (9)FullSizeRender (8) FullSizeRender (6)FullSizeRender (4)FullSizeRender (3)FullSizeRender (2)FullSizeRender (7)Wow!!! What an amazing delicious and easy dish is this to make. Prep is easy and pork loin is available in most butcher shops and Whole Foods type of supermarket. It will make you look like you really know what you’re doing in a few easy steps. It’s really just a dry rub on the pork but you’ll need an instant-read meat thermometer as this is very important in the cooking of this dish. Joel and I both enjoyed this very much. A winner! The roasted apples and onions were just an amazing addition to the pork.

* you’ll need a rimmed sheet pan and a cooking thermometer ( instant-read type) and make sure yours works, sometimes they stop working for no apparent reason.

thanks once again to Jessica Seinfeld http://www.doitdelicous.com and her wonderful cookbook The Can’t Cookbook which I love even though I can cook.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs. boneless pork loin * see pictures

2 medium red onions, peeled and cut into quarters ( see directions)

3 red apples

3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil + 1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil

1 tsp. kosher salt ( divided 1/2 and 1/2 ) see directions

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper ( divided 1/4 and 1/4) see directions

2 cloves garlic chopped

1 Tablespoon dried thyme ( from the jar) this is not fresh thyme

2 tsp. fennel seeds ( available in most spice sections of your supermarket)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees with the oven rack in the middle of the oven. Have pork out of refrigerator and at room temperature, about 1/2 hour prior to cooking.

Cutting the onions–First peel the onions, then cut off both ends of the onions. Then cut the onions in half from end to end. Place each half of the onions cut side down and cut again. You have now quartered the onions.

Cut the apples in 1/2 from stem to end.  Remove the core, the easiest method is to use a melon-baller or a small teaspoon to remove core and seeds.  Place each half cut side down and cut in half again. Place the apples and onions in a rimmed sheet pan ( I spray with Pam cooking spray first )

Drizzle the onions and apples with 3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. of kosher salt and 1/4 tsp. of black pepper ( app. 12 turns on a pepper mill) Toss together with clean hands and spread into a single layer.

Chop the garlic, and combine in a small bowl with the thyme, fennel, and the remaining 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Place the pork, fat side up in the middle of the pan, push the apples and onions aside. Rub the entire pork loin with the spice rub.

Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the pork reads 145 degrees. Check the temperature after 50 minutes. I cooked for one hour and mine was perfect, but check temperature after 45- 50 . Your oven will determine how long it needs to cook and all ovens vary. A slight pink hue in the center of your cooked roast is perfectly desirable. Transfer the meat to a clean cutting board and let it rest for about 5 minutes before slicing. Plate it up with the apples and onions. I also served alongside roasted sweet potatoes.

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Kitchen Sink White Bean Chili (also my Super Bowl Chili)

Posted on January 29, 2015 | Leave a comment

dirty sink from kitchen sink chili

This was originally posted back in winter of 2013.  I am re-posting it for those of you looking for an awesome chili for Superbowl  Sunday . Enjoy!

We just got back from two beautiful days in Moab, Utah. We hiked most of the time and the glory and splendor that is there has no words. If you ever have the opportunity to go you should do so. It is an amazing area–Arches National Park, the Canyonlands, the whole area is just breathtaking. We hadn’t had snow here so we went on the road. Now we’re back and today was spectacular! It snowed in Aspen last night and we skied today. So nice to be back skiing. It was Sunday, and the Giants were in the playoffs. Joel set the DVR and we were gone all day. I had taken out a package of chopped turkey and figured that I would pick up a few things and make this chili that I love. I use a lot of stuff from my pantry and substitute ingredients where necessary (it’s a think-on-your-feet kind of recipe!) I served with shredded cheese and chips, and it was heartwarming and delicious.

