Meatball Soup

What is it about a meatball that just makes me smile? Does anyone else feel this way, or am I weird? I just really love meatballs. There really are so many ways to make them and eat them. This soup, for example, is yet another awesome way to enjoy meatballs.

This soup is pure comfort food and I am sure that you will think so, too. I found this recipe in Deceptively Delicious and it has remained one of my favorites. Even though I don’t normally keep purees in my freezer, this soup is still a sinch to throw together because the carrot and sweet potato can easily be steamed or cooked in the microwave and then pureed. An alternative is also to just finely chop up the two vegetables, raw, in a food processor, and then throw it into the soup (separately, of course.) That works just as well

3 ounces whole-wheat pasta shapes, such as bowties or wagon wheels

Nonstick cooking spray

1 tbsp. EVOO

1 small onion, chopped

1 (28 ounce)  can whole peeled tomatoes, with the juice

1/4 cup carrot puree

1 1/2 tsp. salt

3 cups beef or chicken broth

MEATBALLS:

3 slices whole-wheat bread, cubed

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1/4 cup milk

2 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/4 tsp. paprika

1/2 lb. lean ground turkey

1. Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water according to directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.

2. Coat a large pot with cooking spray and set it over medium-high heat. When the pot is hot, add the oil and then the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is softened but not browned, 3 to 4 minutes.

3. Puree the tomatoes and their juice with the carrot puree in a food processor or blender, then add to the pot along with 1/2 tsp. salt. Add the broth, reduce heat to low, and simmer, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, put the bread in a large bowl. Add the egg, sweet potato puree, milk, parmesan, 1 tsp. salt, the pepper, and paprika, and let soak until the bread is very soft. Stir to break up the bread, add the ground turkey, and mix until smooth. Form into *mini-meatballs 1/2-inch in diameter. {*Or you can cheat like I sometimes do and use pre-made turkey meatballs }

5. Add the meatballs to the pot. Simmer, covered, until the meatballs are no longer pink in the center, 12 to 15 minutes. Stir in the pasta when ready to serve and eat. Sprinkle with Parmesan.

6. Enjoy all that yumm,y wholesome goodness!

Rice Balls

This recipe came from Deceptively Delicious, the first cookbook by Jessica Seinfeld which incorporates vegetable purees into food. There was a time when I had many purees in my freezer, ready to go, but now that my boys are older and capable of eating vegetables, I find that now I only prepare the recipes that I really love, and consequently, make only the purees I need.

These rice balls are great because they are super tasty and fun, and they pack 1/2 cup of sweet potato puree and broccoli (you can also choose to use spinach or butternut squash). This recipe does call for chicken, but it can easily be left out for a vegetarian alternative.

*My pictures were horrible. Proof that I’m still not good at frying, forming balls of anything that remain balls, and especially frying any food that comes in the form of a ball. I realize this has nothing to do with the overall taste, but still it is no fun when I don’t have an awesome picture to share. So here’s a picture of the pre-breaded and fried balls

 

Rice Balls

1/2 cup short grain brown rice (or 1 cup cooked leftover rice)

Nonstick cooking spray

3 tsp. EVOO

1/4 lb. chicken cutlets, rinsed and dried

1 1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

1/2 cup sweet potato *puree

1/4 cup grated *cheddar cheese

1/4 cup buttermilk

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1/2 cup spinach or broccoli or butternut squash *puree

 1/2 cups whole wheat cracker crumbs or *breadcrumbs

1. Cook rice if starting from scratch. Meanwhile, coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set it over medium high heat. When the pan is hot, add 1 tsp oil. Sprinkle the chicken with 1/4 tsp salt and the pepper, and cook until no longer pink in the center, 4 to 5 minutes per side. {I simply put the chicken pieces in chicken broth and poach until done.}

2. Cut the chicken into chunks and place them in a food processor or blender. Add the sweet potato, cheese, 1 tsp salt, and the buttermilk, and blend until smooth. *For the cheese  I used raw organic sharp white cheddar. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and stir in the cooked rice. Roll the mixture into 1-inch balls and place them on a sheet of waxed paper or foil.

3. In a shallow bowl, beat the egg and vegetable puree of your choice with a fork. Put the crumbs into a separate bowl. One at a time, dip the rice balls in the egg mixture, then roll them in the crumbs to make an even coating.

4. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set it over medium high heat. When the pan is hot, add the remaining 2 tsp of EVOO. Add the rice balls and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, turning occasionally and spraying with cooking spray, until browned and crisp all over. Serve warm.

*If you are not familiar with pureeing vegetables you can use these simple tricks. For the sweet potato I simply forked a spud and microwaved it until done. Half of a large potato should equal 1/2 cup. Just throw it in the food processor until smooth. The same for the broccoli: cook until done, drain and puree. I then measured out the 1/2 cup amount, but it was approx 1 cup broccoli florets, cooked down in some chicken broth.

Here is what they should look like, courtesy of Food Network, depending on the puree you choose for the egg mixture. Using spinach or broccoli will give the rice balls a bit of a green hue, but otherwise undetectable in taste. 

Four Cheese Pasta Florentine with Fresh Tuna

This is a great baked mac n’ cheese Florentine recipe but I like to add fresh tuna to it for a little extra protein, plus it makes a big, one-dish meal with plenty left over for lunches or for halving and freezing for a future quick meal.

3 cups  penne, uncooked

1 -2 Fresh Tuna steaks* or 2 cans tuna, drained

1 pkg.  (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach

4 oz.   Cream Cheese, cubed

1 cup  Cottage Cheese

4 wedges Laughing Cow cheese**

2 eggs

1 pkg.  (8 oz.) Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

1/4 cup  Grated Parmesan Cheese

HEAT oven to 375ºF.

COOK pasta as directed on package, omitting salt. Meanwhile, cook spinach as directed on package; drain well. Place in large bowl. Add cream cheese; stir until melted. Stir in cottage cheese and eggs until well blended.

*If using fresh tuna you can bake it at 350* with some EVOO and salt & pepper for 10 to 15 minutes per inch of thickness. Steaks should be medium rare- not cooked through or the meat will be too tough. You can also pan-sear the tuna. Once cooked, chop the tuna into bite-sized pieces.

** The Laughing Cow cheese is optional and not necessary if you make this dish sans tuna. However, if you do add the tuna the extra cheese will help keep the fish from drying out the dish and remain creamy.

DRAIN pasta. Add to spinach mixture with mozzarella and tuna; mix lightly. Spoon into 8- or 9-inch square baking dish; top with Parmesan.

BAKE 25 min. or until center is set.