Ok, yes, I have another blog. But this only makes 2! If you haven't checked out my other blog, it's:
While I'm attempting to work on our European travel blog, in the meantime, life goes on, and I have so much to blog about! So, like the title suggests, I'm bloggin' it. I mean, I have really important things to blog about. Food, number 1. And decorations, number 2. Oh, and probably some crafts, number 3. Really. Important. Stuff. What good is having useless, creative energy if you can't make stuff, take pictures of it, and then talk about it? So, the need for Blog #2 was obviously necessary.
So, down to business. Tonight's dinner: Beef, Turkey, and Spinach Meatballs with Sautéed Parmesan Eggplant. This is not to be confused with Eggplant Parmesan. Just to put it out there, I do not believe in breading my food before I eat it. That would be too much like fried, which in my opinion, is no way to treat food. Fried= Bad. Lightly Sautéed = Good
First things first. Every time I start to cook, I begin with the Basic 5.
Basic Number 1:
Wine. I always pour myself a glass of wine before I begin to cook. It also helps to add a cute wine charm to the glass. This one is a little ghost giving me two thumbs up.
He says to me, "Make something yummy!"
No, I haven't drank any wine yet.
Basic Number 2:
Apron. Cooking is very messy, so wearing one is always an essential. Notice how it coordinates with my wine napkin.
Yes, I'm nerdy like that.
Basic Number 3:
Music. Everything is more fun when there is music in the background. I always play music when I cook. Tonights selection, a romantic journey through Tuscany. Now I'm officially in the cooking mood!
Basic Number 4:
An empty sink. As in, put all dirty dishes in the dishwasher before beginning to cook. Or, if the dishwasher is ready to be unloaded, put away all clean dishes before beginning. This may sound a bit neurotic, but it is very stressful and almost impossible to use cutting boards, various bowls, pots, and pans, and have them all piled up and overflowing from the sink while trying to maneuverer around the kitchen. Also, when you start with an empty sink and dishwasher, it is so handy to just put the dirty bowls into the dishwasher as you finish using them. When you are done cooking, there is virtually nothing to clean up except for the pans being used on the stove and the plates you eat off of.
I am still trying to teach my husband this trick. He hasn't quite gotten the hang of it yet. And then I'm the one cleaning up behind him as he cooks.
(Come to think of it, maybe he has gotten the hang of it- and he's tricked me into cleaning!)
Basic Number 5:
Wash hands! Always always always. I wash my hands constantly as I cook. No one wants to eat dirty hand germs.
Now that the Basic 5 are complete, it's time to start cooking. Here's how I make Beef, Turkey, and Spinach Meatballs with Sautéed Parmesan Eggplant:
First, start with the spinach
I like to use the frozen kind. The fresh kind is too leafy and stringy for meatballs. I use about a quarter of the bag. Just dump it in a big ol mixing bowl.
Next, I add in 1 pound of beef, 1 pound of turkey, two eggs, and about a half cup to a cup (just eyeball it) of breadcrumbs. I like this kind:
Here's all the ingredients dumped into the bowl:
Looks kinda gross so far, doesn't it? Just trust me, it will taste oh so good once it's all cooked up.
Now, here is my #1 tip for cooking: Use fresh herbs. They make a good dish a fabulous dish. I grow my own right on my back deck. For tonights dinner, I will use basil and oregano.
Basil
Oregano
Pick off a few sprigs from each plant. Then wash it and lay it out to dry on paper towels. Like so:
Then, pick the leaves off the stems, and chop up the leaves into fine little pieces
Basil Oregano
Add both of those into the bowl.
Now, the next step is very important. Pay close attention.
The washing of the hands! Back to Basic #5. I've just been picking herbs and chopping them up, and now my hands are all sticky. Plus, clean hands are a necessity for the next step:
The Mushing of the Meat! I like to get in there and really work it!
Work it! Mix it! Take out any aggressions on the meat!
Better than therapy!
Now, once the meat has been throughly mushed together, I form it into a ball, and then put the bowl in the fridge.
On to the next step: The Sauce!
I use two 28 oz cans of tomatoes. One is tomato sauce, and one is crushed tomatoes. I like this kind:
I pour them both into a pot, and add some salt and pepper.
Next, I add my all time favorite, cannot live without, must include in all dishes ingredient:
GARLIC!
Mmmm!!!!!!!!!!
I chop up about 5 or 6 cloves, and then pour them into the tomato sauce pot. I also add more fresh basil and oregano, but just about one sprig of each since I've already used a lot in the meat mixture. I don't want the herbs to overpower the other flavors.
After a quick stir, I put the lid on the pot, turn the heat down to low, and let the sauce simmer. While this is simmering, I move on to the next step... the meat balls!
Hello, giant meat ball.
To begin the meatballs, I first get out a large pan, place it on the stove on high heat, and give a good hearty drizzle of evoo (Extra Virgin Olive Oil... if you haven't heard Rachel Ray say this by now, you have never a. watched her on or the Food Network, or are b. living under a rock. I have never met anyone who has never seen Rachael Ray on Food Network)
After the evoo, I turn the heat down to medium high, and start to work on the giant meat ball. I begin by making smaller balls from the giant one. Then I roll them up by hand, and drop them into the oiled pan:
I do this over and over until I've made just enough smaller meat balls to cover the bottom of the pan.
Then, I turn the heat down to medium, and let that cook for a about 5 minutes. This is where my favorite part of cooking comes in:
While the food cooks, I drink wine and read magazines. Tonight I'm reading a fun Halloween magazine.
Better check on the meatballs.
Looking good! One quick flip and I'm back to my magazine.
Did I mention that I love cooking?
Ok, after 5-8 more minutes, the meatballs are finished cooking.
Remember that tomato sauce that's been simmering away? That's the next step.... pour it into the pan with the meat balls.
Mmm... look at that tomatoey goodness!
Now that the sauce is added, I put a lid on the pan, and let this simmer for another 15-20 minutes. The meatballs need time to absorb all that goodness!
As that simmers, I once again follow my Basics. Basic number 4, a clean sink.
Clean up the dishes and get them out of the way!
Once I am back to a clean, clutter free space, I get out the eggplant and start cutting it up. I only need a couple slices per person, so I cut up 4 slices, about a half inch thick each:
Then I drizzle a pan with evoo, lay the 4 eggplant slices down in the pan, and sprinkle sea salt on them:
After a couple minutes, I flip each slice over
After the eggplant sautées for a couple more minutes, it's time to plate.
First, the eggplant:
Then, spoon that rich, meaty goodness over the eggplant:
Then add some freshly grated Parmesan cheese:
Now for the best part; sit down and enjoy eating it! Wine and a nice fall bouquet pair well with the dish
Bon Appetite!
