NYC’s Meatball Shop and Veggie Balls

Matt, Paula and I were in New York two and a half weeks ago for a quick 4-day trip and had a blast! Of all the touristy things we did from seeing the World Trade Center memorial to watching Fox & Friends and The TODAY Show, to riding the double-decker bus, walking through Central Park, FAO Schwarz, The Plaza Hotel, and our favorite art gallery, one of my favorites was when Paula and I ate lunch at The Meatball Shop.

Next time you guys are in NYC, The Meatball Shop should be one of those places that should be on your restaurants to try list. After walking 30 blocks in the cold, wind, and snow to get in the standby line for LIVE with Kelly and Michael (we were last in line but still got into the show!), Paula and I were starving afterwards, so I suggested we go get meatballs at The Meatball Shop.

On the set of LIVE with Kelly and Michael

My mom and I have made their classic beef meatballs with classic tomato sauce from The Meatball Shop cookbook, so I was super pumped to be in NYC so I could actually try out the restaurant in-person!

Best decision ever! Paula would probably agree with me that this was our favorite place to eat while we were in NYC. While we were the second group of people in line for when The Meatball Shop opened at noon, the quaint and cozy restaurant quickly filled up as all the tables were filled within 15 minutes.

Paula ordered the classic beef meat balls with spicy tomato sauce, but I thought I would venture out and try the veggie balls with classic tomato sauce. The “ball of the day” was shepherd’s pie with savory mushroom sauce… a very unique, but I’m sure tasty combination!

New York City is notorious for being very expensive, and we were pleasantly surprised by the affordable prices at The Meatball Shop. For just $7, you get four large meatballs of your choice (chicken, pork, beef, veggie or daily ball: shepherd’s pie), sauce (classic tomato, spicy tomato, mushroom, etc), and a large slice of focaccia bread to dip in the sauce. For an extra $5, you can get a side of pasta (spaghetti, rigatoni, penne, etc) or greens (arugula salad, green beans, spinach, etc).

For me, the portion size was perfect. I even had one leftover veggie ball because they were so filling. Paula of course, finished her plate, and the waitress was kind enough to bring extra tomato sauce and focaccia bread for Paula because she enjoyed it so much!

After having walked 30 blocks in the morning from Times Square at 45th Street 77th Street where LIVE with Kelly and Michael was, we were ready to get to The Meatball Shop without have to walk more than 50 blocks this time!! We ate at the Chelsea location at 9th and 22nd Street. So…New York Subway here we come! I was a little nervous about riding the subway since it’s a little scary down there, but Paula and I had a good ride and even met a very nice lady named Caron who used to model for Revlon when she was 14 years old. Now she is a contemporary artist and painter.

New York City — Walking from the subway station to The Meatball Shop on 9th Street. Fall is so pretty!

If meatballs sound as good to you as they do me right now as I am writing this, below you’ll find the recipe for the Veggie Balls that I ordered. If you’re like Paula and want to eat something more on the classic/comfort side, here’s a link to the recipe for Classic Beef Meatballs with Classic Tomato Sauce.

Otherwise, below you’ll find the recipe for the Veggie Balls. I thought they were outstanding. They were savory, meaty, and even had a slightly nutty flavor that I loved! Enjoy!!!

Veggie Balls with Classic Tomato Sauce

Serves: 2 dozen 1 1/2-inch meatballs and 7 cups sauce

Ingredients

VEGGIE BALLS
2 cups lentils
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
2 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. tomato paste
8 ounces button mushrooms, wiped clean and sliced
3 large eggs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
CLASSIC TOMATO SAUCE
1/4 cup olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. chopped fresh oregano or 1/3 tsp. dried
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 tsp. salt or to taste
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 (28-ounce) cans whole plum tomatoes, chopped with their liquid (I used one 14.5 oz can crushed tomatoes and one 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes)

