Swedish Meatballs

Aaron made this on Sunday.  We served it over noodles.  I loved it because it didn't taste like pieces of meat loaf, rather more like the ones you get at Costco.  Of course they were about 85 calories per meatball.  We didn't have ground pork, but substituted ground pork sausage.  

Swedish Meatballs

Ingredients

• 2 slices fresh white bread
• 1/4 cup milk
• 3 tablespoons clarified butter, divided
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• A pinch plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 pound ground chuck
• 3/4 pound ground pork
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups beef broth
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.
2. Tear the bread into pieces and place in a small mixing bowl along with the milk. Set aside.
3. In a 12-inch straight sided saute pan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and sweat until the onions are soft. Remove from the heat and set aside.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the bread and milk mixture, ground chuck, pork, egg yolks, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, black pepper, allspice, nutmeg, and onions. Beat on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Using a scale, weigh meatballs into 1-ounce portions and place on a sheet pan. Using your hands, shape the meatballs into rounds.
6. Heat the remaining butter in the saute pan over medium-low heat, or in an electric skillet set to 250 degrees F. Add the meatballs and saute until golden brown on all sides, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove the meatballs to an ovenproof dish using a slotted spoon and place in the warmed oven.
7. Once all of the meatballs are cooked, decrease the heat to low and add the flour to the pan or skillet. Whisk until lightly browned, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add the beef stock and whisk until sauce begins to thicken. Add the cream and continue to cook until the gravy reaches the desired consistency. Remove the meatballs from the oven, cover with the gravy and serve.

Molasses Oat Bread

Aaron found this recipe from Taste of Home and it was delicious!  It's a very dense bread, which is why he added the dough enhancer.  Apparently it is similar to the bread that is served at Black  Angus, although I don't eat there often enough to remember what it tastes like.

Molasses Oat Bread

Ingredients

• 4 cups boiling water
•  2 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1 cup molasses
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 3 teaspoons salt
• 1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
• 9 to 10 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp dough enhancer

Directions

1. In a large bowl, pour boiling water over cereal. Add the molasses, sugar, oil and salt. Let stand until mixture cools to 110°-115°, stirring occasionally. Stir in yeast. Add 8 cups flour, and dough enhancer. Beat until smooth. Add enough remaining flour to form a soft dough
2. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/2 hours.
3. Punch dough down and divide into thirds; shape into loaves. Place in three greased 9-in. x 5-in. loaf pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
4. Bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool. Yield: 3 loaves (16 slices each).

Indian Chicken Curry

Aaron had wanted to make Indian food on Sunday, but ended up making another delicious meal.  So I found this recipe and it was easy and delicious.  Although I forgot to add the salt, and it needed it.  I didn't add the cayenne pepper for fear the kids wouldn't eat it.  However I added it afterward, and it was delicious.  I also didn't have any tomato paste, so I omitted it.
Indian Chicken Curry

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root (I used ground ginger)
• 1/2 teaspoon white sugar
• salt to taste
• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 cup plain yogurt (I only had Greek vanilla yogurt)
• 3/4 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute onion until lightly browned. Stir in garlic, curry powder, cinnamon, paprika, bay leaf, ginger, sugar and salt. Continue stirring for 2 minutes. Add chicken pieces, tomato paste, yogurt, and coconut milk. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes.
2. Remove bay leaf, and stir in lemon juice and cayenne pepper. Simmer 5 more minutes.

Lentil Stew with Ham

We cooked up a ham on Sunday, and had plenty of leftovers.  I didn't have any split peas on hand, so I found a lentil stew recipe.  The original recipe was for a crockpot, but I didn't have that much time.  It was delicious!

Lentil Stew

• 1 cup dried lentils
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 cups diced cooked ham
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 32 ounces chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 8 teaspoons tomato sauce

In a 4 quart or larger pot combine the lentils, celery, carrots, onion, garlic and ham. Season with basil, thyme, oregano, the bay leaf and pepper. Stir in the chicken broth, water and tomato sauce. Boil for 15-20 minutes.  Then simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Discard the bay leaf before serving.

Spinach, Mushroom and Bacon Cheese Fondue

When Aaron and I found the fondue pot in a box of things I inherited from my parents, we immediately began searching for recipes.  This one was awesome.  We substituted chicken broth for the wine. We dipped broccoli, cauliflower, and bagel pieces - the store was completely out of baguettes!!!  One thing - it doesn't reheat very well, but it still tastes good the day after.

