Meatball Parmigiana

Tender, juicy and full of flavor, a good Italian meatball is a beautiful thing.

The secret to the tenderness of these meatballs is almond flour, parmesan cheese and water added to the mix.  The almond flour bulks up the meatball, the cheese adds flavor and more fat, and the water creates steam when heated, which puffs them up and keeps them tender and juicy.

Ingredients:

For the meatballs

·         1.5lbs ground beef

·         2 Tb. fresh parsley, chopped

·         3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

·         1/2 cup almond flour

·         2 eggs

·         1 tsp. kosher salt

·         1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

·         1/4 tsp. garlic powder

·         1 tsp. dried onion flakes

·         1/4 tsp. dried oregano

·         1/2 cup warm water

For the Parmigiana

·         1 cup marinara sauce

·         4 oz. mozzarella cheese

Preparation:

1.       Combine all of the meatball ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Form into 2″ meatballs. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes OR fry in a large skillet over medium heat until cooked through.

For the Parmigiana

2.       Place the cooked meatballs in an oven safe dish. Spoon approximately 1 Tb. sauce over each meatball.

3.       Cover with approximately 1/4 oz. of mozzarella cheese each. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes  or until cheese is golden. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

Happy Cooking ☺

Easy Ground Beef Skillet

The flavors come alive in this easy skillet supper with ground beef, picante sauce, tortillas and Cheddar cheese - it's a family favorite that's on the table in just 25 minutes.

Ingredients:

·         1 pound ground beef

·         1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Condensed Tomato Soup

·         1/2 cup  Picante Sauce

·         1/2 cup water

·         6 flour tortillas (6-inch) cut into 1-inch pieces

·         1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Preparation:

1.       Cook the beef in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until well browned, stirring often to separate meat.  Pour off any fat.

2.       Stir the soup, picante sauce, water and tortillas in the skillet and heat to a boil.   Reduce the heat to low.  Cook for 5 minutes.  Stir the beef mixture.  Top with the cheese.

Happy Cooking ☺

Easy Szechuan Beef Stir Fry

There’s just something satisfying about Szechuan. Any time I see a recipe with Szechuan in the title I have to give it a try. This one is easy to prepare and has some great flavors running through it.

If you like more kick to the recipe -feel free to go ahead and add some more red pepper flakes.

Ingredients:

·         1 lb. ground beef

·         1 1/2 teaspoons ginger (minced)

·         1 large onion chopped

·         1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (more or less is fine according to your own taste)

·         2 teaspoons garlic (minced)

·         2 tablespoons cornstarch

·         2 tablespoons soy sauce

·         2 tablespoons sesame oil

·         1/4 cup hoisin sauce

·         3/4 cup beef broth

·         1/2 cup green onion sliced 

Preparation:

1.      In a large skillet or pan, add some oil brown and separate the ground beef. Drain away excess juice and set aside.

2.      Heat the sesame oil in a pan. When the oil is hot begin sautéing the onions, before adding in the garlic, ginger and red pepper.

3.       In a bowl combine the broth and cornstarch and whisk until it forms a smooth mixture.

4.     Pour the broth/cornstarch mix into the pan with the onions and other ingredients. Add the soy sauce and hoisin sauce.

5.    Stir the mixture over heat and bring it to the boil. Add in the ground beef mixture and stir through.

6.    Serve the dish with your favorite pasta or noodle, with some green onions on top for garnish. I like angel hair noodles, but it works well with pretty much any noodle or pasta.

Happy Cooking ☺