Meatballs in Marinara Sauce

I usually hate when there’s a month (or more) long approach to a holiday. Like seeing Hallowe’en paraphernalia right after Labor Day.

But it’s been so cold and snowy where I live that the Valentine’s Day heart things and the boxes of chocolates and a host of articles I’ve been noticing for the past week actually cheer me, even though the holiday is nearly 3 weeks away. Valentine’s Day means February is half over and we’ll be almost through this winter.

But Valentine’s Day is also a little sad for me because it’s one of the days I miss my Dad the most. He always sent me Valentines. Sometimes it was one of those cartoon cards children buy in packs to give to their classmates. But I could always count on getting a card from him. I miss them. And him.

His cooking? Well, not so much. He made fabulous pancakes and waffles, hot chocolate and a few other things. But entrees were not his forte. Once, when my Mom was sick he attempted meatballs in tomato sauce. He took plain meat, shaped them into mountain peaks and spread tomato paste on top. Then he broiled them. Ohmyohmyohmy were they bad. I don’t remember too many meals from when I was a kid but that one is vivid.

So, in honor of my Dad, with visions of Valentine’s Day and springtime and warm weather ahead, I give you my recipe for Meatballs in Tomato sauce the way Dad never made them.

Meatballs in Marinara Sauce 

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 4 medium cloves garlic, chopped

• 2 28-ounce cans Italian style tomatoes, chopped, with liquid

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 1/2 pound ground turkey

• 1/2 pound ground veal

• 1/2 pound ground beef

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

• 2 large eggs

• 3 frozen hamburger buns, grated

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over low-medium heat. Add the onion and cook stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes, or until softened. Add the garlic and cook briefly. Add the tomatoes, 2 tablespoons of the basil and salt and pepper to taste. Bring the ingredients to a simmer and cook the sauce for 30 minutes. While the sauce is cooking, place the turkey, veal and beef in a large bowl and mix gently to combine them. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons basil, the parsley, eggs and the grated buns. Mix ingredients and shape into 12 meatballs. Place the meatballs on a baking sheet and roast for about 15 minutes, turning them occasionally to brown on all sides. Place the meatballs into the cooked sauce. Cook for another 30 minutes.

Makes 4 servings

Face Painting Grandchildren

Eat your heart out Amy Chua. Creative play and just having fun is an important part of a happy, successful life. 

These photos show what my 2 of my grandkids did the other day when they were sick and home from school and bored. The other is another granddaughter and what she decided to do with some paints.

I cheer this sort of thing and am thrilled with these kids, even if they don’t play the violin or are #1 at everything.

click each photo to get a better view.

A Mother Is Born

Whether or not you think Amy Chua’s parenting methods are good or not, whether or not you are a “Chinese” Mom (or Dad), sometimes you need some solid, sound advice, especially when it comes to newborns. Try this site: http://amotherisborn.com/

Reading C-Scape by Larry Kramer #fridayreads

Scrambled Eggs with Smoked Salmon and Chives

sprinklefingers:

i spent 34 years detesting eggs unless they were baked into a brownie. or a cookie. or a triple layer chocolate cake with peanut butter buttercream.

and now, i’m declaring my 35th year my year of eggs.

[speaking of my year of eggs, you should read this book.]

ahem, continuing on:

until this…

Ah eggs! Alas, not all of them are created equal. I can’t vouch for Momofuko — haven’t been there. But I can certainly understand how any one of the egg dishes at the amazing Per Se would change an egg-hater into a devout convert.

But there are eggs and there are eggs. Thomas Keller gets his eggs fresh from “the farm.” That fact alone distinguishes it from anything you can find in a supermarket. Even a novice cook could make plain old scrambled eggs, nothing like a Per Se fancy, and create something delicious. A fresh egg is a wonderful thing that most of us never get to eat.

When our family first moved to Stamford, Ct. we lived near an egg farm. That’s where I bought all my eggs and therefore, long ago, discovered that an egg straight from the chicken (or nearly) was an entirely different product than the ones I bought at the supermarket. So, every time we needed fresh eggs I drove to Golden Farm and struggled not to notice the two dozen or so cats who crawled all over my feet when I stopped by. We always had eggs for dinner on a Golden Farm night. Side dish of hash browns maybe and sometimes homemade applesauce, always fresh bread, and on a really good day, homemade challah.

