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Cumin & Cinnamon scented Turkey Meatballs

The rain continues here in the Boston area. The Nor'Easter lasted two full days. Who ever heard of such a thing? It made for several lazy, dark afternoons where I just didn't want to go outside. So, after my second lunch of turkey tacos, I still had some leftover ground turkey to use up. I decided to experiment and make meatballs, with some unusual spices, Cumin & Cinnamon, and a touch of fresh basil. I've been growing it in big pots by the window, and was itching to do something with it.

I wasn't sure how the combo would turn out. I'd been inspired to try it by Molly's post on  orangette a while back about her friend Doron's meatballs. They looked, and sounded fabulous, but I didn't have all the essential ingredients like raisins, pine nuts, fresh cilantro, etc.  But, I did have Cumin. I simply combined an egg, spices, 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs. Then shaped them into meatballs about the size of a big walnut, and fried them in olive oil, until lightly browned. Then I popped them into a quick sauce I made from a few cloves of garlic sauteed in olive oil, a can of crushed tomatoes, water, and lots of basil, oregano, and a dash of thyme and rosemary. A pinch of salt, and a dab of honey, and I let it all simmer together for about 20 minutes or so.  I cooked up a pile of pasta, thin linguini, and then dinner was served.  These meatballs came out so well, that I'll be making them again on Sunday to bring to my grandfather.

Cumin & Cinnamon scented Turkey Meatballs

2-3 servings

1/2 pound ground turkey ( I used all white )

1 tablespoon fresh, finely chopped basil

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 egg

3/4 cup panko crumbs (or fresh or any crumbs)

In big bowl, mix turkey with beaten egg, spices and breadcrumbs. Shape into meatballs of whatever size you like. Then in a large skillet, over medium heat, fry them in olive oil (just enough to coat bottom of pan). Turn the meatballs until cooked and browned all over.

Then add to your sauce, either your favorite bottled brand, or a quick, easy one like this:

1 can crushed tomatoes

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

3/4 cup water

1 tablespoon basil

1 teaspoon oregano

pinch thyme

pinch rosemary

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon honey or sugar

In large saucepan, saute garlic in oil over medium heat for about five minutes, making sure it doesn't burn. Add tomatoes, water, spices, salt and honey/sugar. Then add cooked meatballs, lower heat to medium low and simmer for 20 minutes or so.

Serve over pasta, and enjoy!

Oh, and that hint of fog or haze in the picture, is actually steam coming from the hot meatballs. I'm still new at the photography thing, and got a kick out of that. Yes, I'm easily amused.

Have a great weekend,

:) Pam

Guest Blogger, Marley, & her Beautiful Salmon

My friend Marley is visiting today and sharing her gorgeous Salmon pics and recipe.

From guest blogger, Marley, on Salmon....

I admit it, I’m a salmon snob.

But it’s because I love the silvery fish with the succulent pink insides sooooooo much!  It’s so versatile and can be cooked for a special occasion or just a regular Tuesday night meal.  And, it’s good for you.  Salmon is chock full of the Omega -3s, the essential fatty acids that our bodies cannot create without first obtaining them from certain foods. Omega-3s are highly polyunsaturated fatty acids that have been known to lower triglycerides, reduce abnormal heart rhythms, reduce blood pressure and improve blood clotting function. The American Heart Association and the American Diabetes Association advocate eating fatty fish, such as salmon, as a safe way to obtain heart healthy benefits of Omega-3s.

In fact, regularly adding a fish like salmon to your diet can...

·       Reduce the risk of heart disease
·       May prolong life after a heart attack
·       Lowers blood triglycerides (fats)
·       May improve heart function and reduce damage from heart disease
·       Can lower blood pressure
·       May improve symptoms of inflammatory diseases, arthritis and psoriasis

So, I try to work a delicious salmon dish into our weekly meals, while still watching fat and calorie content.

As I said, I’m a salmon snob.  Recently, in a local grocery chain, I saw salmon in the seafood counter that was “Atlantic Farm Raised Salmon – previously frozen, with ‘color added.’”  Sorry, but that was just wrong and it grossed me out.  It’s bad enough that the chains are pushing farm-raised salmon on us, but adding color?  Why?  What are they doing to the fish that they need color added back in?  Avoid purchasing salmon that has been altered in such a manner.  What you want to look for is a nice, healthy, realistic pink color from Atlantic Salmon.  Farm raised is okay in a pinch, but if you can get Atlantic, Alaskan, Wild, Canadian, Sockeye salmon...buy it and not the farm raised.  The taste will make all the difference in the world.

