Pesto Meatball Stew

There are many uses for those previously made, frozen (or fresh) meatballs.  Pesto is simple to make especially if you have an abundance of basil.

Pesto Meatball Stew

Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients

2 -14 1/2 ounce cans Italian-style stewed tomatoes, undrained

32 (approx)  meatballs, cooked

1 -15 ounce can cannellini (white kidney) beans, rinsed and drained

OR use Homemade beans

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup basil pesto

1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese (2 ounces)

Directions

1. In a 3 1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker, combine undrained tomatoes, meatballs, drained beans, the water, and pesto.

2. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 5 to 7 hours or on high-heat setting for 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours. Sprinkle each serving with cheese.

Deliciously Simple Meatballs

This meatball recipe is just the beginning.  I often double the recipe and store the unused meatballs in the freezer.

Meatballs

Makes approx 8 servings

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef

1/2 pound ground veal

1/2 pound ground pork

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 eggs

1 cup freshly grated Romano cheese

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped Italian flat leaf parsley

salt and ground black pepper to taste

2 cups stale Italian bread, crumbled

1 1/2 cups lukewarm water

1 cup olive oil

Directions

Combine beef, veal, and pork in a large bowl. Add garlic, eggs, cheese, parsley, salt and pepper.

Blend bread crumbs into meat mixture. Slowly add the water 1/2 cup at a time. The mixture should be very moist but still hold its shape if rolled into meatballs. (I usually use about 1 1/4 cups of water). Shape into meatballs.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Cook meatballs in batches. When the meatball is very brown and slightly crisp remove from the heat and drain on a paper towel. (If your mixture is too wet, cover the meatballs while they are cooking so that they hold their shape better.)

Polenta and Veggies with Roasted Ped Pepper Sauce

This recipe may not be as simple as I prefer but it's healthy and fresh. Growing veggies in the garden?  This is a great way to use your harvest.

Polenta and Veggies with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked instant polenta

2/3 cup grated Parmesan, divided

1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Vegetable oil cooking spray

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme (or oregano) or 1 tbsp dried

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

8 asparagus stalks, ends trimmed

8 scallions, trimmed

2 small Japanese or Italian eggplants, trimmed and halved

1 medium-large yellow squash (about 1/2 lb), cut into 1/3-inch-thick slices

1 cup cherry tomatoes

Sauce

1 jar (12 oz) prepared roasted red peppers, drained
OR, make fresh roasted red peppers

1/3 cup vegetable (or chicken) broth

1 large clove garlic, chopped

3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, basil or parsley (plus extra for garnish)

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Directions

Bring 3 cups water to a boil in a medium-sized heavy saucepan. Add polenta in a stream, whisking to combine. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring frequently, until thick, 3 to 5 minutes. Whisk in 1/3 cup Parmesan and season with cayenne and salt. Coat a 9" pie plate with cooking spray. Transfer polenta to pie plate, smooth into an even layer and let cool 15 minutes. Heat broiler. Whisk garlic, thyme, lemon juice and oil in a bowl.

Season with salt and pepper. Toss vegetables with dressing. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray and arrange vegetables in 1 layer (or in 1 layer in a grill basket). Broil vegetables about 4 inches from heat until tender and slightly charred, 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Transfer to a platter. Combine all sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Sprinkle polenta with remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan.

Broil polenta in pie plate until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes, then cut polenta into 8 triangles. Divide polenta among 4 plates. Top with vegetables, drizzle with sauce and sprinkle with chives. Serve any remaining sauce on the side.

Penne and Ham Primavera

Need a great recipe for leftovers?  After making a spiral ham I always have leftovers.  This is a great recipe to use up a bit of that ham.

Penne and Ham Primavera

Ingredients

2 cups uncooked whole wheat penne or mostaccioli pasta

1 cup sliced zucchini

1 cup sliced yellow summer squash

2 cups cubed fully cooked ham

1/2 cup salad dressing

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Coarsely ground pepper, if desired

Directions

Cook pasta as directed on package, adding zucchini and yellow squash during last 3 to 4 minutes of cooking; drain.

Return pasta mixture to saucepan; add ham and dressing. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until hot. Sprinkle with basil, cheese and pepper.  A great addition to this dish is sauteed swiss chard fresh from the garden.

Ham with Apricot Brown Sugar Glaze

I don't make spiral cut ham very often but when I do I always use my own recipe for the glaze.  There are two ways to use this glaze.

