Spaghetti with Turkey Meatballs

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 lb. ground pork sausage
• 3/4 lb. ground turkey
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1 large shallot, minced
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• Pinch of ground cloves
• Fresh marjoram leaves, chopped, plus whole
    sprigs for garnish
• 3 garlic cloves
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• Olive oil, as needed
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 large can (35 oz.) plus 1 small can (12 oz.)
    plum tomatoes, chopped, with juices
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 lb. spaghetti

Directions:

To make the meatballs, in a large bowl, combine the bread crumbs and milk and mix well. Add the sausage, beef, egg, one-third of the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, the shallot, nutmeg, cloves, a good sprinkling of marjoram and 1 garlic clove, minced. Mix briefly with your hands just until the ingredients are well distributed. Season well with salt and pepper. Form the mixture into small balls 1/2 to 1 inch in diameter.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Generously salt the boiling water, add the pasta and cook until al dente (tender but firm to the bite), 7 to 9 minutes. Drain the pasta well and put it in a warmed large, shallow bowl. 

In a large fry pan over medium heat, pour in the olive oil to a depth of 1/4 inch. When it is hot, add the meatballs (in batches, if necessary) and brown well on all sides. Transfer to a paper towel-lined tray to drain.

Discard the oil in the fry pan and wipe out any burned bits. In the pan over medium heat, warm 3 Tbs. olive oil, add the onion and sauté until soft and lightly golden, about 4 minutes. Slice and add the remaining 2 garlic cloves and sauté about 1 minute more. Add the wine and simmer until it is almost completely evaporated. Add the tomatoes and juices. Then add the broth and bay leaf and season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.

Add a sprinkling of chopped marjoram to the sauce, remove the bay leaf and pour the sauce over the pasta. Drizzle with olive oil and toss gently. Garnish with the marjoram sprigs and serve immediately. Pass the remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese at the table.

Serves 4.

Monkey Munch Recipe

Monkey Munch 

Monkey Munch

9 cups Chex cereal (any variety)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Stove Method Directions:

Measure cereal into a large bowl & set aside.

Heat chocolate chips, peanut butter and the butter over low heat until melted. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Pour the melted chocolate mixture over the cereal and stir until evenly coated.

Pour the mix into a 2 gallon ziploc bag and add powdered sugar, seal bag.

Shake bag until everything’s well coated then spread the mix on waxed paper to cool.

Refrigerate in an airtight container.

Microwave Method Directions:

Place the chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter in a microwaveable bowl and melt uncovered on High for 1 minute. Stir.

Microwave for another 30 seconds or until mixture is stirred smooth.

Stir in the vanilla.

Follow the rest of the directions as above in the Stove Method.

You can also find the recipe on the Chex website here.

Egg Foo Yung

 Egg Foo Yung 

Ingredients

8 eggs, beaten
1 cup thinly sliced celery

1 cup finely chopped onion

1/2 cup bean sprouts
1/2 cup diced fresh mushrooms
1 cup broccoli florets
1 cup grated carrots
1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 Tablespoon of Gluten Free low sodium soy sauce
                                

FOO YUNG SAUCE

                       

2 cubes chicken bouillon

 1 1/2 cups hot water
 1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar

2 tablespoons soy sauce (I use low sodium brand)
6 tablespoons cold water

1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

Directions

Beat eggs in a large bowl. Add the celery, onion, bean

sprouts, mushrooms, grated carrots, broccoli florets, soy sauce
salt and pepper. Mix together.

Heat oil in a medium skillet or wok and add the egg mixture

1/2 cup at a time. When all of the mixture is browned, set

aside. 

To make the sauce: Dissolve the bouillon in the hot water

in a small saucepan; add sugar and soy sauce and blend

well over medium heat. Add cold water and cornstarch and

stir until thick and smooth. Serve with Egg Foo Yung Sauce.