Instructions

FOR THE VEGGIE BALLS: Combine the lentils and 2 quarts water in a medium stockpot and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until lentils are soft (but not falling apart), about 25 minutes. Drain the lentils and allow to cool.
Add 1/4 cup of the olive oil to a large frying pan and saute the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, and salt over medium-high, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and just beginning to brown. Add the tomato paste and continue to cook, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, for 15 more minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and allow to cool to room temperature. When cool, add the lentils to the vegetable mixture.
Add the eggs, Parmesan, bread crumbs, parsley, and walnuts to the cooled vegetable mixture and mix by hand until thoroughly incorporated. Place in the refrigerator for 25 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and use your hand to evenly coat the entire surface. Set aside.
Roll the mixture into round, golf ball-sized meatballs (about 1 1/2 inches), making sure to pack the vegetable mixture firmly. Place the balls in the prepared baking dish, allowing 1/4-inch space between the balls and place them in even rows vertically and horizontally to form a grid.
Roast for 30 minutes, or until the meatballs are firm and cooked through.
Allow the meatballs to cool for 5 minutes in the baking dish before serving.
FOR THE CLASSIC TOMATO SAUCE: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, bay leaf, oregano, garlic and salt, and cook, stirring often, until onions are soft and translucent, about 10 minutes.
Add the tomato paste and continue cooking for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and stir constantly until the sauce begins to boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 1 hour, stirring every 5 minutes or so to prevent the sauce on the bottom of the pot from burning. Taste and season with additional salt, if desired. Remove the bay leaf before serving.

Beer Bread

It’s hard to believe that in my short (I guess) 25 years on this Earth, I have NEVER eaten beer bread before…. boy was I missing out!!!

Even though no one in my family drinks (my husband, myself, my parents, my sister, my in-laws, and my brother and sister-in-law … we’re special, we know :)), beer bread is something EVERYONE needs to try regardless if it contains alcohol in it!

My parents invited my husband and myself over to their house for dinner and had made chili in a biscuit bowl, except instead of the bread bowl, we made beer bread instead!!

With 1 stick of butter in the batter of the 9 x 5-inch loaf pan, you really don’t need to butter this bread at all. 🙂 The beer cooks out of the bread and leaves it’s wonderful flavor behind. Since the recipe calls for “good quality” beer or ale and since we don’t drink, my Dad relied on Central Market’s suggestion of the best beer to use in beer bread. They recommended Rahr & Sons Texas Red Amber Loger, which was a winner!

So, as the weather gets cooler here in Texas, this just means more opportunity for beer bread and chili. Yum!!

Enjoy!

Use a good quality beer such as Rahr & Sons Texas Red Amber Loger.

beer bread — Combine beer with flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.

Chili in a bread bowl — Beer bread is an awesome side to Chili in a Bread Bowl (you can omit the bread bowl and substitute beer bread!!)

Beer Bread

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 1 hour

Total time: 1 hour 5 mins

Serves: 12

Source: Rebecca Rather’s “The Pastry Queen”

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. sugar
1 (12 ounce) bottle good quality beer or ale
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick, melted)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with butter or cooking spray. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Pour in the beer and stir until just incorporated. (The dough will be sticky and heavy).
Pour half the melted butter into the bottom of the prepared loaf pan. Spoon in the bread dough and pour the remaining half of the butter on top.
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the bumpy top is golden brown. Remove from the pan and serve immediately.

Notes

Variations: Beer bread lends itself to numerous mix-ins, including chopped chives, chili peppers such as jalapeños, green onions or any grated cheese.

World’s Best Lasagna

Matt is a huge fan of lasagna and until now, I had never found a recipe that I truly loved until this one by Dallas’ own John Chandler.

While sitting in the lobby at Goodyear Tire a few months ago waiting for an oil change, I saw a segment on Good Morning America for the world’s best lasagna. (Watch the clip HERE). The man behind the recipe is John Chandler, a Dallas home cook who posted his lasagna recipe on AllRecipes.com 11 years ago, never thinking it would be the most popular recipe of all time on that website!

With more than 8,000 five-star reviews, it definitely lived up to it’s name “world’s best lasagna”. After watching the GMA segment and leaving Goodyear Tire craving lasagna, I made it a point to make this lasagna for Matt and I later that week.

And the verdict was??? We LOVED it!

The recipe is actually quite simple and uses simple, easily found ingredients from your typical grocery store… nothing weird of fancy; just fresh mozzarella, Parmesan and ricotta cheese, Italian sausage, lean ground beef, garlic, tomato sauce and paste, Italian seasonings, and lasagna noodles. It’s definitely a winner and we’re definitely eating this again!