I also have to add a little note: I cook a lot and usually make a big mess. Joel always cleans up and he is such a good cleaner upper! Our deal is that I do the cooking and he does the cleaning. I might add that this is a very good deal because I am not so fond of cleaning up the mess I make cooking. Obviously, I try to clean as I go, so as to not be a complete pig about it, but he’s really a good sport about it, in general. Anyway, he asked me to post a picture of some of the mess I left him in the sink.

I also make this as one of my dishes for Super Bowl but usually for Super Bowl I do it in the slow cooker so it stays warm for a long time. I just throw all the ingredients in the slow cooker and simmer away. Tonite I cooked it in my trusty Le Creuset. I often mess around with these ingredients and you can too. For instance, I only had 1 can of White Northern Beans but I had 2 of Pinto so as long as they are white beans it’s okay to use them. I didn’t have Picante sauce in the house, but I had some great salsa, so I used that instead. I made it with turkey but you can use chicken, or eliminate meat altogether and make it vegetarian with vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. It’s chili, which is not a perfect science by any means; so be flexible with ingredients, but make sure to use proportionate amounts.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 large white onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped (I use green for color but be my guest and switch to whatever you have handy or prefer to use)

1 yellow pepper, chopped

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

3 15 oz. cans of White Northern Beans (or any white bean, such as Pinto), drained

7 oz. salsa or Picante sauce (Newman’s own was in pantry but I found a fresh salsa in fridge so I substitured the fresh salsa) they are both fine, use whatever

1 8 oz. can of diced green chiles (I used 2 cans of 4 oz. hot green chiles)

1 8 oz. can of whole kernel corn

1 lb. can diced tomatoes (drained)

1 tbsp. cumin

1 tbsp. Mexican oregano (this is available here in Colorado but may not be everywhere. You can try to find it but if you can’t, regular oregano will have to do…and yes, I know that it looks like pot in my picture.)

Kosher salt to taste (you’ll need a fair amount but salt along the way to your liking, I used a fair amount of salt, but use your own discretion, it’s a big pot of chili

Freshly ground black pepper to taste (if you have white pepper that works as well in this, because it is White Chili)

3 – 4 cups chicken (or vegetable) stock (I start out with 3 and if it is too thick I usually add up to another cup.) I did use 4 at the end, if you’re eating it that night use 3 then before you freeze or refrigerate add another cup to the pot so as to add some more liquid.

12 oz. sour cream (Lite is good. Non-fat is okay, but I don’t love it. Strain first to get rid of that little bit of liquid. You can also use yogurt. Add this ingredient last and blend in well.) Sometimes, I take it out of container and mix it up a bit so it will blend in better.

Shredded cheese (Mexican Style, Jalapeno or Cheddar), for topping. (I let people add this themselves, since some people don’t want the cheese.)

* jalapeno pepper (I love the heat so I dice up a fresh jalapeno, add it to mine, and then leave it in a little bowl for anyone else who may want it.)

Tortilla chips on the side

Directions:

In a large stockpot (my trusty Le Creuset) melt the butter on a medium heat.  Add onion, peppers and garlic and cook until soft. I add the garlic at this point and a little kosher salt.

Puree 1 1/2 cans of the drained beans (Cuisinart food processor is best) until beans are smooth and add to the pot.

Add the rest of the beans, along with the salsa, chiles, corn, tomatoes, and spices (plus anything else you may want to add). Cook for a few more minutes on a low heat,  until the ingredients are blended.

Add the stock and bring to a boil. I then lower the heat and simmer for about an hour on the stove top.

Before you’re ready to serve it, add the sour cream and blend well while simmering.

I place the shredded cheese, extra sour cream, chips, fresh-cut up jalapenos, salsa (and sometimes guacamole) in bowls on the side so everyone can make their chili their way.

Enjoy!

This is so easy, you can make in the morning, and let it sit all day in fridge. You may want to add liquid at some point when you serve. We ate it that night, and then I put in containers for fridge and freezer. I added the rest of the stock before I froze it. Just add back to pot and stir, and then ladle into containers.  Keeps in fridge for at least 3 days. Perfect for freezing, I just take it out of freezer in the morning and by evening it should be defrosted , heat it up and you may need to add some liquid if it is too thick. Those little boxes ( 1 cup size) of broth come in handy here.

