Swedish Meatballs

Growing up in Chicago, my sweet neighbor, Sybil, used to make the most mouthwatering Swedish meatballs you can imagine. Sybil was a one of a kind lady~ she was a Rummy playing, cat loving, Jeopardy-enthusiast with a quick wit and a fabulous habit of doling out mini-Dove ice cream treats whenever I lost my house keys (or feigned their loss in the hopes that we could sit and watch afternoon television while chowing down on those ice cream snacks) and came knocking at her door. There is nothing more amazing than remembering someone who meant so much to you through a specific food memory. This version is based on Sybil's original Swedish meatball recipe. The most important parts have remained the same, sauteing the onion before adding it to the meat, using ground beef exclusively, and adding whole milk to the meatballs while I have made some additions by creating a simple and hearty sauce to blanket the meatballs and noodles. I hope you love this recipe half as much as I do. Preserve those food memories from your childhood by passing along favorite family recipes. One bite, and you'll be a kid again. 

 Serves: 4 (with leftovers!)
Ingredients:
3/4 lbs. ground beef
2 slices of white or wheat bread, toasted
1 tbsp. butter
1 egg yolk
1/3 cup whole milk
1 tbsp. sour cream
3 tbsp. flour
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 can low sodium beef broth
1/8 tsp. allspice
1/8 tsp. nutmeg + a pinch
kosher salt and pepper
1/4 cup yellow onion, finely diced
3/4 package of egg noodles, cooked 


Assembly:
Saute onions in 1/2 tsp. butter and set aside. Place toast in a Cuisinart and pulse until breadcrumb consistency. Combine breadcrumbs, egg, and milk and allow to sit for five minutes. Add onions, salt, pepper, milk, egg yolk, nutmeg and allspice and combine with your hands. Form small (1 in.) balls and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes. In the same pan you used to saute the onions, heat remaining butter over medium-high heat and brown meatballs on all sides (about 4-6 minutes). Remove from pan onto a paper towel.

 Add flour to remaining butter and whisk over medium heat until a paste forms. Whisk in the cream, broth and sour cream until combined. Add salt and pepper and an additional pinch of nutmeg. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium low, adding the meatballs. Cook for 45 minutes over medium low heat, stirring occasionally. 

 Toss with cooked egg noodles (you can add some of the cooking liquid from the egg noodles if your sauce becomes too thick). 

Serve hot. These leftovers are great too :)

Creamy Rotini Primavera

This is one of my favorite simple little comfort food recipes. I typically make it whenever my husband is out of town on business, and I want something easy and yummy that I can also eat as leftovers. It's also a great recipe because it's made from ingredients that I usually have hanging around my house. This dish is creamy and rich with just the right amount of vegetables to keep it from feeling heavy. Switch up the vegetables based on what you have or what is in season. Asparagus, green beans or zucchini are all great choices. You'll love it, and I'll bet your kids will too!
Servings: 4

Ingredients:
3 cups cooked rotini
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 cup frozen peas
6 mushrooms, diced
1/4 cup red pepper, diced
1 garlic clove, mashed
1 strip of bacon or prosciutto (opt.)
Kosher salt, black pepper
3 tbsp. parmesan cheese

Assembly:
Render the bacon over medium heat until cooked. Remove and crumble. Saute the peppers, mushrooms and onions for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook for one minute. Pour in the heavy cream and bring to a boil. Add salt and pepper. Add the peas and parmesan and cook for another 3-4 minutes over medium heat. Stir in the bacon and rotini. Serve with a baguette.

Spaghetti All'Arrabbiata with Shrimp

This dish is an excellent choice for a holiday meal ~ the sauce has a beautiful red color and the shrimp adds a decadent element to this spicy, flavorful entree. In Italian, All'Arrabbiata translates to "in an angry manner" because of the fiery flavor the red pepper flake imparts. This sauce has a delicious depth of flavor from the white wine and lemon juice, and the pat of butter at the end gives a richness that really makes you feel like you're eating a special meal. You can add clams and mussels or switch it up completely and use Italian sausage (search sidebar for recipe) or chicken. You can even make it vegetarian by adding eggplant and colored peppers. However you choose to make it, you won't be disappointed!
Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. thin spaghetti (you can also use angel hair, fettucine or regular spaghetti)

1 big pot of water

1/4 cup salt

1/2-3/4 lbs. shrimp (I recommend 21-24 count shrimp)

1 14 oz. can tomato puree

3/4 cup white wine (I suggest pinot grigio)

1 tsp. red pepper flakes

6 baby bellas, diced

1 small onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, smashed

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. butter

salt/black pepper

3 tbsp. lemon juice

Assembly:

Bring water to a boil and add salt once boiling. Cook pasta according to the package and drain (reserve 1/2 cup of the water before draining). Salt and pepper shrimp. Heat oil in a large pan. Add garlic and red pepper flake and saute 1 minute. Discard garlic and add shrimp. Saute on medium-high for 2-3 minutes per side, until shrimp is barely pink. Remove shrimp and add onion and mushroom. Saute until onions are translucent then add the white wine and lemon juice. Raise heat to medium high and bring to a rolling boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until 2/3 of the liquid has evaporated. Add tomatoes, more salt and pepper and cook 15 minutes. Add butter, stir and cook an additional 3-4 minutes. Add shrimp and heat through until shrimp is fully cooked. Add pasta to the pan, along with as much of the 1/2 cup of cooking water as you need to thin out the sauce. Toss and serve with parmesan (and parsley, if you like it).

