Martha Stewart Spaghetti and Meatballs

Erin,

I love all things Martha Stewart. S got me a subscription to her  magazine a few months back and I anxiously anticipate its arrival every month. Although I already have a "go-to" spaghetti recipe, when I saw this recipe I knew I had to try it. It definitely wasn't the most simple recipe, (its Martha Stewart, duh!), but it was totally worth it. It was the perfect way to spend a Sunday evening. Picture courtesy of Martha Stewart ;)

Classic Tomato Sauce Recipe:

Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)

2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

2 teaspoons coarse salt, plus more as needed

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 (28-ounce) cans whole plum tomatoes in their juices, chopped
Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, bay leaf, oregano, garlic, and salt. Cook, stirring often, until onion is soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add tomato paste and continue cooking 5 minutes more.

2. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring constantly, until sauce comes to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour, stirring every 5 minutes or so to prevent burning. Season with salt, if desired. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Meatball Recipe:

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 pounds 80 percent lean ground beef

1 cup ricotta cheese

2 large eggs

1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried)

2 teaspoons coarse salt

1/4 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon ground fennel

4 cups Classic Tomato Sauc

 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Drizzle olive oil into a 9-by 13-inch baking dish; using your hand, evenly coat entire surface. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, use your hands to mix together beef, ricotta, eggs, breadcrumbs, parsley, oregano, salt, red-pepper flakes, and fennel until fully incorporated. Roll mixture into firmly packed 1 1/2-inch balls.

3. Place meatballs in prepared baking dish, taking care to line them up snugly so that they are touching one another in even rows vertically and horizontally to form a grid. Transfer baking dish to oven. Bake until meatballs are firm and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of a meatball reads 165 degrees. (About 15-20 minutes)

4. Remove meatballs from oven and carefully drain excess grease from pan. Pour heated sauce over meatballs and return to oven; cook for 15 minutes more. Serve with spaghetti noodles :)

 

Ranch Chicken Enchiladas

E,

I am obsessed with enchiladas. And all things ranch. So imagine my surprise when I find a recipe from The Recipe Critic (via Pinterest) that incorporates my love of both. This recipe was delicious and a nice change from the regular cheese enchiladas I usually make. (Picture courtesy of The Recipe Critic, I can never get my pictures to turn out this well!)

Ingredients:
3-4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 package chicken taco seasoning
1 package ranch dry salad dressing
½ cup bottled ranch
½ cup salsa
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 can chicken broth
1 package  flour tortillas

Directions:
1. Cook and shred the chicken. (I cooked mine in the slow cooker with the ranch packet and taco seasoning packages in the chicken broth. The chicken just peeled apart. I cooked it on low for about 3-4 hours)
2. Mix the ½ cup of ranch and ½ salsa in a bowl. Spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray and spread a very thin layer of the mixture on the bottom.
3. Start assembling the enchiladas by putting 2 Tbs of the ranch and salsa mixture on the bottom of tortilla. Then put the shredded chicken on top of that. Sprinkle with cheese and roll it up.
4. Line up the enchiladas in the 9×13 pan and sprinkle heavily with the cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling and enchiladas are heated through.
5. Drizzle the top with ranch and enjoy!

Shrimp in Foil

Erin,

If you haven't checked out the Pioneer Woman yet, you are truly missing out. She has the best recipes and I can always browse her blog and find something that is delicious. Hence, shrimp in foil! I found this recipe and I knew I had to try it. And it was ah-mazing! So simple and easy and so so delicious. And because you wrap all of it in the foil, there is little clean-up! This recipe was so good, I am planning on making it when mom and dad come visit in a few weeks! Try this recipe ASAP. (Note: The original serves 8, but I cut it in half because it was just S and I)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Olive Oil
4 cloves Garlic, Minced
3 whole 14.5 Ounce Cans Diced (or Whole) Tomatoes
1/2 cup White Wine
2 pounds Jumbo Or Large Shrimp, Peeled And Deveined
Salt And Pepper, to taste
Fresh Parsley, Minced
1 pound Linguine, Uncooked
Red Pepper Flakes, to taste

Directions:

1. Cook pasta for 1/2 the recommended cooking time. Pasta should still be very firm.
2. In a large skillet or pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for a minute. Dump in the tomatoes and wine. Stir the mixture together, season with salt and pepper, and allow to cook for ten minutes.
3. Meanwhile, prepare a large parcel of heavy duty aluminum foil. It should be large enough to hold the entire pasta dish.
4. Throw the shrimp on the top of the pasta sauce. Throw the drained pasta over the top, then pour the whole dish onto the foil. Tightly wrap the foil into a parcel.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and keep warm until serving.
6. Open the foil parcel right before serving. Drizzle a tiny bit of olive oil over the top. Squeeze on lemon juice, if desired.