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Red Chili with Turkey or Beef

Posted on January 17, 2015 | Leave a comment

Superbowl time and the food that always comes to mind is chili. I have already posted my white bean chili, which I love but this is a more common version. Chili is not an exact science and you can feel free to make substitutions where you like. Obviously the toppings are optional and at your own discretion. Chili is just so easy to make. It sits on the stove or your slow cooker and when you’re ready to eat it, it’s all done. I like chips or taco shells with this. I love fresh jalapeno on the side chopped up, guacamole, refried beans, etc. If you don’t want beef, make it with turkey instead. I usually make it with turkey but this time out I made it with ground beef because I couldn’t get the turkey. We just landed in Aspen and the small market by the airport only had ground beef so it will have to do. I usually make this one day ahead for a special event. This allows the flavors to all meld together and then I just reheat–couldn’t be easier.

A little trick I learned a while back was to add a little Masa flour. It is usually available in the section with Mexican foods. I stumbled upon it quite by accident, and sneak it in with this recipe. I use about 1/8 a cup of Masa flour to about 1/2 cup very hot water. I add it during the first 1/2 hour and see how it thickens up. I probably use about 2/3 of the flour in the end, and it adds a corn flavor and thickens up the chili. (Directions are below.)

Ingredients:

2 lbs. ground beef or ground turkey–If I am using ground turkey I prefer ground dark meat if you can find it. It’s much more flavorful . You can use white meat turkey but try for 85/15. That’s 85% white meat with 15% fat. I just find the O% fat to be very dry. Of course these are all personal choices.

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 can (12 – 14 oz) tomato sauce, and then about 1 –  2 cans of water

1 can (Ro-tel) diced tomatoes and chilies

1 can (15 oz.)red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 can (15 oz.) pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1/8  cup masa harina (corn flour) found in the Mexican food section of the supermarket (Mix flour with about 1/2 cup very hot water. It will be quite thick. Drop in by spoonfuls and mix well to incorporate. I probably used 2/3 of the flour mixture. This is optional but ever since I discovered it, I’ve been using it.)

1 can yellow corn (optional, but I always like to add it in. I use a small 8 oz. can)

1 small can (4 oz.) poblano green chilis, cut up or diced (also in Mexican aisle)

1 teaspoon ground oregano (I use Mexican oregano. Use it if you can get it. If not, regular is fine.)

1 tablespoon ground cumin

2 tablespoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I like the heat. This is optional. You can also take down to 1/4 teaspoon.)

1 teaspoon kosher salt (then you will taste for additional salt. I added 1/4 teaspoon more at the end.)

Grated shredded cheddar or jack cheese for serving

diced red onion and diced fresh jalapeno for serving

Tortilla chips, guacamole, sour cream and salsa for serving

*cilantro for topping (I love cilantro so I chop it up and leave it out for individual garnish.)

Directions:

Place the ground beef or turkey in a large stock pot (Le Creuset) and put in the garlic. Cook over medium heat until meat is browned. Drain off any excess fat.  Add in the tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and cayenne. Stir together well, and reduce heat to low. I use the 15 oz. can of tomato sauce as a measuring cup and add 1 -2 cups of water (this time out I used 1 1/2 cans of water.) Let simmer for an hour or so, covered, occasionally stirring, and adding water, if necessary.

Place the masa harina in a small bowl. Add 1/2 cup water and stir together with a fork. Add masa mixture to the chili and stir together and taste for seasonings. Add more water if needed. Add the beans, corn, and chilis. I usually add salt at this point. Simmer for another 1/2 hour or so covered. It can simmer for a long while, if you so desire. Or, turn off heat, and just heat up 1/2 hour before serving.  You should check for thickness. During the last 1/2 hour, I added a bit more water .

Serve with assorted toppings I’ve listed. Cheese, jalapenos, chips, guacamole, salsa, chopped red onions, sour cream  and cilantro.

