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Greek Meatballs- Revisited
My daughter loves meatballs. Whenever I ask her to guess what is for dinner- inevitably, she guesses spaghetti and meatballs.
We had family coming over and I asked my daughter for suggestions for a meal- of course she asked for meatballs. She requested the Greek ones I had made a while ago. I don’t like to repeat a recipe if I don’t have to .. so I started thinking about how to make these meatballs different from the ones I made before. While looking at the previous recipe, I realized I did not use any kalamata olives. That was it- I decided to add some into the meat mixture. The combination of the feta and olives made the dish deliciously salty and nutty.
It was a big hit. I served it with spaghetti, a big green salad and garlic bread. My daughter thought it was a perfect meal…
read more …
Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution
Our choices make an impact on our health. It is a very simple concept but most of us don’t make that connection… somehow we don’t pay attention to what we are putting in our mouths.. well, we should. I am glad Jamie sat some kids together and discussed calories and lack of exercise and what it does to our bodies.
As parents it is our responsibility to teach our kids how to cook and eat healthy foods. We need to show them how each meal needs to be balanced with protein and healthy carbs including fruits and vegetables. For those of us who work in addition to taking care of our families- we need to organize ourselves and plan meals for the week on the weekend. I realize people are busy but it is important to break the junk food cycle and teach our kids how to live healthy and make sensible choices for themselves.
Thanks to Jamie Oliver, some people will make this change and start to live healthier lives….
Jamie’s Food Revolution Resumes…
It was a bit unclear why the show stopped airing on ABC once the month of May began. After looking it up on line, I realized it was all a ratings issue. May is the month when all networks put on their best shows to boost their ratings and viewership. Jamie’s show was not doing as well as last year so they put it on a hiatus until the May sweeps were done. I guess I understand their reasons but find it very sad that a show like this couldn’t make it in.
Anyway, it is back and it is nice to see Jamie back to the good work he does.
It was interesting to see the exchange between the young girl and the restaurant owner. I can see the girl’s point of view and how she thinks the fast food joints are the reason for her family’s diabetes problems. I can also see the owner’s point of view and how everyone has a choice.. but the problem is when people don’t have time or the money to prepare healthy, fresh food for their family, they go for the easy, fast food.
It was shocking to see how many high school students did not know where butter, chocolate or cheese come from. It is our responsibility as parents to teach our kids about food.
I am quite strict about what my daughter eats when it comes to candy, etc. I can’t wait for her to see when Jamie goes over how the candy is made and what all goes into the crap that is out there in the supermarkets… worth a watch and very eye opening.
Orange Pork Chops with Smoked Paprika
It is smoked paprika week.. all the recipes have the delicious spice. I have decided on taking the spice with me if I ever get stranded on a deserted island.
I bought some center cut, thin pork chops. I don’t like making them too often since they tend to dry out very quickly- but then I realized if I brine them, they come out super juicy.
For the brine, I mixed orange juice, apricot jam, vinegar and of course smoked paprika. The liquid has a delicious sweet, savory and tangy component- perfect for a sauce for the pork chops.
I marinated them for a few hours in the liquid. I then browned them and added the liquid back. I realized, cooking them in the liquid keeps them soft and tender. The chops came out delicious. I roasted potatoes on the side with some garlic powder, salt and of course, smoked paprika. I also roasted asparagus on the side and I had a perfectly balanced meal.
Everyone enjoyed the meal with a yummy glass of red wine…
- 4 to 5 center cup pork chops
- ¼ cup apricot jam, softened in microwave
- ½ cup orange juice
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
Mix the jam, juice, garlic, vinegar, paprika and salt in a small bowl. Add the chops and mixture to a zip lock bag and marinate for 4 to 5 hours. Save the marinade for later.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Heat a non-stick pan with the oil. Brown the pork chops on both sides on high heat. Take out of the pan and add the marinade. Bring to a boil and add the pork chops. Cook for a few minutes till the chops are done (careful not to overcook). Serve the chops with the sauce, potatoes and asparagus.