Honey-Chipotle Chicken Crispers

Erin,

I know I say this a lot, but I think I found my new favorite dish. I cannot stop raving about how fantastic these turned out. When I told Sam what I was making for dinner, he was all "oh, that sound great" and then when he tried them, he was all "holy crap, these are so freakin good". I mean, I know I am an excellent cook and all, but I even surprised myself with how tasty this dish is.

Ingredients:

Honey-Chipotle Sauce

2/3 cup honey
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon white vinegar
2 teaspoons ground chipotle chile pepper (McCormick makes a powder)
1/2 teaspoon salt

Batter
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup chicken broth (Swanson)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 cup all-purpose flour

Breading
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Plus, 12 chicken tenderloins and approx. 6 cups vegetable oil 

Directions:

1. Make honey-chipotle sauce by combining all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat until boiling. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
2. Heat oil in fryer or Dutch oven to 350 degrees F.

3. Whisk together all ingredients for the batter, excluding flour, in a shallow bowl for at least 30 seconds. Whisk in the flour.

4. Make the breading by combining all ingredients in another shallow bowl or pie pan.

5. When you are ready to fry the chicken, dip each piece of chicken into the batter. Lift the chicken out of the batter and let some of the excess drip off.

6. Toss the chicken into the dry breading and coat completely. Repeat with the other pieces.

7. Carefully drop the breaded chicken into the hot oil and fry for 4 minutes, or until golden brown.

8. Remove chicken from oil and allow to drain on paper towels. When all the chicken tenders are done, drop them into a large glass or metal bowl.

9. Pour the sauce over the top, and toss gently until all the chicken tenders are coated with sauce.

Enjoy!

Roasted Tomatoes and Eggplant with Shrimp and Feta

E,

Can you tell I have been experimenting with eggplant lately? Haha! This dish is so heavenly and because it's roasted, it takes such little effort to put together. It is very sophisticated meal, but also easy and delicious! The recipe calls for specific measurements but I kind of eyeballed it and it came out great!

Ingredients:
5 tomatoes, cubed
1 large eggplant, cubed
3 cloves garlic, minced
Salt & pepper
Olive oil
1 lb large peeled & deveined raw shrimp
1/2 cup chopped parsley
Juice of 1 lemon
1 cup crumbled feta

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spread the tomatoes and eggplant over a rimmed baking sheet, sprinkle with garlic, salt and pepper, and drizzle with olive oil.
2. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven and stir in the raw shrimp, lemon juice and parsley. Then sprinkle the crumbled feta all over the top.
3. Return to the oven for 15 minutes, or until shrimp are pink and cooked through.

Strawberry and Chicken Spinach Salad

E,

It is officially starting to feel like summer! With the temperature rising, I thought it would be nice to enjoy a crisp and refreshing salad for dinner this week. I had picked up strawberries to make smoothies with, so I wanted to find a recipe that incorporated them along with some spinach I always keep on hand. Prepare to be awed by this delicious salad!

Ingredients:

Dressing:

1/4 cup honey

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

coarse salt and fresh black pepper 

 

Salad:

2 packed cups baby spinach

2 packed cups chopped romaine hearts

1 heaping cup sliced strawberries

1 cup chopped or shredded cooked chicken

1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

 

Directions:

1. Whisk the honey, vinegar and mustard together in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. In a large bowl toss the spinach, romaine and strawberries together. Drizzle lightly with dressing and toss. Divide among 2 plates.
3. Arrange the chicken over top and sprinkle with feta and walnuts. Serve with additional dressing, salt and pepper.

Ratatouille

Erin,

Ever since the movie, "Ratatouille" came out, I have been dying to try this dish. And then I finally found it on Pinterest! It is super healthy and because its all veggie, it is a nice change from the plain chicken dishes I seem to make over and over. It was a lot simpler than I had originally thought, but it was fan-freaking-tastic. Highly recommended! And it's even better when paired with a glass of wine and some crusty bread for dipping ;)

Ingredients:
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, peeled & minced
2 cups chopped sweet onion
1 large zucchini, chopped into chunks
1 large yellow zucchini, chopped into chunks
1 Eggplant, peeled & chopped into chunks
1 red pepper, chopped (I had two in the fridge, so I threw both in their and it was fab!)
3/4-1 cup marinara sauce or chopped tomato (I had both on hand, so I threw in 2 chopped tomatoes and about half a cup of marinara)
1-2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, to taste
1/4 cup packed fresh basil, finely chopped
salt & pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. In a large cast-iron pot or skillet, heat the oil, garlic, and onion over medium heat for about 5 mins, stirring frequently and reducing heat if necessary.
2. Add the chopped zucchini, eggplant, and red pepper, as they are ready to go in. Season with salt and pepper and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes.
3. Stir in about  3/4-1 cup of your favorite marinara sauce along with fresh herbs and tomatoes if you are using them
4. Cook until vegetables are tender, but still a bit firm and not overcooked – about 5-7 more minutes.