Usually – when the weather is nice, which is never these days – I like to simply grill my salmon.  Soak it for an hour in a couple of tablespoons of key lime juice, some salt and pepper and this amazing seasoning I found in Miami called “Aunt Cora’s Soulful Seasoning.”  Then, I spray with extra virgin olive oil from my mister and then grill them 8-10 minutes per side.

But, lately, I wanted to mix things up and find some more interesting ways too cook the salmon.  My dear friend, Megan – knowing that my hubby and I like to watch our weight and food intake – sent me this awesome Weight Watchers “Winner’s Circle” cookbook for Christmas.  I literally opened the book to page 97 and there, staring back at me was Herb-crusted Salmon with Roasted Asparagus Sauce.

I was in love!  I had to try it right away. 

We went to Whole Foods and I got some of the prettiest wild Alaskan salmon.  I usually buy a pound and a half or two pounds so my hubby and I can get two meals out of it, cutting the salmon into about two in wide chunks.

Here is the award-winning Weight Watcher recipe that I have modified for my own taste and preference to make it more of my recipe...

Herb-Crusted Salmon with Roasted Asparagus Sauce

Sauce

1 pound fresh asparagus, ends off

1 cup fat-free half and half

1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2-3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoons tarragon

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (dried or fresh)

¾ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

Salmon

½ cup dried bread crumbs

I teaspoon tarragon

1 teaspoon dill (dried or fresh)

1 teaspoon chives (dried or fresh)

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

4 four-ounce salmon fillets

SAUCE: 

To make the asparagus sauce, preheat the oven to 450˚F.  Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray, preferably olive oil flavored.  Wash the asparagus and dry them and then break the rough bits/stems off.  Just as Julia Childs used to say, the asparagus will tell you where it wants to break.  Hold it firmly in your hands and bend until it breaks.  Put the asparagus in a Ziploc bag with the olive oil, chopped garlic and ½ teaspoon of salt.  You can add pepper to taste.  Shake the bag and completely coat the asparagus.  Arrange the asparagus on the sheet and bake until the asparagus are crisp-tender, about 10-12 minutes.  Cut off the tips and put on a plate (you’ll want to re-warm them before serving.)  Put remaining bit of asparagus into a food processor and blend.  With the processor running, slowly incorporate the fat-free half and half through the feeder tube and mix until smooth.  Transfer mixture to a medium saucepan and set over low to medium heat.  Stir in the mustard, tarragon, lemon zest, salt and pepper.  Cook until heated through – DO NOT BOIL – about 3-5 minutes.  Keep warm.

SALMON:

Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray.  Combine the bread crumbs, dill, chives and tarragon in a bowl.  Salt and pepper salmon to taste, then top each salmon fillet with ¼ of a cup of the bread crumb mixture.  Lightly (carefully) spray top with nonstick spray and bake until the top is browned, about 15-20 minutes.  If skin is still on, remove before serving.

Spread ½ a cup of asparagus sauce down on plate, layer salmon on top and then scatter warmed asparagus tips on top.  Serve with rice, pilaf or, as show, mashed potatoes with chives.

Nutritional information:

Serves:  4

Calories:  200

Fat:  6 grams

Saturated Fat:  1 gram

Trans Fat:  0 grams

Cholesterol:  65 mg

Sodium:  456 mg

Carbs:  9 grams

Fiber:  1 gram

Protein:  28 grams

Calcium:  8 mg

Weight Watcher Points:  5 POINTS^®

One Skillet Spinach Pie

Today was a day for food cravings of all kinds. Earlier this afternoon a hot fudge sundae with marshmallow, and whipped cream was calling my name. I blame it on the weather, and the boredom of a rainy, slow Monday. It's been raining a lot here, cold damp, dreary. In fact, they just said on the news that a Nor' Easter is coming our way. You'd never know it was Spring. I didn't give in to the Sundae though. No, I sat working, until almost five, when I took a mini-break and caught up on reading food blogs. An old post on Words To Eat By started a new, stronger craving, one that would not go away. But, it was really the perfect comfort food, cold weather type of dish, and something I'd been meaning to try for a while anyway.

I surfed a bit more until I found a good basic recipe, then adjusted it and ended up with my final version. What I had in mind was the spinach pie that my sister's mother-in-law makes on every holiday. It's thick, and rich with buttery spinach and feta, and tons of flaky phyllo dough.

When I got home from the store, my glass casserole dish was nowhere to be found, so I improvised, and used my big non-stick skillet. It worked out well, and actually saved a few steps as I was able to use one pan for both sauteeing and baking.  This pie comes together easily, freezes well, and is delicious!

