Tag: dried basil
Greek Style Spaghetti and Meatballs
My daughter claimed these were the best meatballs I have ever made. After a compliment like that- I had to share the recipe.
I started the meatballs with my usual ground turkey meat. Any meat can be used buy I prefer turkey as it is healthier with less calories.
I wanted to make Greek style meatballs so I thought of fresh oregano and feta cheese. Garlic, shallots and parsley made them even better.
I soaked some panko crumbs in milk and added the mixture to the meat. It makes the meatballs very soft and delicious. The last thing was crumbled feta- it has great a great salty flavor.
I think the key is the homemade tomato sauce. I cooked the meatballs in the delicious sauce and served them with some yummy flavored spaghetti.
All in all it was a great meal- with a green salad and red wine on the side. Try these Greek style meatballs soon….
read more …
Sweet Pepper Meatballs
This is a fabulous recipe for meatballs. I make them all the time. We all love them, especially my daughter. My goal is to incorporate some kind of vegetable into the meat and make the dish more healthy.
In this case, I took a jar of fire roasted peppers and processed them. I added the puree into the meat. It gave the meatballs a delicious, sweet flavor and a soft texture.
A typical meatball recipe usually includes white bread soaked in milk. I have added breadcrumbs to bind the meat in the past. This time I decided to soak the breadcrumbs in milk and added it to the meat. It made the meatballs extremely soft and delicious.
I cooked the meatballs in homemade marinara sauce and the result was amazing. We had my daughter’s friend over for dinner and everyone enjoyed the meal.
Try these next time you feel like eating meatballs…
read more …
Mushroom and Truffle Ragu Lasagna
We were entertaining a few weekends ago and yet again, I was at a loss- what should I make?? My brain is usually all stressed out until something comes to mind and then I am at peace.
As I have mentioned many times before, our favorite restaurant is Arturos here in Maplewood. My favorite thing to eat there is a wild boar and mushroom ragu. I love that dish- I actually dream about it. It is consistently good and I can’t get enough of it.
I decided to make something similar but in a lasagna form. I had recently bought some dried mushrooms from Trader Joes. I reconstituted them and added them to some delicious cremini mushrooms. I used ground turkey meat instead of wild boar- well where was I supposed to get that?? Anyway, I am more comfortable using turkey meat for health reasons. The lasagna was layered with a simple bechamel sauce. I also used a truffle paste I picked up from Spello, Italy. I finished the ragu with a drizzle of truffle oil (thanks to Trader Joes).
I served the lasagna with a garlic cheese bread and a citrus salad. I of course had to serve a side of fresh tomato sauce- since my husband loves his red sauce.
It turned out to be a very successful dinner. Everything was delicious- I was very happy. Next time you have a few minutes- try the mushroom and truffle ragu- you won’t regret it.
read more …