White Cheese and Chicken Lasagna

E,

This is one of the best things I have ever made. It certainly wasn't simple, but it was so delicious. I literally wanted to bathe in the sauce. Paired with a glass of wine, this dish will certainly impress!

Ingredients:
9 whole Lasagna Noodles (not Oven-ready)
½ cups Butter
1 whole Onion, Chopped
1 clove Garlic, Minced
½ cups All-purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Salt
2 cups Chicken Broth
1-½ cup Milk
4 cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, Divided
1 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese, Divided, Plus Additional 1/4 Cup For Topping (optional)
1 teaspoon Each, Dried Basil And Oregano
½ teaspoons Ground Pepper
2 cups Ricotta Cheese
2 cups Cooked, Cubed Chicken
1 package (10 Oz. Size) Frozen Chopped Spinach, Thawed And Drained
1 Tablespoon Chopped Fresh Parsley

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8-10 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water.
2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook the onion and garlic in the butter until tender, stirring frequently. Stir in flour and salt; simmer until bubbly.
3. Mix in the broth and milk, and boil, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Stir in 2 cups of mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan. Season with basil, oregano and ground black pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. Spread 1/3 of the sauce mixture on the bottom of the 9×13 inch baking dish. Layer with 1/3 of the noodles, and all of the ricotta and the chicken. Arrange 1/3 of the noodles over the chicken and layer with 1/4 of the sauce mixture, the spinach, and the remaining 2 cups of mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.
5. Arrange remaining noodles over cheese and spread remaining sauce evenly over noodles. Sprinkle with parsley and additional 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (optional).
6. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

Enjoy!

Chicken Florentine Pasta

Another delicious recipe from the Pioneer Woman! Easy and delish!

Ingredients:
1 pound Penne
4 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
Salt And Pepper, to taste
2 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
4 cloves Garlic, Minced
3/4 cups Dry White Wine
3/4 cups Low-sodium Broth, More If Needed
1 bag Baby Spinach
2 cups Grape Tomatoes, Halved Lengthwise
4 ounces, weight Parmesan Cheese, Shaved With Vegetable Peeler
I also had some left over white button mushrooms that I threw in there as well :)

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions in lightly salted water. Drain and set aside.
2. Cut chicken breasts into chunks and sprinkle on salt and pepper.
3. Heat butter and olive oil over high heat in a large skillet. Add chicken chunks in a single layer and do not stir for a minute or two in order to allow the chicken to brown on the first side. Turn the chicken and brown on the other side. Cook until done, then remove chicken from the skillet.
4. Turn heat to medium. Add garlic and quickly stir to avoid burning. After about 30 seconds, pour in wine and broth, stirring to deglaze the pan. Allow the liquid to bubble up, then continue cooking until it's reduced by at least half (most of the surface of the liquid should be bubbling at this point.)
5. Turn off the heat. Add spinach, tomatoes, chicken, and cooked pasta to the skillet. Toss to combine; the spinach will wilt as you toss everything. Add plenty of Parmesan shavings and toss to combine.

Vegetarian Lettuce Wraps

E,

S and I have made an effort to try more vegetarian dishes, it's amazing how much chicken we eat a week! I found this recipe for vegetarian lettuce wraps from the Pioneer Woman and it did not disappoint!

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons Peanut Or Olive Oil
1 package (about 12-14 Oz. Size) Firm Tofu
2 ears Corn (or 1 1/2 Cups Frozen Corn Kernels)
1/4 teaspoon Chili Powder (more To Taste)
1/4 cup Soy Sauce
Romaine Lettuce Hearts
2 whole Avocados, Sliced
1 teaspoon Balsamic Vinegar (optional)

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Throw in the tofu, then break it up into very small pieces. Cook tofu for several minutes, until much of the liquid cooks off and tofu starts to turn golden.
2. Cut kernels off the cobs of corn and throw it in with the tofu. Cook for a few minutes (corn can remain crunchy.)
3. Add chili powder and soy sauce, then cook until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Turn off heat and stir in balsamic if using.
4. Pile mixture into romaine hearts, then add sliced of avocado. Fold up and chow down!