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Slow Cooked Brisket–Super Easy

Posted on January 12, 2015 | 1 comment

Featured Image -- 8316I am always on the look-out for a brisket recipe and it seems like everyone is always asking me for a good brisket recipe. This past New Years my friends and I were making dinner and wanted something we could do quickly that wouldn’t require a lot of prepping etc. My friend Susan gave me this recipe for a slow cooker brisket and I actually put it in the slow cooker Tuesday night before New Years. We came home from dinner and I cut up the onions , seared the brisket and got it all together in about 1/2 hour and put it in the slow cooker by midnight! When I woke up in the morning the house smelled amazing and the brisket had cooked for a full 8 hours! I then took the whole insert with cover and refrigerated it till later that day when I would remove any and all congealed fat that had naturally gathered in the pot. I highly recommend doing it ahead of time so that you can remove any unwanted fat from the brisket. You can even do it a week ahead and freeze the brisket, or a few days ahead whichever works best for you. The recipe is from the website Kitchn and Susan had already made it so I knew it would be good. So easy and so good.

This is such a wonderful recipe I highly recommend for the Jewish Holidays or any time you’re in the mood for good comfort food.

I also recommend an electric knife as it is the best tool for slicing a brisket thinly and getting the most out of the meat. I love my electric knife and it is great for cutting all roasts. Ingredients are simple and you probably have most of them in the house already.

*If you are freezing it, you can slice up and then put it in the freezer. Take out of freezer and re-heat the way I did.

* a 4 lb. Brisket with side dishes should serve 6 people

www.kitchn.com original title Slow-Cooked Brisket and Onion

Ingredients:

3 1/2 to 4 lb. Brisket

1 tablespoon olive oil

app. 2 large onions, sliced into half moons (not too thinly)

Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

6 cloves garlic , minced

2 cups beef broth

2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce

1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce ( reduced sodium is fine here)

Directions:

Heat a deep sauté pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat with the 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the onions and cook on medium-low to medium heat, stirring frequently for app. 20 minutes or until the onions have caramelized lightly. This means that the onions will lightly brown up and completely wilt.

Remove brisket from its packaging and pat it dry, season the meat with salt and pepper generously.  While the onions cook if you have another large skillet or sauté pan heat it up over medium-high heat and turn on your vent or fan. Sear the brisket until a golden brown crust appears on both sides of the meat. Remove and place in a slow-cooker insert fatty side up.  I would spray the insert with cooking spray first. If you don’t want to dirty  2 pans wait till the onions are cooked and then just add brisket to that pot to sear.

Sprinkle the minced garlic over the meat. Pile the sautéed onions on top and around the meat. Mix the broth, Worcestershire Sauce and soy sauce and pour into the slow-cooker insert.

Cover and cook in the slow cooker on LOW for 6-8 hours or until the brisket is very tender. I did 8 hours because it depends on the size and shape of your brisket. This brisket was about 4 lbs. and pretty thick in spots.

Now the thing about cooking ahead was that I could refrigerate it right in the insert . The next day I removed from refrigerator mid afternoon and scraped off the congealed fat.

To reheat: First I slice the brisket if I haven’t already done so. Heat the oven to 300 degrees. Transfer the brisket and all the juices to a baking dish and cover tightly with a lid or two layers of aluminum foil. Warm in the oven for at least an hour till brisket is completely warmed through. Of course the timing will depend greatly on the size and shape of the brisket; once it’s sliced it will re-heat faster which is why I always do so.

If you don’t have a slow cooker and don’t want to buy one you can cook in the oven instead. You’ll need a dutch oven ( Le Creuset type) with a lid. Or a baking dish covered  very tightly with foil. Follow instructions as above but cook in the oven at 325 degrees for about 4 hours for a 4 lb. brisket. You may need to cook longer depending on the size and shape of your brisket.

