Mixing it up - Meatballs

I was looking for a summer meat ball recipe with a lighter taste. This one is it! Using ground sausage and ground beef and pineapple it is a sweet/sour taste that goes well with rice and fresh veggies. Definitely a favorite summer supper. The recipe calls the meatballs appetizers, but I made them larger and served them as the main course, two meatballs made a 3-4 ounce serving. I also altered the recipe to use more sausage and ground beef. Meatballs made a good entree for a quick meal because they cook quicker than a whole meatloaf and part of the recipe can be easily frozen if you don't want the whole amount.

PINEAPPLE APPETIZER MEATBALLS 

Ingredients:

1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple

2 egg

¼ cup dry bread crumbs

⅛ teaspoon pepper

1 pound bulk pork sausage

1 pound ground beef

Glaze:

¼ cup packed brown sugar

¼ cup ketchup

¼ cup white vinegar

¼ cup water

2 tablespoons Dijon-mayonnaise blend

Directions:

1.    Drain pineapple, reserving juice. Place pineapple and 2 tablespoons juice in a large bowl (set the remaining juice aside for glaze). Add the egg, breadcrumbs and pepper to pineapple. Crumble sausage and beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into balls. 

      (1-inch for appetizer sized-meatballs and larger for entree meatballs)

2.    Place meatballs on a greased rack in a shallow baking pan. Bake, uncovered, at 450 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until a thermometer reads 160 degrees. 

3.    Meanwhile, in a large skillet, combine glaze ingredients and reserved pineapple juice. Add meatballs. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat; cook and stir for 5-10 minutes or until heated through. 

Good when served with brown rice (I sautéed green and red peppers from the garden to add to the rice), fresh tomatoes, and rolls. 

Some More S'mores

We've had a reprieve from summer with cooler days and rain. Makes me think of fall and the foods of fall - apples, pumpkin spice, pork, and - s'mores! I've tried several S'More cookie recipes but none of them were keepers. Until I found this one while judging 4-H Foods in a neighboring county. Judging fees don't pay much, but seeing the 4-Hers and what they learn, and their recipes is rewarding. This recipe is tasty, not-too-gooey, and a real keeper! The layers of homemade graham cracker crust, milk chocolate candy bars, marshmallow creme and more graham cracker topping make a combination that is delicious.

HERSHEY’S S’MORES BARS

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

½ cup brown sugar, packed

1 cup white sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 ½ tsp teaspoons baking powder 

½ tsp sea salt

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs

3 giant Hershey’s milk chocolate bars

14 oz. container marshmallow crème or fluff

Directions:

1.    Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

2.    Spray a 9x13-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray. 

3.    In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugars, eggs, vanilla, baking powder and salt. 

4.    Stir in flour and graham cracker crumbs. 

5.    Divide dough in half and press half of the dough into the prepared baking dish. 

This is a sticky thick dough. It helps to moisten the
spatula with water.

6.    Place chocolate bars over dough to fit it in a single layer.

There's a reason the recipe calls for 3 giant Hersery's bars!
I bought a package of the regular large ones with 10
candy bars - not enough! 

One of these is not like the others!
Luckily I had a chocolate bar hidden away from
a past birthday celebration. 

Don't you think this special candy bar will add
a special touch? Its Russel Stover's and Powercat! 

7.    Spread chocolate with marshmallow crème or fluff. (Do not use marshmallows!)

I didn't use 2 whole jars of marshmallow fluff - one had been
opened and about 1/3 used our of it. It makes a yummy
snack on graham crackers with peanut butter! 

8.    Sprinkle remaining dough over top of the fluff. 

Again - sticky! I moistened my hands and crumbled and patted
the topping on.

9.    Bake for 30-35 minutes, until lightly browned. 

10.Check for doneness with a toothpick. 

11.Cool completely before cutting into bars. It will cut easier if placed in the freezer for 30 minutes.

Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad

Another recipe for a broccoli and cauliflower salad! They seem to be everywhere! But this one, with only 3 ingredients in the dressing is easy and tasty. Using fresh ingredients, including a fresh lemon, will make it top-notch.

CREAMY BROCCOLI AND CAULIFLOWER SALAD

Ingredients: 

1 medium broccoli head

1 medium cauliflower head

¾ cup dried cranberries (craisins)

½ cup almond slices, toasted on a dry skillet until golden

2 Tbsp honey

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (from 1 small lemon)

½ cup real mayonnaise

Instructions:

1.    Peel the broccoli stem and chop off the dry base. Chop broccoli into small florets and dice the stem

2.    Remove and discard cauliflower core and dice the rest. 

3.    Toast ½ cup almonds on a dry skillet over med/high heat, tossing frequently until fragrant and golden, then add to salad bowl along with ¾ cup craisins. 

4.    In a small bowl, whisk together ½ cup mayo, 2 Tbsp honey and 2 Tbsp lemon juice. Add dressing to the salad and toss well to combine. 

