Meatballs and Marinara Sauce

This is rainy day cooking at it's best - simmer the meatballs and sauce slowly for a few hours.....

Meatballs

 

1 lb ground turkey

2 links chicken sweet italian sausage with casings removed

1/4 C grated parmesan

1 egg

1 cup fresh breadcrumbs - pulse country bread cubes with 2 T parsley in food processor or blender

1/2 C diced white onion

2 T minced garlic

 

Mix all ingredients in a non reactive bowl - mix thoroughly to get the sausage and ground turkey blended well.

Shape into 2 inch balls.

Spray a 9 inch glass pan with PAM and arrange the meatballs - you should have about 18-20 meatballs.  Cook at 400 for 30- 45 mins until browned.

 

Pour marinara sauce  into a deep saucepan.  Add the meatballs and simmer for about an hour.

Boil spaghetti and top with the meatballs and sauce.  Serve with a green salad and crusty bread to mop up the sauce  :)



 

 

 

Grocery Shopping and Cooking for One

As a single person who is a foodie, I often find I waste a lot of food - I get excited about recipes and food combinations and buy more than I can consume before the food goes bad.   Or I get in the mood for something ( like broccoli slaw) that I won't eat every day.  A bag of broccoli slaw will feed at least 6! Guess how much of that gets thrown out  :(

Just today I threw out feta cheese, mozzarella cheese, carrots, celery, cooked and seasoned ground turkey, yogurt, lunchmeat, half a bag of fresh mized veggies that got browned and strawberries. A better plan would have been to do some freezing - feta can be frozen, then thawed and used as crumbles in a salad.  I could have frozen the ground turkey in small portions after cooking and used as needed.  Carrots and celery could have been used to make stock - I have lots of  chicken parts and stock keeps in the freezer for quite a while. Same thing with the veggies.  I should have taken the mozz to work with me and added it to my daily salad, or used for a snack with crackers or tomaotes. As for the yogurt, I need to eat some everyday or resort to buying individual cartons ( more expensive) vs the 16 oz tub

I vowed to do better, so here is what I purchased grocery wise and my meal plan for this week:

1 roasted chicken - on sale for 4.99

fresh Italian whole grain bread

Applegate organic ham slices

tub of greek yogurt

organic salad mix

egg beaters

shredded cheese mix

packaged sliced apples

sliced pineapple

cubed cantelope

pint of cherry tomatoes

 

I eat most of my meals at work, so I pack my goodies for the week on Sunday nite and take them to work on Monday, storing everything in the fridge in the breakroom.  ( If you don't have a  fridge at work, you could use an insulated lunch bag with an ice pack and pack daily instead of for the entire week)

 

Chicken cut into quarters - 2 quarters in the freezer, the other 2 will be for meals this week.

Frozen green peas on hand - making a batch of soup - most will be frozen in plastic containers.   Recipe here  http://www.simpleandsavoryfood.com/great-summer-soup/

Breakfast every day ( I don't get tired of it) is egg beaters and shredded cheese scrambled in the microwave at work. I add 2 slices of whole grain toast and berries or other fruit.

Snacks - apples and sliced cheddar cheese, yogurt with berries and walnuts, crackers and cheese or fresh peanut butter, or apples with fresh peanut butter.

Lunch - green salad with grape tomatoes, diced apple, sliced strawberries, chopped walnuts, shredded cheese and balsamic viniagrette.  Accompanied by a ham sandwich or chicken and Green Giant seasoned steamer vegetables.

I'm making green peas soup using on hand frozen peas - I'll freeze individual portions.  I'll have the soup with a sandwich or salad for dinner or lunch.

 

So that's it.  I have chicken and soup in the  freezer for later meals.  I'll also freeze some of the sliced lunchmeat as I won't eat all of it during the week. I stock up on the Green Giant Steamer vegetables when they are on sale, as the fresh go bad to quickly.  Some left over celery will be diced for some stock.

 

 

 

 

Antipasti Salad

This is a great way to please a crowd - and no cooking involved :)  Easy and elegant and you don't have to make yourself crazy.

 

Marinated artichoke hearts

Bread sticks wrapped in proscuitto

Small mozzarella balls

Thinly slice italian meats ( salami, copicola, etc)

Olives

Fresh grape tomatoes

Small chunks of parmesan reggiano

Thinly sliced provolone cheese

Marinated veggies

 Pepperoncinis

Romaine lettuce tossed with viniagrette

Crusty bread to dip in olive oil and balsamic vinegar

 

Cooking instructions:  None  lol

Shrimp with Insalata Caprese

Can it get any more simple and savory than this?  This is great as an appetizer or light lunch on a hot day

 

Spinach Salad

This is one of my favorite super salads - a meal in itself and full of healthy, clean stuff.  Serves 2

2c  fresh spinach

2 hard boiled eggs, chopped

6 sliced strawberries

2 oz crumbled feta or gorgonzola cheese

12 walnut pieces

2  small diced apples

12 grape tomatoes, halved

Combine all ingredients and toss with a mixture of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

 

 

Katamala Olives with Feta, Baguette, Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar

This is a nice treat for company - my friend Barbara served this during a weekend visit.   Accompany this with a chilled glass of white wine - simple and savory !  Use chunk feta, not crumbled.

Slice the feta into 1/4 inch or thinner slices.  Drizzle a plate with good quality olive oil and balsamic vinegar - 2 tbs. each.  Arrange the olives and cheese on the plate.   Slice the baguette horizontially into rounds and enjoy.

test