Cooking Time varies for how you prefer your brisket. If you want a more formal presentation you’ll probably stay within the 8 hours . If you like it shredded and more like pulled beef you may want to increase cooking time by another hour. We sliced it after 8 hours and then re-heated it and it was perfect! Sorry I didn’t take more pictures.

IMG_6380

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Turkey Meatloaf

Posted on December 28, 2014 | 1 comment

Fully Cooked turkey loaf
ready for the oven turkey meatloaf with ketchup/brown sugar topping

 We haven’t had turkey meat loaf in a very long time and it is a perfect crowd pleaser for the family table. Perfect for a large family gathering or just the two of you with great left-overs.

The first time I made this was in Aspen with my friend Susan many moons ago. We found the recipe from Barefoot Contessa and it was back in the day I wasn’t living out here yet and before my blog was born. We collaborated on it, and Joel and Drew liked it so much they used to tell us to open a shop with turkey lasagna and turkey meat loaf (uh uh, not happening) In any event , it has long become a staple in both of our households and even Drew makes it now. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. I have made a few changes to the original, but the original is a perfect recipe as is. It can easily be cut in 1/2, and tonite I cut it even more using only 1 1/2 lbs. of ground turkey. This recipe as is will serve 8 – 10 servings easily. Great for a large crowd. I serve with roasted butternut squash , roasted cauliflower, sweet potatoes, and/or a beautiful salad. Possibilities are endless with this meatloaf.

*you will need a meat thermometer to check for doneness

Ingredients:

5 lbs ground turkey— I prefer chopped dark meat as it has a little fat and a lot less dry than white meat turkey. You can find 85% lean which is fine . It’s sometimes hard to find dark meat ground turkey so when I find it I buy it. It just makes for a tastier meat loaf. You can mix dark meat and white meat.

3 cups chopped yellow onions ( app. 2 large onions)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/3 cup Worcestershire Sauce

3/4 cup chicken stock

1 1/2 teaspoons tomato paste

1 1/2 cups plain dry bread crumbs

3 extra-large eggs, beaten

3/4 cup ketchup/1 tablespoon brown sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

In a medium saute pan (frying pan) , over a medium low heat, cook the onions in the olive oil, add salt, pepper, and thyme until translucent app. 10 minutes or so. Don’t brown them. Add the Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, and tomato paste and mix well. Allow this mixture to cool in frying pan off the heat to room temperature.

In the meantime, combine the turkey, bread crumbs, and eggs in a large bowl and mix well. Then add in the onion mixture when it’s cooled down and incorporate well. Shape into a rectangular loaf on a lightly sprayed sheet pan. When you shape as a loaf , try to make the ends even with the middle or they will dry out. ( I kind of like the ends like that but just saying…) Spread the ketchup/brown sugar evenly on top. Bake for app. 1 1/2 hours  until the internal temperature of meatloaf is 160 degrees and the meatloaf is cooked through.

I place a large Pyrex with water underneath the meatloaf (rack below) it will help to keep meatloaf from cracking . (it works) I always let it stand for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Serve hot, at room temperature and delicious cold the next day.

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What I made for Dinner – Turkey Bolognese

Posted on December 11, 2014 | 4 comments
IMG_6184

Beautiful Zucchini Linguine in Turkey Bolognese Sauce

The weather has finally gotten cold enough to make me want to cook some heartwarming meals and this has to be one of our all time favorites. I will be making enough to eat some tonite and freeze the sauce for another meal when I don’t have the time to make the sauce. Perfect Sunday night food. I must say Pasta is probably my most favorite food to eat. Bolognese sauce is one of my most favorites. Today I decided not to go to my usual Bolognese which is delicious but very heavy and rich. I went with a lighter approach today using Turkey and Chicken Sausage because I couldn’t find italian turkey sausage and didn’t feel like hunting it down, and the chicken sausage worked just fine. I did use dark meat turkey because it is much more flavorful, it is ideal but if you really don’t want to use the dark meat use 1/2 white and 1/2 dark or all white meat . The only negative to this sauce is that it really needs 3- 4 hours for the sauce to cook down. The longer the sauce cooks the more flavorful it will be.  This sauce would probably serve 4 nicely with 1 lb. of pasta. You can easily double it and freeze the leftover sauce. So nice to have it in the freezer and just have to make the pasta and you have a wonderful homemade meal. I have now started serving the sauce over shredded zucchini (zucchini linguine) and spaghetti squash.  It is so delicious and you may feel a little bit better eating it over zucchini or spaghetti squash than noodles.  Pasta or Vegetable it’s pretty awesome. Look on my blog for Zucchini Bolognese Recipe for how to recipe, posted 12/20/2012.

