Cuisine at Home: Breakfast Sausage Meatballs with Blackberry Glaze

It's that time again - Mother's Day!  Which is still a little tricky considering the current state of things, ie. COVID, but we do what we can.  We decided to do a little brunch get-together, so I had to find something absolutely scrumptious to bring for my offering.  Luckily I found these cute little sausage balls that remind me of the appetizer with meatballs in jelly.  They were delicious, with the sweetness of the blackberry jam working as perfect foil for the meaty sausage and earthy sage.

Breakfast Sausage Meatballs with Blackberry Glaze
From Cuisine at Home

For the meatballs:
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup panko
2 teaspoons dried sage
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup chopped yellow onions
1 clove garlic, minced
2 pounds bulk breakfast sausage

For the glaze:
¾ cup seedless blackberry jam
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 400°F with a baking sheet inside.

For the meatballs, combine eggs, panko, sage, salt, and pepper. Mince onions and garlic in a food processor. Combine sausage, egg mixture, and onion mixture. Portion meatball mixture with a #30 scoop (2 tablespoons).

Transfer meatballs to preheated baking sheet and bake until a thermometer inserted into centers registers 165°F, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer meatballs to a serving platter.

For the glaze, heat jam, vinegar, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat until jam melts and bubbles around edges. Pour glaze over meatballs.

Makes 12 servings

Stuffed Shells

Back when I was a kid, my mom would make certain dinners on the rare occasions when we left her alone long enough to actually cook something interesting for dinner.  I was never a big fan of pasta, but I loved these shells because of the delicious cheesy filling.  Plus, they're in perfect serving size portions.  It's like easy lasagna.  Also a great way to feed a big group or stretch out dinners for the week.

Note: Use whatever pasta sauce you like.  I used vodka sauce because it's my favorite, but any jarred sauce will work.

Stuffed Shells

1 pound mild Italian sausage

1 (24-ounce) jar pasta sauce

2 (15-ounce) containers whole milk ricotta

1 large egg

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

¼ cup Parmesan cheese

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese

¾ pound zucchini, grated

1 (12-ounce) box jumbo shells

In a large skillet, brown the sausage over medium-high heat, discarded excess fat once done.  Pour in the jar of pasta sauce, and combine.  Spoon approximately 1/3 of the sauce into the bottom of a 13x9-inch glass baking dish.  Set dish and remaining sauce aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, egg, salt, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, Parmesan cheese, and ¼ cup of mozzarella.  Put the grated zucchini in several layers of paper towel, and squeeze over the sink to remove excess water.  When zucchini is somewhat dry, add it to the ricotta mixture.  Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Cook the shells according to the box directions, then drain.  Taking care with the hot shells, stuff each one using a tablespoon with ricotta mixture until full.  Place each shell on top of the sauce in the baking dish, fitting as many shells in as possible.  You may not use all of the shells, but try to only use unbroken shells for the best presentation.  Once all shells are stuffed, spoon the remaining sauce over the top, then sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella cheese.  Spray one side of a sheet of aluminum foil with Pam or olive oil, then put the foil, sprayed side down, on top of the baking dish and bend in the sides to cover.

Bake 30 minutes, covered, then remove the foil and bake an additional 5 to 7 minutes so the cheese finishes melting and browning.

Makes 8 servings

Asian-Marinated Flank Steak

I had some flank steak in my freezer, with every intention of trying to make some fajitas, but that never came to fruition.  Then, with my anxiety about it starting to get freezer burn, I decided to just pull it out and improvise.  After some googling around for ideas, I came up with the marinade below, which also uses some of my canned pineapple juice, so it's a win all the way around.

Asian-Marinated Flank Steak

1½ pounds flank steak

6 ounces (¾ cup) pineapple juice

¼ cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons sriracha

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon sesame oil

4 to 5 cloves garlic, minced

1 knob ginger, peeled and grated

1 bunch green onions, cut in 3-inch pieces on a bias

Cut the flank steak into 3 or 4 large pieces.  Combine all of the remaining ingredients in a gallon Ziploc bag, then add the steak.  Marinate for 1 to 2 hours in the refrigerator, turning the bag every 30 minutes.

Once done marinating, pat the steak dry, and grill for 6 minutes per side or until medium rare.  While the steak is cooking, you can cook the marinade down in a separate pan until reduced and slightly thickened.  Slice the steak, and serve it over rice with sauce.

Makes 4 servings

The Spruce Eats: Classic French Cornichon Pickles

When I went to the store yesterday, and I saw these little tiny cucumbers for sale, you can bet I was instantly thinking about how I would put them into jars and make the cutest little pickles you've ever seen.  I was afraid it was going to be quite a process, but these little pickles came together very easily.  Now I just have to wait a month before I can see how delicious my handiwork is!

Note: I chose not to include the onion.