Spinach, Mushroom and Bacon Cheese Fondue

32 ounces chicken or vegetable broth 
16 oz. mild cheddar cheese, shredded 
8 oz. gouda cheese, shredded 
2 tablespoons flour or cornstarch (we used flour, but corn starch would be gluten free )
1 tablespoon butter 
3 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed 
3 slices bacon, minced 
1 clove garlic, minced 
4 oz. fresh mushrooms of your choice, chopped
 3/4 cup white wine (or beer) 
Dipping foods: 
Broccoli florets 
Cauliflower florets 
Asparagus spears, ends trimmed and cut into 3" lengths 
Green beans, trimmed 
Granny smith apples, cut into chunks 
Pumpernickel bread, cut into chunks

Directions:

1. Prepare the dipping foods by bringing the chicken stock to a boil in a sauce pot. Add the broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus and green beans and cook for 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, strain out the vegetables, reserving the broth. You will use 1/4 cup of this reserved broth in the fondue, but save the rest for another use.
2. In a large bowl, toss together the shredded cheddar, shredded gouda and the flour until flour is coating cheese evenly. Set aside.
3. Take the thawed chopped spinach in your hand and squeeze as much water as you can out of the spinach. Set aside.
4. Heat a fondue pot or medium pot over medium heat with the butter and bacon. Cook the bacon for 2 minutes (make sure the bacon does not burn or cook too quickly). Add the garlic and mushrooms and saute until the mushrooms are softened, about 2 minutes. Pour in wine and 1/4 cup of the previously reserved chicken broth from step 1. Bring to a simmer and in batches, add a handful of the cheese, stirring and letting the cheese melt before adding more. Stir in the chopped spinach. If the fondue becomes too thick, add a couple tablespoons of additional broth.
5. Serve fondue with the vegetables, apples and bread.

Butter Than Pumpkin Pie

We have a lot of butternut squash. Aaron found this recipe.  It was simple and delicious!  Just like pumpkin pie.

Better Than Pumpkin Pie

• 1 1/2 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash
• 1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 egg beaten
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 pinch ground allspice
• 1 pinch ground cloves
• 1 pinch ground ginger
• 1 pinch ground nutmeg
• 1 9 inch unbaked pie shell

Directions

1. Place squash in a sauce pan with enough water to cover.  Bring to a boil, an simmer over medium heat until tender, about 15 minutes.  Drain and cool.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
3. In a blender or food processor (I use my trusty immersion blender).  Combine butternut squash, brown sugar, cornstarch, egg, milk, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg.  Process until smooth.  Pour into unbake pie shell.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 50 minutes, or until a table knife comes out clean when inserted in the center.

Best Duck Chili Recipe Ever

Aaron went duck hunting on Saturday.  He brought home a lot of duck meat, so he searched for a good recipe.  Like me he can't leave a recipe alone, so this is what ended up making.  It was delicious!  It wasn't very spicy, so feel free to add more peppers, or hot sauce to the final product.

• 1 (5 to 6-pound) duck (3-4 breasts)
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 quart canned tomatoes
• 1 pound ground pork or Turkey
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 cup masa harina (corn flour)
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 red pepper, finely chopped
• 3 poblano chiles, finely chopped (optional)
• 1 jalapeno, minced
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 (4-ounce) can green chiles, chopped
• 8 tortilla chips, finely crushed
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
• 3 tablespoons lime juice

Directions

1. Remove the duckmeat from the bones. Remove the skin from the meat. Cut the meat into 1/4 to 1/2-inch cubes.
2. In a large frying pan, heat the canola oil over medium-high heat. Add the pork, cook until browned, about 5 to 10 minutes.
3. Add the chopped garlic and duckmeat, cook until duck is browned, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with ground spice mix, masa harina and flour. Cook, stirring, until flour is lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add the onions, red pepper, poblanos and jalapeno. Lower the heat to medium, add the chicken stock and chopped canned green chiles.
4. Crumble the corn chips into a blender. Ladle out enough of the chili liquid to cover the tortillas in the blender. Blend until smooth. Add back to chili. Simmer on low heat for 8-10 hours. Season, to taste, with salt. Keep on simmer until serving.
5. Remove from heat and stir in the chopped cilantro and lime juice. Serve, garnished with scallions and sour cream.