Those were good dinners.

Years went by. The people who owned Golden Farm retired, then passed away and now their place is “Golden Farm Road’ with a few very expensive houses on it.

No more fresh farm eggs. No farms anywhere near me. The country has become the suburbs.

So I tried organic eggs. They’re still much better than regular supermarket eggs and brand does matter. I have my favorites, but much of what you can buy depends on what’s available locally.

Still, for a newbie to the egg thing — do yourself a favor and try different kinds of organic eggs. Eggs are such a wonderful treat for dinner, especially when you’re bored with the same old stuff.

Here’s one of the egg dishes we like. It’s simple, easy and makes a delicious dinner in a flash. Add some potatoes and good bread and, if you must have a vegetable with dinner, some peas. 

Scrambled eggs with Smoked Salmon and Chives

5 large eggs

1/4 cup milk, preferably whole milk

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup chopped smoked salmon

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Beat the eggs and milk until well combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Heat the butter in a saute pan or omelet pan over medium heat. When the butter has melted and looks foamy, pour in the eggs and add the salmon and chives. Scramble slowly with a spoon (for large scrambles) or quickly with a fork (for small scrambles). Cook until the eggs are set to the desired consistency, soft or firm. Makes 2 servings

For Tu B'Shevat: Date-Orange Muffins

In case you didn’t know, today is Tu B’Shevat.

Huh?

It’s one of the lesser-known Jewish holidays. I mean, talking about this to the world at large makes me feel like Barbra Streisand in The Way We Were when she cooked a brisket and wished her non-Jewish-Robert Redford husband a “Happy Rosh Hashanah.”

But this is really a good holiday because it focuses on conservation, the earth, preservation. Some call this The New Year of Trees, because it traditionally begins a season of tree planting in Israel. But at the bottom of it all is the notion that we must take good care of the earth, not waste it or trample on it or abuse it to death.

Not a bad notion, that.

Also, Tu B’Shevat food is pretty good. You know there’s a food for every Jewish holiday. That’s just the way we are. There is no particular dish that’s traditional, like a Thanksgiving turkey. This holiday is mostly about fruit, fresh or dried. Anything goes, from chips with fruit salsa to lamb shanks with dried apricots to date-orange muffins.

Date-Orange muffins are wonderful for breakfast or snack but you can also use them as a bread for dinner.

Date-Orange Muffins

4 tablespoons butter

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons sugar

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoons grated fresh orange rind

3/4 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt

1/4 cup orange juice

1 large egg

2/3 cup chopped dates

1/3 cup chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease 9-10 muffin tins. Melt the butter and set it aside to cool. Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Stir in the orange rind. In a separate bowl, mix the buttermilk, orange juice, egg and melted butter. Add the liquids to the dry ingredients and stir to blend but do not mix vigorously. Fold in the dates and pecans. Spoon the dough into the muffin tins, filling them 2/3 full. Bake for about 25 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Makes 9-10

Braised Veal Roast

One whiff of something good cooking in someone’s oven can be an inspiration. The other day I picked up some slacks that a dressmaker had hemmed for me and the aroma of roasting meat was so powerfully wonderful in her house that I commented a few times and she kept asking if I wanted a taste. I wasn’t up for a bite but I did ask what it was she was making. She told me it was a pork loin. She put it into a baking pan, seasoned it with garlic and oregano, added “some white wine and a little lemon juice” and baked it, cover on, then browned it at the end.

I decided to copy her dish with a veal roast. My house smelled just as wonderful as hers had and although I didn’t taste hers, I’m sure it was good, because mine was wonderful. I added a sliced fennel bulb. Have to tell her that next time I see her. Here’s the recipe.