Plus it serves 12 so it would be perfect for a large family get together or party. Enjoy!

World's Best Lasagna — Brown sausage, beef, onion, and garlic.

Heat until meat is browned and cooked through.

World’s Best Lasagna

Prep time: 30 mins

Cook time: 2 hours 30 mins

Total time: 3 hours

Serves: 12

Adapted from John Chandler

Ingredients

1 pound mild Italian sausage
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup minced onion
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 (6-ounce) cans tomato paste
2 (6.5-ounce) cans tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
2 Tbsp. white sugar
1 1/2 tsp. dried basil leaves
1/2 tsp. fennel seeds
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 Tbsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
4 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
12 lasagna noodles (or can use no-boil lasagna)
16 ounces ricotta cheese
1 egg
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

In a Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce and water. Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Simmer, covered for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8-10 minutes. (Or use no-boil lasagna noodles). Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with one half of ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray, or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.
Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil and baking an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Pumpkin Yumkins

Fall is my favorite season of the year for many reasons.

Number 1: Aggie Football (okay, this may be Matt’s number 1, but I’ve gotten a whole lot more interested in football since marrying him). Yesterday we even went to College Station for the A&M vs. Auburn game. Tough loss for us Ags, but great weather and lots of fun!

A&M football team walking into the stadium.

Number 2: Cooler weather. Texas is known for our brutally hot summers, so when we start getting some cooler nights and mornings come October, we all get really excited.

Number 3: Candy corn. Need I say more?

Number 4: Pumpkins!! I LOVE pumpkins! I love decorating my house with pumpkins, and I love eating pumpkin. Here’s just a few of my favorite recipes: pumpkin bread, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin rolls, pumpkin whoopie pies, pumpkin butter bars, pumpkin butter granola, pumpkin oatmeal …you get the idea.

Spoon batter into muffin cups almost to the top. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Since my mom knows how much I like pumpkin, she decided to make these pumpkin yumkins just for me (okay, I let Matt eat some) this weekend.

The recipe is from one of our favorite cookbooks: Pastry Queen: Royally Good Recipes from the Texas Hill Country’s Rather Sweet Bakery & Cafe by Rebecca Rather. Everything in this cookbook is just like the author: down-home yet grand, and familiar yet one-of-a kind. From Texas Big Hair tarts to fried pies to cookies, I’m ready to try just about all of Rather’s recipes.

Just what is pumpkin “yumkin” you ask?

In Rather’s cookbook, she describes having found this recipe in her grandmother’s things but couldn’t ever remember making them. The unusual name caught her (and our) attention so she decided to make them. It turns out, the yumkins are a cross between a muffin and a cupcake, all dressed up with orange-flavored cream cheese frosting.

When Dad brought these over to us last night at 10:30 pm, I only intended on eating a bite but that didn’t happen…. This is probably my all-time favorite pumpkin recipe ever!!

The orange-flavor cream cheese frosting is genius and pairs perfectly with the yumkins. What may surprise you is that there are no spices in this recipe: no pumpkin spice, no allspice, no cinnamon and no cloves. However, the can of pumpkin, brown sugar, dates and cream cheese frosting create the perfect fall recipe to serve during the holidays. Enjoy!

Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool 30 minutes before frosting.

pumpkin yumkins — Coat the tops of the cool yumkins with cream cheese frosting and enjoy!

Pumpkin Yumkins

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 40 mins

Serves: 1 dozen

Source: “The Pastry Queen: Royally Good Recipes from the Texas Hill Country’s Rather Sweet Bakery and Cafe” by Rebecca Rather

Ingredients

YUMKINS
1 cup pecans
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1 (15 ounce) can pure pumpkin
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup chopped dates
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
1 tsp. freshly squeezed orange juice
2 cups powdered sugar
Zest of 1 orange, preferably organic