Brownie Pizza with Berries

I made this one in a tart pan

This sweet treat was a hit at a recent quilt retreat I took it to. One bite has it all -  crispy crust, creamy topping, and juicy berries. Besides delicious, it is also pretty. For the group I made it in a 9x13 cake pan and cut it into squares.

BROWNIE PIZZA WITH BERRIES

Brownie Crust:

1 brownie mix (Duncan Hines)

¼ cup water

⅓cup vegetable oil

1 egg

In a large mixing bowl, beat the brownie mix with water, oil, and egg until well blended. Note that the ingredients to add to the mix are different from the box directions. This makes the crust thinner and denser than the usual brownie. Spread in a greased pan (9x13-inch or large pizza or tart pan). Bake uncovered, in preheated 350-degree oven on center rack for 18-20 minutes or until just firm to the touch at the center of the brownie. Set aside and let cool completely. 

Marshmallow Frosting:      

½ cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

pinch of kosher salt

7 oz jar marshmallow fluff

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter, powdered sugar and salt until light and fluffy. Fold in marshmallow fluff and vanilla, stirring until smooth. 

      

When brownie crust is completely cooled, spread with prepared marshmallow frosting, spreading evenly to the very edges of the brownie. Top frosting with berries – sliced strawberries, blueberries, etc. I also used chunks of fresh pineapple. 

You could use strawberries and blueberries to make a flag design for a patriotic dessert. 

To serve, cut into wedges or squares with a pizza cutter. 

The 9x13 pan that went to Quilt Retreat

Its a Winner!

Cinnamon rolls are winners at our house for treats, breakfast, or sometimes breakfast-for-supper. This recipe is a purple ribbon recipe according to my family, and at the county fair last week, it proved to be a Reserve Champion winner of the open class foods division. I posted this recipe last fall with maple frosting which adds a nice fall taste. But we've found we like this yeast bread recipe for itself as well. Often I top the rolls with a glaze made from powdered sugar and flavored liquid coffee creamer.
For a county fair entry I left the topping/frosting off to give a better presentation. However much we like frosting, powdered sugar sprinkles, and glazes on baked goods, for fair judging it is best to leave that off. The judge wants to see the top of the roll or bread and often a glaze or frosting can make the top sticky and unattractive. When judging in another fair, I saw a beautiful coffeecake with the top ruined by a sticky (moldy looking) sprinkling of powder sugar which had absorbed moisture from the cake. And, yes, it is okay to freeze baked products prepared ahead of the fair. These rolls were frozen earlier in the week, in a tightly sealed plastic bag, thawed in the refrigerator overnight, then brought to room temperature the morning of the fair.

SPEEDY CINNAMON ROLLS 

Ingredients:

I cup water

1 cup milk

½ cup vegetable oil

½ cup granulated sugar

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 egg

6 – 6 ½ cups all-purpose flour

5 tsp. yeast (may use quick rise, if desired)

½ cup unsalted butter, very soft

1-2 Tbs. cinnamon

⅔ cup granulated sugar

⅔ cup packed dark brown sugar

This is the basic cinnamon roll recipe and directions. Refer to the blog of November 18 for the Maple Frosting or use your own. I've included the tips that work for me in the directions. 

Another tip: I always use Red Star Platinum yeast. It has a great rise. 

Directions:

1.    Combine milk, water, oil, sugar and salt in microwave safe bowl; heat for 1-2 minutes, until temperature is 120 – 130 degrees F. 

2.    While liquids are heating, measure 3 cups of flour into bowl of mixer; add yeast and combine will with flour. 

3.    Pour the heated liquids into the flour/yeast mixture. Using the whisk attachment, beat at medium speed for 1 minutes, then add egg and beat an additional minute. 

4.    Switch to dough hook, and add 3 cups of flour; knead dough for 2-3 minutes. Dough should be soft and pliable, slightly tack to the touch, but not sticking to sides of bowl. If dough is still too sticky, add remaining ½ cup of flour, a little at a time, beating with the dough hook, or mixing with a wooden spoon by hand after each addition. 

5.    Allow dough to rest for 10 minutes. Punch dough down; then place into a lightly floured work surface. Because this makes a large batch of dough, I divide the dough in half to work with it in smaller amounts. With a rolling pin, roll dough into a large rectangle. Spread softened butter over surface of dough, then sprinkle dough evenly with cinnamon, and both sugars. Using your palms, gently press the sugars into the dough a bit. I also add chopped pecans and craisins.

6.    Roll the dough from the long edge, gently tucking dough and the filling as you go. Adjust as you go to keep the dough even in circumference by gently stretching out the center. Using a  piece of dental floss, cut the roll into slices about 1.25 inches wide.  Place onto a  parchment covered baking pan. 

7.    Let rolls rise in a warm place for 25-30 minutes. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for about 18-20 minutes, depending on size of rolls. Rolls will be done with the internal temperature (taken with a food thermometer) is 190-195 degrees. 

8.     Let rolls cool for 10-15 minutes, then frost if desired, letting the frosting spread over the warm roll.