Skillet Spinach Pie

1/2 stick butter

1 medium onion, diced

2 boxes chopped spinach, thawed, and drained.

1/4 teaspoon salt

Pepper

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

4 oz crumbled feta

2 tablespoons parmesan cheese (optional)

2 eggs

1/2 package phyllo dough, thawed

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

In large skillet, melt butter over medium heat, add onions and cook for about ten minutes until the kitchen smells wonderful and the onions are soft. Add the spinach to the pan, stir, add salt and pepper to taste, and cook another two minutes. Then remove from heat, and let cool a little.

In another large bowl, beat two eggs, add feta, parmesan cheese, and nutmet, and mix well. Stir the spinach mix into the bowl with the eggs and cheese and mix well.

Rinse skillet, and lightly coat bottom and sides with butter or spray.  Working quickly, layer strips of phyllo dough along bottom and sides of pan, and spray with oil, or brush with melted butter (I did a little of both, alternating to cut total butter use). Add about 8 layers of dough, then dump spinach mix into pan, and spread evenly over dough. Top with 8 more layers of phyllo, brushing each sheet with butter, or spray. Bake for about 30 minutes. Let set for 10, then enjoy!

Grapes now free to travel state to state

No more silly laws against shipping wine out of state.

You may soon be able to buy direct from the winery of your choice! Yay. For more info, see Free The Grapes or today's Boston Globe article.

The Best Vinaigrette, inspired by Julia

I've always loved vinaigrettes, but for the longest time was far too intimidated to make my own. I did attempt once or twice to stir together an 'Italian' dressing, an oil and vinegar concoction, that just never turned out right. Since then, it was bottled all the way, until one blustery Monday evening at about 8, when I was already in my pajamas, had poured a glass of wine, started the water boiling for pasta, and had my salad ready and waiting to be dressed. But there was no dressing. And no chance that I was going out in search of any.  So, I turned to my newest cookbook, a tiny little volume, called Julia Child's Kitchen Wisdom. Sure enough, there was a recipe there for vinaigrette, and after a quick check in the fridge, I was happy to see that I had all the ingredients.

I pulled out my immersion blender, that stick-like thing that had been collecting dust in my cabinet, and thought it might be useful for this. It was, in fact I highly recommend using one of these gizmos to make your dressing. It creates the perfect emulsion. In fact, it turned out so well that I have since made this vinaigrette hundreds of times. It's a fool proof basic recipe that makes you look good, and can be tweaked in a million different ways.  Here's my favorite version.

Vinaigrette

Adapted from Julia Child's Kitchen Wisdom

1/2 tablespoon finely minced shallot (they give the nicest flavor, though you could also use garlic instead of or in addition, I sometimes add a small clove, minced)

1/2 tablespoon Dijon-type mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1     tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1  1/2  tablespoon Balsamic vinegar (or more lemon juice or red wine/white vinegar) I love the flavor Balsamic vinegar gives this
1/3 to 1/2 cup excellent olive oil, or other fine, fresh oil
Freshly ground pepper

First, grab a large coffee cup, or similar sized bowl with straight sides, at least four inches high.  Stir the shallots and/or garlic together with the mustard and salt. Using the stick blender, add in the lemon juice and vinegar, and when well blended drizzle in the oil slowly to form a smooth emulsion. Beat in freshly ground pepper. Taste and correct seasoning with salt, pepper, and possibly more oil.

I sometimes like to add basil or other herbs. This is so good, and addictive. It makes for an especially elegant entree salad if you toss with cold, chopped fresh lobster meat, pinenuts, avocado, tomato, and soft, butter lettuces. We fell in love with that salad back in the booming internet days, when we didn't think twice to order lobster at lunchtime, especially when it was our boss's idea, and she was treating. But, it was so good, that we often splurged ourselves, and went to the Omni Parker House Hotel restaurant (one of the oldest restaurants in Boston, famous for Boston cream pie, and Parker House rolls), and lingered over lobster in a rich, creamy balsamic vinaigrette, almost identical to this one.  Enjoy!   :)Pam

Friday Fun, Gluttony & Sloth

   Thought this might be fun on a Friday. Just took this little quiz myself, and my sins, no big shock here, are 80% Gluttony, 20% Sloth, how I'll die.....'Choking on a Cookie in Bed'. Hmmm, in an interesting coincidence, 'cookie' was also my first word. :)

Your Deadly Sins

Gluttony: 80%

Sloth: 20%

Envy: 0%

Greed: 0%

Lust: 0%

Pride: 0%

Wrath: 0%

Chance You'll Go to Hell: 14%

You'll die choking on a cookie in bed.