Technique Tuesday: Macaroni and Cheese

Perfect macaroni and cheese is one of those delicious, soul-warming dishes that just makes you happy all over. I make it often with barbecue or with burgers and switch around the cheeses to get some variety. I typically don't bake my macaroni and cheese (mostly because it's just a timesaver), but that is always a delicious option (and you can't beat the awesome crust on top). Just a few simple tips will help you make amazing, creamy mac and cheese in no time at all.
1. Make a roux
Cook equal parts flour and butter (I usually do 1 tbsp. butter to 1 tbsp. flour), stirring frequently before adding any liquids (about 1 minute). This will thicken your sauce without it tasting like raw flour.

2. Don't use low-fat or skim milk
I typically use heavy cream and a few splashes of 1 or 2% (if my sauce gets too thick). You'll have a runny, icky sauce if you forgo the fat.

3. Choose your cheese wisely
Some cheeses don't melt well. Make sure that you're choosing a cheese that melts smoothly. Some great choices are gruyere, swiss, cheddar or jack. Mix and match your cheeses for a really great macaroni and cheese. You can even try a more adventurous blend by adding a small amount of bleu or roquefort.

4. Season your sauce
You still need salt and pepper to balance your flavors. Make sure you are aware of the salt content of your cheese when salting your sauce. The saltier the cheese, the less salt you'll need.

5. Make it grown-up
I whisk in about a teaspoon of either whole grain or dijon mustard before adding the cheese. It gives it a delicious depth of flavor that will make you want seconds. You can also add some yummy fresh herbs like chives or basil to give it that extra 'wow' factor.

6. Reserve a little pasta water
Keep a few tablespoons of pasta water to thin out your sauce if it gets too thick. The starch in the pasta water will keep it from thinning too much.

7. Choose your pasta wisely
The best choice for a macaroni and cheese is a sturdy noodle that will hold the sauce well. My favorites are ditalini, macaroni, oriechiette (little shells) and fusili. Just make sure you're using a more substantial noodle than, say, a spaghetti noodle.

8. Make sure you bring your sauce up to a boil before adding your pasta
The rolling boil is what will cause the roux to effectively thicken the sauce. Turn it down to low after a minute or two and stir in your cheese and pasta.


Please check back for my macaroni and cheese recipe on Thursday!

Technique Tuesday: Cooking Pasta

To make an exceptional pasta dish, you have to know how to cook your noodles correctly. There is nothing worse than an amazing sauce atop flaccid, overcooked pasta. To make sure that your pasta is perfect for whatever sauce or dressing you plan to use, make sure to follow the basic rules below.
1. Use enough salt
I think that salt is such an important component of cooking technique that I have devoted an entire posting to it! A lot of people are phobic about using salt in their cooking; others simply add it at the end as an afterthought. Salting your pasta water is the only way you're going to be able to flavor the noodles themselves. Use a liberal amount of salt, and don't worry about measuring. I've even heard people say that your pasta water should be as salty as the sea, so go for it!

2. Make sure your water is boiling
A rolling boil is necessary when cooking pasta. To achieve this, turn your heat up to high and cover your pot. You should see large bubbles rising to the surface when you've reached a rolling boil. Make sure that you don't add your salt until you are at this point; if you add it when the water is cold, the salt will sink to the bottom and can damage your pot. Only add your pasta when the water is boiling. Then, reduce your heat to medium-low to continue cooking.

3. Use enough water
You need quite a bit of water to cook pasta well. Don't just use enough water to cover the water a little bit. I try to stick to about 4-6 cups of water for every cup of dried pasta. This way your noodles will move around and cook more evenly.

4. Don't overcook your pasta
Your noodles will cook a little bit more when you've drained them (unless you cool them with water, which may impede a sauce's ability to stick to your noodles). The goal is to have your noodles come out al dente. You will know they are al dente when you pull one out of the pot and it has a little firmness when you bite down on it. You can also give your test noodle a little toss onto the counter or even the wall (which I don't really suggest because it may leave a little mark). If it sticks, you're good to go. Mushy noodles can ruin a dish, so be sure not to overcook yours!

5. Reserve some of the pasta water
Reserved pasta water can make a good sauce great. It contains the salt and starch from the cooking process and can be used to thin a thick sauce or create an almost brothlike sauce from garlic, oil and parmesan. Be sure to pull about a half cup or so out before draining your pasta. You'll be so glad you did!

6. Return your drained pasta to the original pot
Putting your noodles back into the pot you cooked them in can help speed up their drying time. Leaving them in a strainer causes them to stay damp longer. The heat from the pot will have them dry in no time at all.