Classic French Cornichon Pickles

From The Spruce Eats blog

2 pounds fin de meaux cucumbers (2 inches long is best)
½ cup kosher salt, divided use
2 cups distilled white vinegar
2 cups water
1 tablespoon white onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and halved
1 teaspoon fresh dill, chopped
1½ teaspoons black peppercorns
2 cloves
2 bay leaves

In a large bowl, toss the cucumbers in ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons of salt.  Arrange the cucumbers in a single layer on paper towels or clean kitchen towels to allow the salt to draw the moisture out of the cucumbers. Let sit for 90 minutes, then rinse the cucumbers thoroughly.

Sterilize two pint jars, along with their lids and rings, and keep them hot until ready to fill with the pickling mixture.

In a medium, non-reactive saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the vinegar, water, and remaining 2 tablespoons of salt to a boil.

Divide the onion, garlic, dill, peppercorns, cloves, and bay leaves between the two sterilized jars.  Pack the cucumbers into the jars, leaving ½-inch of headspace.  Fill the jars with the hot vinegar mixture, leaving ¼-inch headspace from the top of the jars.

Tap the jars to remove any air bubbles, cap the jars, and process them for 10 minutes in a boiling-water canner.  Cool the jars and store them in a cool, dark place for at least 3 to 4 weeks before opening.

Makes 2 pint jars

Eagle Brand Milk: Magic Cookie Bars

I can't believe I never posted these bars.  These bars are the dessert of my childhood.  My mom made these for us all of the time, and even to this day, if I see a version at a bake sale, I have to have them.  I don't know what it is, but something about these screams comfort.

Magic Cookie Bars

From Eagle Brand Milk

1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12-ounce) package semi-sweet chocolate chips (about 2 cups)
1⅓ cups flaked sweetened coconut
1 cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 13x9-inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Combine the graham cracker crumbs and butter in small bowl. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan. Pour the sweetened condensed milk evenly over the crumb mixture. Layer evenly with chocolate chips, coconut, and nuts. Press down firmly with fork.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Loosen from sides of pan while still warm; cool on wire rack. Cut into bars or diamonds.

Makes 2 dozen

Pioneer Woman: Original Chicken Spaghetti

When I made this casserole several years ago, I doctored it a bit by adding Rotel and making some other changes that gave it more of a King Ranch chicken kind of vibe.  These days I'm feeling more like the O.G., so I decided to post both versions.  Either way you go, this is a people pleaser.

Note: I used one can cream of mushroom and one can cream of chicken.

Chicken Spaghetti

From Pioneer Woman

2 cups cooked chicken (from one whole boiled chicken)
3 cups dry spaghetti, broken into two-inch pieces
2 (10½-ounce) cans cream of mushroom soup

3 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided use
¼ cup finely diced green pepper
¼ cup finely diced onion
1 (4-ounce) jar diced pimentos, drained
2 cups reserved chicken broth from pot
1 teaspoon Lawry's Seasoned Salt
⅛ to ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper, to taste

Cook one cut up fryer and pick out the meat to make two cups.

Cook spaghetti in same chicken broth until al dente. Do not overcook. When spaghetti is cooked, combine with remaining ingredients except additional 1 cup sharp cheddar.

Place mixture in casserole pan and top with remaining sharp cheddar. Cover and freeze up to six months, cover and refrigerate up to two days, or bake immediately: 350°F for 45 minutes until bubbly. (If the cheese on top starts to get too cooked, cover with foil).

Makes 8 servings

David Lebovitz: Sweet Lemon Marmalade

Every winter there's a giant pile of every kind of citrus you can imagine at my local fancy grocery.  It's hard for me to walk through without grabbing something I haven't tried before.  When I saw that they had sweet lemons, I knew I needed to make something with them, but the selection of recipes is slim.  Luckily I can count on David Lebovitz.  This recipe makes a sweet marmalade that isn't bitter like regular orange and just plays nice with breakfast.

Note: Use citrus limetta for this recipe.  David Lebovitz's original recipe calls for "bergamots", but the fruit he is using is c. limetta, not c. bergamia.

Sweet Lemon Marmalade

From David Lebovitz

8 sweet lemons (about 700g), organic or unsprayed

3 cups (600g) sugar
4 cups water, plus more for blanching the sweet lemons
pinch of sea salt
2 teaspoons limoncello

Rinse and dry the sweet lemons, trim off the stem ends, then cut each in half and pluck out the seeds.

Slice the sweet lemons as thinly as possible.  If you have trouble getting them very small, after slicing, you can use a chef’s knife to chop them to the right size. Don’t use a food processor, as that will make the marmalade muddy.

Put in a large pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Let boil for five minutes, then drain well.

Return the sweet lemons to the pot, add the sugar, 4 cups of water, and salt, and bring to a boil. Cook the sweet lemons, stirring occasionally, until the marmalade begins to set using the wrinkle test: turn the marmalade off and put a dab on a plate that’s been in the freezer then check it after five minutes; if it wrinkles when you nudge it, it’s done. If not, continue to cook, repeating this step, until it reaches the desired consistency.