Instructions

TO MAKE THE YUMPKINS: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Arrange the nuts on a baking sheet in a single layer and toast for 7 to 9 minutes, until golden brown and aromatic. Cool the nuts, and then coarsely chop.
Grease 12 standard-size muffin cups with butter or cooking spray. Using a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl on medium speed about 1 minute. Add the egg and beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the pumpkin and vanilla and beat until combined. Stir in the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir in the dates and pecans. The batter will be thick.
Spoon the batter into muffin cups just to the top. Bake about 20 minutes, until the muffins are firm to the touch or a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool the muffins in the pan for 5 minutes, then invert them onto racks to cool for 30 minutes before frosting.
TO MAKE THE FROSTING: Using a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and orange juice on medium speed about 20 seconds. Add the powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time, beating until incorporated after each addition. Stir in the orange zest.
Coat the tops of the cooled yumkins with frosting. Do no wrap until the frosting has set, about 45 minutes. Well-wrapped yumkins will keep about 3 days at room temperature.

Poppy’s Perfect Gingerbread

I love finding old family recipes. This day and age, most everything is digitalized, so reading handwritten recipes make me smile.

Plus, I often find the simplicity of older recipes taste better than the overly complicated new recipes.

In the early 80s and before I was born, my mom and dad would regularly travel to east Texas (Tyler) to visit my mom’s parents, Nila and Fred (I called him Poppy). For those that haven’t been to Tyler, Texas, it’s actually very beautiful. There’s lots of tall pine trees, and for Texas everything is so green! Plus, Tyler is nicknamed the “Rose Capital of the World”, so make sure you pull off the side of the highway to buy a rose. You’ll see lots of rose stands as you get close to town. It’s the honor system here in Texas, so you’ll have to be a good citizen and make sure you deposit your $2 into a silver bucket for the rose of your choice. 🙂

Tyler, Texas — Nila and Poppy’s old house in Tyler. Please excuse the trashcan and messy leaves. This photo was taken about 5 years after they had sold their house.

After making the drive from Dallas to Tyler, Mom and Dad would walk through the door to Nila and Poppy’s house and be greeted with either this gingerbread or Nila’s famous coconut cake sitting atop the dryer. I guess Nila placed the cake there to keep it warm…. good idea if you ask me!

This gingerbread cake is definitely one of Poppy and Dad’s favorite desserts. Nila got the recipe off the back of a Steen’s Syrup jar, and you can’t beat it. The flavors from the thick, natural molasses, ginger and cinnamon make for a perfect gingerbread snack cake that’s good at any time of the day. I like to add a dollop of Cool Whip or Reddi-Wip for extra-creaminess.

Enjoy!

Poppy’s Perfect Gingerbread

Cook time: 45 mins

Total time: 45 mins

Ingredients

2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. baking powder
2/3 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup molasses
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup cooking oil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
Pour into a greased and floured 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, or with only a few crumbs.

Meatless Mondays: Eggplant Parmesan

If you participate in “Meatless Mondays”, you’ll definitely want to check out this Eggplant Parmesan dish adapted from Mario Batali from Food Network.

They boys in our family are big meat eaters, so convincing them to follow a “Meatless Mondays” diet might not fly over, but when they are out of town….. us girls can eat whatever we want to!!!

When both Matt and my dad were out of town a few weeks ago, my mom thought she’d try this eggplant parmesan recipe that she’s had her eye on for a while. Originally she was just going to eat it by herself, but when she texted me a picture of it as it was going in the oven, I just couldn’t resist! I high-tailed it to the car for the 45 minute drive (in rush-hour) over to my parent’s house.

What a wonderful decision that was! This is one of the most elegant meals I’ve ever eaten with freshly carved mozzarella cheese melting down the sides of the eggplant, topped with the easy but delicious homemade Italian tomato sauce. Talk about good!

Had the boys been here, I doubt they would have really eaten this. Dad does not like cheese (crazy, right!!) and Matt is not big on change. He likes the same 5 meals and you better not add anything weird or he’ll get pretty upset. 🙂

However, for us girls, we loved the dish and enjoyed trying a new recipe. If you’re family is as picky as some of the members in our family, good luck!

Before assembling the eggplant, prepare basic tomato sauce in a 3-quart sauce pan.

Slice each eggplant into 6 pieces about 1 inch thick.

Bake eggplant at 450 degrees F until the slices begin turning deep brown on top, about 12-15 minutes.