How Sinful Are You?

Have a great weekend, and enjoy!

A Book Launch, Zinfandels, and Spiced Pecans

     I fell in love with this wine last night. I was sitting at a little outside cafe, Ciao Bella, on Newbury Street in Boston, sipping this delicious, soft, plummy zinfandel,  Ravenswood Vintners Blend, and people watching. It was a great spot for this, as we were right on the corner of Newbury and another cross road, Gloucester maybe? We were also conducting an experiment of sorts, for my friend Marley's blog, well it's not really her blog, but rather that of her character Vanessa, in the novel that is being currently shopped around NYC. She had conducted a similar experiment, very unscientific, just random observations on men, which she posted a week earlier. This was hugely popular and ended up on Boston blog, Universal Hub. So this will be her followup, an attempt for better results.

     We were really killing time too, having a drink and a shared appetizer of a Jonah crabcake in tequila lime sauce with mango salsa, before crossing the street to Croma. Our friend Marianne  held her book launch party there, for her new chick lit/time travel book, A Connecticut Fashionista in King Arthur's Court, and it was a great event, good crowd, and a super new trendy bar. They even created several martini's just for her, such as the Fashionista Martini and the King Arthur Martini. Drink recipes are up on the site. They do these Tini Tuesday nights every week, so we may have to go back sometime.

       After enjoying the Ravenswood Zinfandel so much, I was hoping that Croma might have something similar. The bartender suggested Peachy Canyon, a California zinfandel described on the pretty peach label as an 'incredible red'. It was full of fruit and spice, and was every bit as good as the Ravenswood. So, I got quite lucky, and managed to find 2 new favorite reds in one night. Both retail for around $10-12.

         Nana's Candy's  were at the party too, handing out little boxes of their spiced pecans, which Marley, who is highly allergic, referred to as 'death candy', as she quickly handed me her box.  I of course made the mistake of 'trying one', and then devoured my entire box. They go really well with red wine. :)  Fortunately, I still have Marley's box, and am nibbling away as I write this. These pecans are good, with a mild, sweet taste, but not spicy at all.

     I like my nuts spicy, and immediately thought of this killer recipe I discovered several years ago in the Best Recipes of 1999 book. I've made this for the holidays several times, and the nuts always disappear quickly. The recipe calls for pecans, but you can use mixed nuts or any nut that you prefer. They are quick, easy to make, and addictive.

:)

Sweet and Spicy Pecans

Makes 3 cups

Easy to make in large batches, spiced pecans are great to have on hand for impromptu guests during the winter holidays. Pack them into tins for a welcome gift that's mailable and suits everyone. But though recipes for spiced pecans abound, the usual suspects don't seem to have the right zip-too sweet, too spicy, no character, blah. Then we discovered Lonestar chef Stephan Pyles's terrific recipe. Sautéed and then roasted, these nuts are not quite like any others we've ever had-you taste them at the front, back, sides and roof of your mouth. They're as rich as pralines, with a chile heat as deep as the sweet. People really love them.

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cups pecan halves
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons pure chile powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
Salt to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and set a rack on the middle level.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the pecans and sauté, stirring, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Stir in the brown sugar and cook, stirring, until lightly caramelized. Stir in the paprika, chile powder and cumin. Add the vinegar and cook, stirring, until all the liquid has evaporated. Season to taste with salt.

Spread the pecans in one layer on a baking sheet and bake until crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Cool, then store in an airtight container or at room temperature until ready to serve.

Mother's Day and Blueberry Muffins

         My mother's favorite day of the week was Tuesday. That was her day off, when she'd head off Cape, and drive 2 hours to spend the day with my sister and her twin girls. They adored my mother, called her 'Grammy'. My mother never really cooked much, she was always busy working, but she used to like to bring something up on Tuesdays, a nice stew, or often, these muffins. She made amazing blueberry muffins. 