Ingredients:

6 Tablespoons Olive Oil, plus more if necessary

1 lb. Italian style Turkey or Chicken Sausage, removed from casings. You can also mix in hot or sweet Italian pork sausage if you don’t mind using the pork.

1 pound ground Turkey ( I used dark meat )

Kosher Salt

Freshly Ground Black Pepper

2 medium yellow onions, peeled and finely diced ( app. 2 cups)

3 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced

2 28 oz. cans whole peeled tomatoes with their juice

1/3 cup tomato paste

1 box. Rigatoni ( or any other macaroni you like ) or spaghetti or if you like use *shredded zucchini or *spaghetti squash ( see notes)

Grated Parmesan Cheese for serving

Directions:

Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large heavy pan over medium high heat. ( I use my Le Creuset ) Add the sausage meat and break it up as it cooks, turning now and then, until browned all over, about 10 minutes. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon to a bowl and set aside, add the ground turkey to the pan along with a good pinch of salt and a few fresh grind of pepper. Cook the meat stirring here and there, for 10 minutes as well, till meat is nicely browned. I remove and put in bowl with the sausage which was set aside. Add another 3 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan and add the onions and garlic. Cook until onion breaks down and gets soft, another good 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juice along with 1/2 cup of water. ( You may need more water as you go) Add the sausage and ground turkey, stir the sauce well. Bring the sauce to a boil, season to taste with salt and pepper and turn the heat to low. Cover almost completely with a lid (allowing a little steam to escape) and gently simmer for 4 hours. You may want to add splashes of water if sauce is drying out. After 2 hours I added the 1/3 cup of Tomato Paste, and replace lid and continue simmering for 2 more hours. I added water as it cooked, you’ll have to judge for yourself how much water you add. I added 1/4 cup at a time.

When the sauce is ready for serving, bring a large pot of water and prepare pasta according to package directions.

serve with sauce over the rigatoni ( or any pasta you like) with a nice grating of Parmesan.

Yum!

*so many stores now sell zucchini already shredded and it’s dry and ready to go. The only problem with doing it yourself is that you must get the extra moisture out.

*Spaghetti Squash – just have the store cut it in half because it’s a tough one to cut at home. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and scoop out the seeds. Spray a rimmed baking sheet and turn squash open side down on baking sheet and cook till soft, probably 45 minutes or so. Remove from oven and with a fork remove the inside of the squash into a bowl, it comes out like very thin spaghetti.

For full recipe on Zucchini/Squash go to my Zucchini Bolognese Recipe.

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Old School Meatballs (sweet and sour)

Posted on September 24, 2014 | 2 comments

       Here is a last minute addition for Rosh Hashana. They are “old school” but still hold up.  If you’re looking for an easy addition to your menu this could be it.  L’Shana Tova from our house to yours. Enjoy!

Sweet and Sour MBalls with Turkey

I have been making this recipe since I got married in 1975. It is really a perfect recipe for holidays or any time. You can use these meatballs with rice or anything like that. They are good for a big crowd when you have poultry and want another main. A lot of you are probably very familiar with this one and have different versions of it. Believe it or not, I still have the very original recipe. I’ve made a few changes to it: I now add my own bread crumbs, which I always make from whole wheat bread but feel free to use store-bought seasoned bread crumbs; If you want you can make these for* Passover by substituting matzo meal for bread crumbs.  I also grate in a little onion (spanish); and my mother taught me to grate in a little potato so I always do that, as well. Now and then I’ll use turkey in this recipe too. Otherwise, this is  the original and it’s super easy. I  used turkey this time out, and they came out perfectly.