In an baking pan, place the 4 largest eggplant slice evenly spaced apart.

Over each slice, spread 1/4 cup of tomato sauce and sprinkle with a teaspoon of basil.

Place one slice of mozzarella over each and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of grated Parmiagiano.

Repeat the layers (eggplant, tomato sauce, basil and two cheeses) ending with the cheese. Sprinkle toasted breadcrumbs on top.

eggplant parmesan — Bake uncovered, for 20 minutes in a 350 degree F oven.

Eggplant Parmesan

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 35 mins

Total time: 45 mins

Serves: 4

Source: Food Network (Mario Batali)

Ingredients

Extra-virgin olive oil
2 large eggplant, about 2 pounds
Salt and pepper
2 cups basic tomato sauce, recipe follows***
1 bunch fresh basil leaves, chiffonade
1 pound fresh mozzarella, sliced 1/8-inch thick
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs, lightly toasted under broiler
**BASIC TOMATO SAUCE
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 Spanish onion, 1/4-inch dice
4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves, or 1 Tbsp. dried
1/2 medium carrot, finely grated
2 (28-ounce) cans peeled whole tomatoes, crushed by hand and juices reserved
Salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Using some extra-virgin olive oil, oil a baking sheet.
Slice each eggplant into 6 pieces about 1 inch thick. Lightly season each disk with salt and pepper and place on oiled sheet. Bake the eggplant at 450 degrees F until the slices begin turning deep brown on top, about 12-15 minutes. Remove the eggplants from the oven. Remove the slices from the baking sheet and place them on a plate to cool.
Lower oven temperature to 350 degrees F. In an 8 by 12-inch brownie pan, place the 4 largest eggplant slice evenly spaced apart. Over each slice, spread 1/4 cup of tomato sauce and sprinkle with a teaspoon basil. Place one slice of mozzarella over each and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon grated Parmigiano. Place the smaller slices of eggplant over each of the disks and repeat with tomato sauce, basil and the 2 cheeses. Repeat the layering again until all the ingredients are used.
Sprinkle the toasted bread crumbs over the top of the eggplant dish, and bake, uncovered until the cheese melts and the tops turn lightly brown, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately.
FOR THE BASIC TOMATO SAUCE: In a 3-quart saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft and light golden brown, about 8-10 minutes.
Add the thyme and carrot and cook 5 minutes more, until the carrot is quite soft. Add the tomatoes and juice and bring to a boil, stirring often.
Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes until as thick as hot cereal. Season with salt and serve. (Note: this sauce holds 1 week in the refrigerator or up to 6 months in the freezer).

Pan-Roasted Tomatoes

I never was a fan of tomatoes growing up. I remember having friends who could eat cherry tomatoes just like they were grapes. Me? No. You’d never catch me eating vegetables, let alone by themselves.

For some reason, my taste buds changed when I went to college. I think it’s because I finally realized that if I ate fried chicken and pizza the rest of my life, I would get fat. Time to bring on the vegetables!!

And that I did. I started actually liking corn on the cob, I discovered my love for mushrooms, bell peppers, broccoli and more. I actually heard that tomatoes are a fruit, but whether its a fruit or vegetable, who cares. I love tomatoes now!!

The great thing about these pan-roasted tomatoes is that they have an Italian twist to them. The flavors of the olive oil combined with rosemary, oregano, salt and pepper mixed in with the cherry tomatoes remind me of the wonderful olive oil dipping sauce at Macaroni Grill. Yum!

Plus, this is probably these easiest side dish you’ll ever make. Simply throw an entire pint of cherry tomatoes in a skillet with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and cook until they start to blister, 3-4 minutes. Then toss in the remaining olive oil and Italian seasonings and you’re done. Simple!!!

Serve with grilled chicken and a side salad and you’ve got a well-rounded meal. Enjoy!

pan-roasted tomatoes — Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a skillet and add a pint of cherry tomatoes.

Pan-Roasted Tomatoes

Prep time: 2 mins

Cook time: 4 mins

Total time: 6 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients

2 tsp. olive oil, divided
1 pint grape tomatoes
1 tsp. chopped fresh oregano
1/2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper

Instructions

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes; cook 3-4 minutes or until tomatoes begin to blister.
Remove from heat; stir in 1 teaspoon oil and remaining ingredients, tossing gently to combine. Let stand 5 minutes.