Braised Veal Roast

1 large bulb fennel

1 boneless veal shoulder roast, about 3-1/2-4 pounds (or use a pork roast)

2 teaspoons olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 large clove garlic, finely chopped

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 cup white wine

juice of one medium lemon, about 3 tablespoons

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Remove the fennel fronds, rinse the bulbs and cut the bulbs into thick slices. Place the slices inside a deep casserole dish. Place the veal on top. Brush the olive oil on top and sprinkle to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the garlic and oregano. Pour the wine and lemon juice around the meat. Cover the pan and roast for one hour. Raise the oven temperature to 350 degrees, remove the casserole cover and continue to roast the meat until the top is lightly browned and a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the meat reads 150-155 degrees. Remove the meat to a carving board and let rest for 15 minutes before slicing. Serve with the fennel and pan juices. Makes 4 servings

Orange Marmalade Baked Pears

Still can’t figure out what I want for breakfast. I know a decent breakfast can make or break your day. I’m not talking about the food pyramid. Or anything approaching scientific. I mean, if I start the day eating junk I’ll be a pig for the rest of the day. I know me. Breakfast is like a trigger meal, and so I usually have yogurt and fruit but honestly, one can get really tired of that.

Yesterday I made baked pear because somehow the thought of just eating a piece of fruit didn’t seem interesting enough to satisfy. It was good and I’m leaving the recipe (which you can use for dessert too I suppose). But I’m looking for something else for today. I’ll let you know what I come up with. I got some good suggestions from people but would appreciate more ideas from anybody.

orange Marmalade Baked Pears

• 2 ripe pears
• 2 teaspoons bitter orange marmalade
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar, optional
• cinnamon
• freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/2 cup orange juice

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the pears in half lengthwise. Remove the core and seeds. Place the pears cut side up in a baking pan. Brush the marmalade over the cut surfaces. Sprinkle with the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Pour the juice around the pears in the pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes, basting once or twice. Let cool slightly.

Makes 2 servings

What do you eat when you’re bored with everything and can’t even figure out what you want for breakfast?

Mom’s Macaroni and Cheese

I’m cooked out. Done. Finished. The snow kept me in for days and I’ve cooked and put away enough food for the rest of the winter. I feel like a squirrel.

So, instead of cooking again I cleaned my fridge. Which reminded me of my mother because in my fridge was some old American cheese, a little darker in color around the edges and somewhat hardened.

Why does this remind me of my mother?

Because I remember my mother cleaning out the fridge and finding crusty American cheese, which she then used (with lots of other cheese) to make macaroni and cheese and it was the best macaroni and cheese you could ever want.

I once wrote about this for one my newspaper articles. My mom was still alive then and she was terribly embarrassed by what I said. Embarrassed that she would use crusty old cheese for cooking.

But I assured her that I was saying good things about her. Admittedly she wasn’t the thriftiest person I ever knew, but she did have a knack for leftovers and macaroni and cheese was one of her best. No need to be embarrassed to use perfectly good stuff even if it is not perfectly new. After all, cheese is supposed to age right? The cheese she found (and that I found) wasn’t moldy or rotten or smelly. Just a little dry. And when you put dried up old cheese in a hot liquid it melts into velvety sauce. So good.

And I guess I am not cooked out after all because I am about to make some Macaroni and Cheese. Here’s my mom’s recipe:

Mom’s Macaroni and Cheese

8 ounces elbow macaroni

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups whole milk

1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste

4 ounces American cheese

2 ounces blue-veined cheese

2 ounces sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese, approximately, optional

bread crumbs, optional

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cook the macaroni until it is al dente, drain and set aside. In a saucepan melt the butter over low-medium heat. When it looks foamy, add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes, without letting the mixture become brown. Gradually add the milk and stir constantly using a whisk until the sauce is smooth and thickened. Stir in the salt, American cheese, blue-veined cheese and 2 ounces of cheddar cheese and whisk the sauce until the cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth. Stir the sauce into the cooked macaroni. Spoon into a baking dish and top with grated cheddar cheese or bread crumbs. Bake for a few minutes until the grated cheese is hot and melty or the bread crumbs are golden brown. OR serve without the cheese or bread crumb topping. Makes 4 servings