Depending on the heat, the marmalade will take at least 30 minutes to reach this point, although if you’re used to making other jams, it will look slightly more liquid than others when done. You can also use a candy thermometer; the marmalade will be done when the temperature reaches around 218ºF (103ºC).

Once done, stir in the liqueur, if using, then ladle into clean jars and twist on the lids. Once cool, store in the refrigerator, where they’ll keep for at least six months.

Tuna or Salmon Poke Rice Bowl

So I know I already made Hawaiian poke, but this time I wanted to make something that is more like the poke bowls I get at a local restaurant.  Since I'm a sushi person, I love anything that involves a big handful of fresh uncooked fish, so I'm a big fan.  After asking some questions about their "poke sauce", I learned it was a combination of soy sauce, ponzu, and sesame oil, so that makes everything much simpler.

Note: It's easier to cut up the fish when partially frozen.  Also, poke bowl is really a DIY type of dish.  Add as many (or as little) sides and toppings as you like!

Tuna Poke Rice Bowl

For the poke:
¾ pound sushi grade tuna, or salmon, or a mix, cut into bite-size pieces
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon ponzu
½ teaspoon sesame oil
Pinch kosher salt
1 tablespoon thinly sliced green onions
1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro (optional)

1 tablespoon finely grated carrots (optional)

Diced jalapeño (optional)

For the bowl:

Baby spinach leaves
Cooked short-grain white rice
Krab salad
Seaweed salad
Spicy mayo (optional)
Eel sauce (optional)
Fried onions
Furukake
Avocado
Masago

Mix together the fish with the soy sauce, ponzu, and sesame oil.  Season with the salt, then add green onions, cilantro, carrots, and/or jalapeño, if desired.

To put together the bowl, line a dish with spinach leaves, then add a scoop or two of cooked rice.  Start layering the poke, krab salad, and seaweed salad on top of the rice.  The remaining bowl ingredients can be added, as desired, to make the bowl that sounds delicious to you.

Makes 1 bowl

Cooking with Janica: Bacon Lover's Duck Egg Quiche

Somehow I managed to luck out and become the recipient of a very special carton of duck eggs.  Duck eggs are larger than chicken eggs, and the yolk is especially rich, so I immediately set out to find a recipe that would really let these beauties shine.  And boy, did I ever.  This quiche is so rich you can only eat one slice, but so good that you'll wish you weren't so limited.  I would definitely serve this again for a special brunch occasion.

Bacon Lover's Duck Egg Quiche
Adapted from Cooking with Janica blog

12 ounces applewood smoked bacon (about 13 or 14 slices)
1 shallot, diced

1 premade pie crust
3 duck eggs
⅓ cup crème fraîche or heavy cream
½ cup whole milk

Leaves from 3 sprigs fresh thyme
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
⅛ teaspoon ground white pepper

5 ounces Gruyere, shredded

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Cook the bacon until crisp. Leave the grease in the pan. Drain bacon on paper towels and chop when cool.

Heat the grease up over medium heat. Add the diced shallot and cook for 2 to 5 minutes until translucent.  Mix the bacon and shallots together and evenly fill the bottom of the pie crust.

In a large bowl, mix together the duck eggs, crème fraîche, whole milk, thyme, salt, and pepper. Once combined, mix in the shredded gruyere.

Gently pour the mixture over the bacon and shallots. Spread evenly.  Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted and removed. Cut and serve immediately.

Makes 8 servings

Fisher Nuts: Walnut & Cranberry Apple Crumble

Whenever it's cold, I start looking for ways to fit some dessert into my life in as warm of a way as possible.  This often leads me to baked desserts, so why not use the best fruit of the season?  I was intrigued when I saw this recipe, as I hadn't really considered putting apples and cranberries together in a crumble, but it really does work well.  I only wish I'd had some vanilla bean ice cream in the freezer.

Walnut & Cranberry Apple Crumble
From Fisher Nuts

Topping:

¾ cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup packed light brown sugar

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground ginger

½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts

¼ cup very soft butter, cut into ½-inch pieces

Filling:

1 (12-ounce) package fresh cranberries

2 pounds apples, peeled, cored, and cut into ½-inch pieces

1 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons apple or cranberry juice

1 tablespoons cornstarch

½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Topping: Stir together first four ingredients in a bowl.  Blend in butter with fingertips until large clumps form.  Chill until ready to use.

Filling: Cook first 4 ingredients in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring often until juices release.  Add cornstarch and boil about 5 minutes until juices thicken slightly.  Stir in walnuts.  Transfer filling to a buttered 13x9-inch dish.  Sprinkle with topping.

Bake at 375°F for about 40 minutes or until filling bubbles and topping is golden brown.  Cool 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 12 servings