Field Greens with Red Pears, Feta and Glazed Pecans

As mentioned, I write the resident recipe column in our monthly 60+ page, full-colored neighborhood magazine. If you haven’t seen it, remind me to show you because for a neighborhood magazine and free publication to residents, it’s pretty impressive!

For the month of October, I wrote about a wonderful field green salad with seasonal red Anjou pears, Feta cheese, and homemade glazed pecans.

Check out the great selection of seasonal pears at Central Market! Did I mention Central Market is my favorite? 🙂

One of my favorite things about writing the resident recipe column is that I get to try all the food! Lucky for me, the resident gave me the entire salad to take home. I ate it for lunch at work and it was OUTSTANDING!

The glazed pecans and fresh pears were the best part of the salad. The pears were extremely fresh, juicy and sweet, and the glazed pecans were crispy and had plenty of sugar on them. (I love sugar!!) The combination of ingredients and flavors were perfect in this autumn salad.

Below you’ll find an excerpt from the my column:

When it comes to fall fruit, crisp-tart apples usually steal the spotlight and sweet, delicious pears are often overlooked. Fortunately, Mary V has a perfect autumn salad using seasonal red Anjou pears and homemade glazed pecans.

“This is a recipe my family and extended family have made for many years. I took this salad to a dinner party and I had many requests for my recipe,” says Mary V. “Hope you enjoy this salad as much as we have!”

Note: Depending on the season, not all grocery stores will carry red Anjou pears. Central Market and Whole Foods usually have a great selection. They can also be found at Kroger.

Enjoy!

Field Greens with Red Pears, Feta and Glazed Pecans

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

Field greens
1 Tbsp. butter
4 Tbsp. sugar, divided
8 oz. broken pecans
Cavenders Greek seasoning
Feta cheese
1 red anjou pear, sliced
1/2 cup canola oil
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
squeeze of fresh lemon

Instructions

FOR THE PECANS: Mix 2 tablespoons of sugar and butter over medium heat. Toss in pecans and stir. Let bubble, stirring only occasionally and pour out on plate sprayed with Pam. Break apart when cool.
FOR THE DRESSING: Whisk together canola oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, and remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. Salt and pepper to taste.
TO PREPARE THE SALAD: Sprinkle mixed greens with Cavenders Greek seasoning. Add Feta cheese to taste and the sliced a red anjou pear. Toss in dressing and top with glazed pecans.

Leah’s Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake

Note to self: Don’t ever bring a cake to a luncheon, small groups event, or any type of potluck unless I’m prepared to bring it with a slice (or two or three) missing.

The way I like to cook, I like everything to look presentable. Many times, the way the food appears on the plate or in the dish influences whether or not people will try your food. It’s amazing how much more appetizing food looks on a simple white plate as opposed to a paper plate. That’s why when bringing food to a luncheon or potluck, I like my food to look attractive.

Well, Matt didn’t exactly grow up the way I do. He doesn’t care if a cake has a piece or two missing from it, or if he’s eating it with a plastic fork and paper plate. He just cares about the food! Me on the other hand, I hate using paper plates and only use them for cutting fruit or eating a PB&J.

So, as I bring this cake to our small groups tonight, this is the reason why there’s a few pieces of cake missing. I always tell people that Matt had to do a little “quality control”.

This Texas sheet cake is my sister-in-law Leah’s recipe. Many a times I’ve been over to visit and there’s a freshly prepared Texas chocolate sheet sitting out on the island. It’s one of Leah’s signature desserts that she makes for her husband Jeffrey and the rest of us. Leah even has a vanilla version of this Texas sheet cake, which is outstanding!

As evidenced by the missing pieces, this cake is best when it’s hot. Nothing beats a warm chocolate cake, drizzled with hot, chocolatey, sweet frosting on top. It’s almost like eating chocolate pudding! Pour yourself a tall glass of milk, and you’ve got yourself quite a dessert.