INGREDIENTS: (This is for one pound but you can definitely double and these freeze beautifully.)

1 lb. ground beef (Whatever kind you like. I sometimes use ground turkey. In 1975, we all ate beef, but today you might want to use ground turkey or ground chicken.

1 egg (room temp. works best)

1/4 cup bread crumbs (if you’re using from the can) I use 3 slices of whole wheat bread crusts removed. (when I doubled I used 5 slices and it was enough)

*For Passover – omit the bread crumbs and replace with matzo meal

Kosher Salt,  app. 1 teaspoon

Freshly ground black pepper to taste (1/4 teaspoon)

1 clove garlic, minced (the original calls for garlic powder but I’ve changed this as well. If you prefer, try 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon)

1/8 cup warm water (just to moisten it) when you double just add up to 1/4 , I don’t usually use the whole 1/4 cup.

1/4 spanish onion, grated

1/4 potato, grated

1 bottle (12 oz.) Heinz chili sauce

6 oz. grape jelly

Directions:

Mix meat, egg, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, garlic, and water all together. I then grate in the onion and potato too. Next, shape into small balls about 3/4 inches in diameter. Heat the chili sauce and grape jelly until they blend and bring to a low boil. Then drop the raw meatballs into the sauce and simmer, covered, for approx. 45 minutes. Again, these can be made ahead and frozen. They are quick, easy, and so good. The larger the pot the more balls you’re able to get in, so a large dutch oven works out best for this.

* serves about 8 – 10

*Some people have been known to throw a can of sauerkraut in the sauce, which is also delicious, but you hafta like that flavor. (Just saying…)

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Happy New Year Brisket

Posted on September 17, 2014 | Leave a comment

Brisket can definitely be an intimidating thing to make. I once made it as a young cook and it was perfectly inedible, I will never forget dumping the whole thing in the garbage and promising myself I would live to learn how to cook a good brisket.  Back then, I couldn’t believe how long it took to cook .  Now I sometimes make it in the slow cooker. This time I used my trusty Le Creuset, which worked out beautifully. I just finished cooking it and I will freeze it till we are going to be eating it.   A lot of people have some pretty awesome brisket recipes and I welcome you to send me yours. This really couldn’t be any easier and it’s super tasty. This original recipe came from my friend, Michele (with a few comments from Karyn too.) I did change a few things to the original recipe, but not a lot and I thank Michele for the recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

4 lb. brisket (I didn’t need larger but you can adjust this recipe for whatever size brisket you use)

Lawry’s seasoned salt (I’ve never used this before today but I found out it doesn’t contain MSG, as I had previously thought)

2 large Spanish onions (Karyn uses Vidalia, which is also good), sliced thickly

2 cans of tomato sauce , I used the 16 oz. size. You can also use the 1 can of 28 oz. size. It depends on you and how much sauce you like.

2 tbsp. brown sugar (this is my addition. It doesn’t really change the flavor so much as cut the salt a bit)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

I sprinkled Lawry’s seasoned salt on both sides of the brisket (generously) then seared it in the Le Creuset pot with a little vegetable oil–probably about a tablespoon. (After the meat was seared, it shrunk to fit perfectly in my pot but I don’t think that a larger brisket would have fit.) Next, I added the tomato sauce and onions, covered the pot and put it in the oven. I cooked it for a total of 3 hours. I checked on it after each hour, which probably wasn’t even necessary. I then let it cool, off of the heat, for about an hour. Next, I sliced it with an electric knife, which came out beautifully. The meat was soft, but not falling apart at all. I then added the brown sugar to the gravy, put the brisket in a container with the gravy and froze it. I’ll take it out of freezer and start to defrost the night before in the refrigerator. Next morning I take it out and bring to room temperature. I heat it up at 350 degrees with the top on the pot till it starts to bubble. If you think you need a little more liquid you can just add a little water to gravy.  Karyn pulses her gravy with an immersion blender. I didn’t do this but I think it makes for a good suggestion.  Thanks again Michele and Karyn!