1. Use half the glaze on the ham. Cook.  Use remaining glaze.

2. Cook the ham then use entire glaze.

Personally, I like to leave the glaze until the end.  When I leave the glaze for last I combine the brown sugar, apricot jam and 5 tablespoons water in a small stock pot.  5 minutes before I serve the ham:

Bring to a boil and continue to stir.  Let simmer until ready to serve.  Take off heat and spoon onto sliced ham.

Ham with Apricot Brown Sugar Glaze

Ingredients

1 (10 pound) fully-cooked spiral cut ham

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup apricot jam

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Place the ham cut side down onto a sheet of aluminum foil.  Mix together the brown sugar, and in a small bowl. Brush onto the ham using a pastry or barbeque brush. Reserve any leftover glaze.

Enclose the foil around the ham and place in a roasting pan.

Roast for 2 hours in the preheated oven, or if your ham is a different size, figure 14 minutes per pound. Apply the remaining glaze 20 minutes before the ham is done. 

Delicious Asparagus Leek Quiche

Asparagus Leek and Gruyère Quiche

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter
1 leek (white and light green parts only), halved and thinly sliced, then well washed
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 bunch (1 pound) asparagus, tough ends removed, thinly sliced on the diagonal
4 large eggs
1 1/4 cups half-and-half
ground nutmeg
1 Pie Crust,  fitted into a 9-inch pie plate, well chilled
1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese (4 ounces)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, with rack in lowest position. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium. Add leek and asparagus; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until asparagus is crisp-tender, 6 to 8 minutes; let cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, half-and-half, 1/2 teaspoon salt, teaspoon pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg. Place pie crust on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with cheese; top with asparagus mixture. Pour egg mixture on top.

Bake until center of quiche is just set, 50 to 60 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Mexican Casserole

I make what I call Mexican Casserole.  I've made it so many times I don't really use a recipe.  Here's one that's similar from allrecipes.com .  My additions are Jalapenos, Cilantro, onions, bell peppers with cooked and shredded chicken.  I also use homemade black beans instead of refried beans.  For an even healthier alternative, try using low-carb tortillas or vegan tortillas.

Mexican Casserole

Ingredients

1 (16 ounce) can refried beans (or Homemade)

3/4 onion, diced

2 jalapenos, sliced

1 bell pepper, diced

Cilantro, chopped

5 (10 inch) flour tortillas

1 cup salsa

2 cups shredded Cheddar or Colby Jack cheese

*Optional* 1-2 cups cooked, shredded chicken

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Spray a 9-inch pie pan with non-stick cooking spray.

In a saucepan, cook beans, bell peppers and onions (to soften them) on medium-high heat for about 5 minutes.

Place one tortilla in the bottom of the greased pan. Spread about 1/3 cup of the bean mixture over it. Layer a few tablespoons of salsa over this. Then, place another tortilla over the salsa, and add more of the bean mixture and a thin layer of cilantro*ADD chicken if you choose*. Follow the beans with a big handful of cheese, spreading evenly. repeat layers, spreading the ingredients evenly over the tortillas. On the top layer, add jalapeno slices, make sure to use lots of salsa and cheese!

Bake until the cheese is melted, approximately 20 to 25 minutes. 

I usually top this dish with a spoonful of sour cream but at the moment we are avoiding dairy.  Instead, I serve with Texas Caviar.

Spinach, Mushroom and Onion Quiche

Quiche is wonderful for a quick brunch or even a light dinner.  I've made this quiche recipe for Easter and Christmas.  It's great by itself or served with a side of ham or sausage.

Spinach, Mushroom and Onion Quiche

Ingredients

6 eggs, beaten

1 cup whole or skim milk

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 cups chopped fresh spinach

2 cups chopped fresh mushrooms

1/2 cup chopped onions

1 cup shredded Mozarella cheese

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1 (9 inch) deep dish pie crust

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Cook spinach. Drain and set aside.  Cook Mushrooms and Onions.  Drain and set aside.

In a large bowl, whip together eggs, cream, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.

Sprinkle ½ cup of Mozarrela cheese in the bottom of the pie crust.  Cover with Spinach, Mushroom, and Onion.  Top with remaining cheese.  Pour Egg mixture over veggies in pie crust.

Bake uncovered in the preheated oven 35 minutes, or until bubbly and lightly browned.