Enjoy!

texas sheet cake — Bring to a boil 2 sticks butter, 4 Tbsp. cocoa and 1 cup water. Pour it over the flour mixture and add the remaining ingredients.

Leah’s Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake

Serves: 10-12

Ingredients

CAKE
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup buttermilk (I used sour cream)
2 sticks butter
4 Tbsp. cocoa
1 cup water
FROSTING
1 stick butter
4 Tbsp. cocoa
6 Tbsp. milk
1 lb. box powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Instructions

FOR THE CAKE: Place 2 sticks of butter, 4 tablespoons cocoa, and 1 cup water over medium heat and bring to a boil.
Pour over flour and sugar mixture. Mix well. Add eggs, buttermilk (or sour cream), baking soda, salt, and vanilla. Mix well.
Pour into a greased and floured cookie sheet pan (15 1/2 x 10 1/2 inches). My pan was slightly larger; about 18 x 12 inches. Cookie sheet must be a deep cookie sheet pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the cake. Ice while cake is hot.
FOR THE FROSTING: Five minutes before the cake is finished, make frosting. Mix together butter, cocoa and milk. Cook over medium heat and bring to a boil.
Remove from stove and add powdered sugar and vanilla. Mix well. Pour over cake while hot.

Lighter Chicken Enchiladas

Homemade enchiladas are one of my favorite dinners. Up until now, my go-to recipe has been aunt Jolene’s sour cream chicken enchiladas, which are outstanding. However, flour tortillas, Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheese, sour cream, and butter aren’t exactly calorie friendly.

A few weeks ago my sister and mom discovered a new, lightened-up chicken enchiladas recipe that I just had to try.

While there’s no butter or sour cream in these, they definitely do NOT lack flavor. Two tablespoons of chipotles in adobo (dried chiles from smoked jalapeños) don’t sound like much, you’d be surprised! If you’re not very tolerant of spicy foods, you might want to scrape out the ribs and seeds. With that said, the chipotles in adobo add a wonderfully rich smokey flavor that create an authentic-tasting Tex-Mex chicken enchilada dish.

If you have a Central Market anywhere near you, you MUST try their homemade corn tortillas for these enchiladas. I’m not a huge fan of corn tortillas (I’d take flour over corn any day of the week), but Central Market’s corn tortillas blew me away! Not only are they fresh out of the oven, they are slightly larger than your typical corn tortilla and they don’t crack like the regular pre-packaged ones. I really think these tortillas “made” the dish for me!

Matt loved these lightened-up enchiladas and even liked them better than the sour cream enchiladas I always have made. This recipe tastes more authentic, like something you’d expect from a Mexican or Tex-Mex restaurant, sans the grease. 🙂

Enjoy!

Lighter Chicken Enchiladas

Serves: 4

Source: Martha Stewart

Ingredients

Course salt and ground pepper
3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (6-8 ounces each)
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. ground cumin
1-2 Tbsp. minced canned chipotles in adobo
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth
8 corn tortillas (6-inch) from Central Market
1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese (2 ounces)

Instructions

In a large skillet with a tight-fitting lid, bring 1 inch salted water to a boil. Add chicken. Cover; reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer 5 minutes; remove skillet from heat. Let chicken steam, covered, until opaque throughout, 12-14 minutes. Transfer chicken to a medium bowl; shred with two forks. Set aside.
While chicken is cooking, make sauce: In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add garlic; cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add flour, cumin, and chipotles in adobo; cook, whisking 1 minute.
Whisk in broth and 1/2 cup water; bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook, whisking occasionally, until sauce has thickened slightly, 5-8 minutes; season with salt and pepper.
Transfer 1 cup sauce to bowl with chicken; toss to combine.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Pour 1/4 cup sauce into bottom of an 8-inch square baking dish; set aside.
Stack tortillas, and wrap in a double layer of damp paper towels; microwave until hot, about 1 minute.
Fill each tortilla with chicken mixture; roll up tightly, and arrange, seam-side down, in baking dish. Cover with remaining sauce, and top with cheese. Bake until hot and bubbling, 15-20 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Chipotles in adobo (smoked, dried jalapeños in sauce) are spicy – for less heat, scrape out the ribs and seeds. You’ll find them in the international aisle.