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Un-Stuffed Cabbage

Posted on April 9, 2014 | 4 comments

photo 3 (4)photo 2 (2)photo 3 (4)photo 3 (5)photo 4 (3)photo 2I love stuffed cabbage and my Grandmother made the most amazing stuffed cabbage ever . I love stuffed cabbage but do not feel like dealing with the actual stuffing of the cabbage, it is way too labor intensive for me.  I have made several variations of this and found this one to my liking the best. You can play with the ingredients which is what I did . Original recipe is from Kosher by Design and it is perfect for Passover by just leaving out the rice and substituting matzoh meal in its place. Basically this is meatballs in a sweet and sour sauce with cabbage . I doubt very much that Joel would ever eat real “stuffed cabbage” but he liked this. The cabbage cooks down so much that you don’t even realize you’re eating cabbage. I also used 1/2 chicken ground meat and 1/2 beef ground meat , this is entirely up to you. I wouldn’t do all chicken because it might be a bit dry, you can definitely make this with turkey but use dark meat turkey or the balls will also be very dry. You can also make this ahead for the holidays which is always a very good thing and feel free to freeze it.  This is the original recipe , adjust amounts for how much you’re making. I made 2 lbs. of meat but made full sauce as I was testing it out. You’ll want to use a large pot for this recipe. Enjoy!

This will be on our Rosh Hashana menu this year with raisins and meat , sweet and sour, oh so perfect!

Ingredients:

Meat

3 lbs. ground meat– I used chicken and beef (dark meat turkey is best here) white meat turkey tends to be very dry. Mixed with beef it’s fine but if using alone you’ll need to use dark meat ground turkey.

2 large eggs, lightly beaten. Use room temperature eggs they work best.*see my post about eggs–a little note on my blog.

3/4 cup uncooked long grain white rice, for Passover use matzoh meal and omit the rice

1/4 cup water

1 onion finely chopped

Kosher Salt to taste–app. 1/2 to 1 tablespoon

Pepper to taste–app. 10 grinds on a pepper mill, or app. 1/4 of a tablespoon

*garlic powder if you like

Sauce:

2 packages of shredded cabbage, probably about 1 head of cabbage finely shredded, no need to do it when you can buy it pre-shredded (not red cabbage)

1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil

Kosher Salt to taste ( app. 1/2 tablespoon)

1 1/2 tablespoons Kosher Salt

1 1/2 cups tomato juice

4 8 ounce cans tomato sauce ( or 32 ounces)

1/2 cup brown sugar ( use whichever brown sugar you have in house , it won’t make a difference. Light or Dark, I actually used dark.

1 cup sugar

3 lemons squeezed , I got about 1/2 cup , they were smallish lemons

1/2 cup raisins

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl combine the meat, eggs, water, rice and onions. Season with Salt and Pepper , and if you like garlic powder. Gently mix by hand, and I do mean gently, if you over do it the meat will be like concrete. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the shredded cabbage and about 1/2 tablespoon of kosher salt. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add the tomato juice, tomato sauce, brown sugar, sugar, lemon juice and the raisins. Stir till well combined and continue cooking sauce at simmer setting.

Gently form meatballs out of the meat mixture, I made a rather nice size meatball, not too large and not too small. Make whatever size you’d like. Just do not over-handle the meat because it will cause meat to toughen. Add to cabbage mixture, just drop into the hot sauce and do not stir, you can pile them on top of one another because they will cook down.

I left it to simmer for about 1 1/2 hours . I didn’t touch the meat balls for at least the first 1/2 hour, you’ll want them to cook through and form into nice balls before you stir, so just leave them to cook. After the first 1/2 hour or so you can gently stir and move the meatballs around. They don’t require a lot of stirring around .

This dish brought back memories of my childhood and was a most satisfying main dish.

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