      It's been three years now since she left us too soon, at age 57. It seems longer, and yet at times, it doesn't. I went to the Cape today, and spent the day with my Grandfather. I made the frittata that Marley made the other day. Hers came out better.  I think it's because I used fat free lactaid milk instead of cream. He liked it though. We picked out a new computer for him, and ordered it over the phone from Dell.  I love my grandfather's energy, at 88, he drives a convertible, and loves to surf the internet and check e-mail. As I was leaving, we took a quick ride to the cemetary. It's only been a few months since my grandmother passed, so my grandfather likes to go over there often to visit. We planted some lively red flowers for both of them. Mom always liked red, I think she'd approve. :)

Mom's Famous Blueberry Muffins   

     1/2 cup butter

       2 cups flour

1 1/4 cups sugar

       2 eggs

    1/2 cup milk

        2 teaspoons baking powder

     1/2 teaspoon salt

       2 cups blueberries

       2 teaspoons sugar, for tops

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time until blended. Alternately add dry ingredients and milk. Stir in blueberries. Grease and fill muffin tins, sprinkle sugar on top. Makes 12 big muffins

Bake for 25-30 minutes.

TGIF, A Fabulous Frittata Lunch

     I work from home, and even though I'm on the phone and e-mail non-stop, at times it does get a bit quiet with no noisy co-workers around to distract. So, when my friend Marley said she was in the mood to cook, and would I like to come for lunch on Friday, I eagerly said yes.

     She e-mailed her thoughts on what to have, something about soup, salad, and frittata, and I said fine. I didn't tell her that it didn't matter a bit what she made, as I was sure to love it. She's a great cook, and like me, she really enjoys trying to recreate dishes that sound good. This menu came from a recent Giada De Laurentis show on the food network.

      

     You know, it just occurred to me that this could be a great menu for Mother's Day. It is elegant, easy to prepare, and absolutely delicious. We started with a simple chicken soup with cheese tortillini, and parmesan crisps. These tasty little treats reminded me at first glance of thin, lacy cookies. They made for a pretty presentation next to the cup, and then when you float them in the soup, they add just the right hint of salt and flavor. Best of all, they are a snap to make. You just drop a tablespoon of parmesan cheese onto parchment paper, flatten into a circle, and broil until golden and crisp. These cheesy crisps would also make a nice cocktail nibble with a glass of wine. That was my contribution, the big bottle of Bella Sera, a smooth and mellow Pinot Grigio.

     The salad could have actually been a main course in itself. It was a mix of lettuces, chickpeas, diced cheddar, tomatoes and sauteed crumbled turkey sausage. A red wine vinaigrette with a bit of sweetness from honey went well with it. I've just recently started using turkey sausage in dishes, and love it. The fennel in this sausage added another level of flavor that pulled it all together.

     I've had frittatas before, big omelettes chock full of stuff and served in pie-like wedges. But this frittata was amazing. I think it was the chopped fresh basil that was mixed into the beaten eggs, infusing them with flavor. Or, it could have been the diced potatoes that had been sauteed in butter until tender. Or maybe it was the proscuitto that had been thickly cut and then diced, so that it resembled chopped ham, but had that sweet and salty richness of proscuitto. Or maybe it was all of the above.

     The egg mixture was poured into a skillet, so that it was about an inch deep, and then cooked on the stove until partially set. It finished in the oven, and was then flipped onto a serving dish, sliced into small wedges and squares, and served with pieces of a crusty baquette, so if you wanted to make mini-frittata sandwiches, you could. Marley did, and thoroughly enjoyed hers, while I opted to ignore my bread, and just savor every bite of that frittata. The basil gave it such an intoxicating scent and flavor. This is one of those dishes that I can't wait to make myself.

**Notes, we used light cream instead of heavy cream, and adapted the recipe a bit. She cut it in half on the cream and cheese, used 4 eggs and the rest of the ingredients the same.  Here is the adapted version, from Giada's Weekend Lunch episode.

Frittata by Marley

4 tablespoons olive oil (or half butter)
1 (7-ounce) potato, peeled, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1/2 onion, chopped
1 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 large eggs
1/8 cup heavy cream
1/8 cup grated Parmesan
2 ounces sliced prosciutto, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves

Heat the oil in a heavy 9 1/2-inch-diameter skillet over medium heat. Add the potato, and onion.  Season the potato mixture with salt and pepper, to taste. Saute over medium-low heat about 5 minutes, then add garlic, and cook until the potato is golden and crisp on the outside, tender inside, about 7 to 10 minutes.

Preheat the broiler. Whisk the eggs, cream, Parmesan, prosciutto, and basil in a medium bowl to blend. Stir the egg mixture into the potato mixture in the skillet. Cook over medium-low heat until the egg mixture is almost set but the top is still loose, about 3 minutes. Place the skillet under the broiler. Broil until the top is set and golden brown, about 4 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, loosen the frittata from skillet and slide the frittata onto a cutting board and cut into wedges.

Enjoy!

:) Pam