Baked Salmon with Herb Butter

DINNER:

Baked Salmon with Herb Butter, Rice and Green

Beans with Slivered Almonds

Baked Salmon À La Mon Ami

• salmon
• roasted garlic herb compound butter (or butter)
• olive oil
• dried herbs (oregano, rosemary)
• salt/pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Rinse the filet of salmon with cold water and pat the salmon dry.
3. Rub both sides of the salmon with olive oil.
4. Season with salt, pepper and any dried herbs according to your taste preferences.
5. Coat the top of the salmon with a compound butter.
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes depending on the thickness of the salmon.
7. Serve immediately.

Broccoli with Pasta and Cheese

Broccoli with Pasta and Cheese 

note: since this recipe calls for milk

its best for children 12 months and older

My boys are such picky eaters and its so frustrating when it 

comes to getting them to eat broccoli which is

the best veggie they could ever consume. So 

I made them this recipe and THEY ATE IT! Whoohoo!

Try this one out and let me know if they eat their

broccoli today =D its a very tasty lunch.

Broccoli florets, cut into smaller pieces

Small penne or farfalle pasta

Cheese Sauce:

1 1/2 tbsp sweet butter

1 tbsp all-purpose flour

3/4 cup organic whole milk

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated ( I use more like 1 cup of cheese)

Steam the broccoli for 10-12 minutes in a steamer. Cook the 

pasta according to the instructions on the package, then

drain. Meanwhile, make the cheese sauce. Met

the butter in a small, heavy-bottomed pan over

a low heat. Gradually add the flour, beating well to form

a smooth paste. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring continuously. 

Add the milk. a little at a time, whisking well to prevent any

lumps from forming, then stir in the oregano. Simmer for

2 minutes until smooth and creamy, then mix in the

cheese. Add the steamed broccoli and pasta to 

the cheese sauce and stir well. Finely chop or mash the mixture.

BQ Ribs with Rice

DINNER

BQ Ribs with Rice and the

side dish is Green beans with

slivered almonds

We are going to give ourselves a little break since
its a Monday =D The BQ ribs are from Costco
already made...you just need to cook
it up and its oh so yummo!! 25 minutes
in the oven and you have some delish
BQ ribs! Here is the recipe for the
green beans with almonds

Ingredients:

• Coarse salt, to taste
• 2 lb. slender green beans, trimmed
• 1/2 cup slivered blanched almonds
• 2 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 4 shallots, thinly sliced
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 2 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions:

Fill a large pot three-fourths full of lightly salted water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the green beans and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain in a colander, rinse with cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Set aside. (The beans can be prepared up to this point 1 day in advance, covered tightly and refrigerated until ready to use.)

In a large fry pan over medium heat, toast the almonds, stirring continuously, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

In the same pan over medium heat, melt the butter with the olive oil. Add the shallots and sauté until translucent and beginning to brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high and stir in the beans. Sauté, stirring continuously, until heated through and beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the parsley and almonds. Transfer to a warmed serving bowl and serve immediately.

Turkey Lasagna Cups

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb Ground Turkey 

• 1 small onion, chopped 

• 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms 

• 1/2 can diced Tomatos 

• 1 cup Tomato Sauce 

• 1.5 cups Cottage Cheese 

• 1 cup Frozen Spinach {which has been thawed} 

• 2 cups Mozza Cheese, shredded 

• 24 small square Wonton Wrappers 

• Oregano, Garlic Powder, Salt, Pepper to taste 

Instructions
• Preheat oven to 375ºF
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the turkey, onions, mushrooms and seasonings. Simmer until cooked
• Add crushed tomatoes and sauce, bring the pan to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside
• In a large bowl, combine the Cottage Cheese and Spinach. Stir to mix well. Set aside.
• Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. Place 1 wonton wrapper into each of the 12 cups, pressing firmly in the bottom of the cup and up the sides

• • Spoon in Cottage Cheese mixture, using about half for the 12 muffin cups
• • Spoon in half of the beef/turkey and tomato sauce mixture, again using about half.
• • Sprinkle with mozzarella
• • Gently press another wonton wrapper on top of the mozzarella layer
• • Repeat the process by distributing the remaining Cottage Cheese, then the remaining tomato sauce/meat mixture, and finally the rest of the shredded mozzarella

• • Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted
• • Let the cups cool for 5 minutes then remove them from the pan, and serve!