Cheddar Meatloaf Meatballs

Cheddar meatloaf meatballs with homemade ketchup style sauce.

Sauce*

• 6 oz can of tomate paste
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1/4 water
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp soy sauce

*This sauce is quite similar to homemade ketchup.

1. In a small pot, add all the sauce ingredients. Combine.

2. Place pot on a burner and gently stir until sauce begins to bubble.

3. Once the sauce begins to bubble, turn down to the lowest heat and simmer covered for 20 minutes.

4. While the sauce simmers, make the cheddar meatloaf meatballs.

Meatloaf with cheddar formed into meatballs.

Meatloaf meatballs (makes approximately 20):

• 1 lb of extra lean ground beef
• 1 small onion, peeled and grated
• 1 slice of bread softened with milk
• sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 cup of diced cheddar cheese
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tsp each of basil and/or oregano
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground pepper

1. In a mixing bowl, thoroughly combine all the meatloaf ingredients.

2. Form mixture into one inch diameter balls and place  meatloaf meatballs onto a lined baking sheet. (Alternatively, make into one meatloaf round and adjust baking time appropriately.)

Meatloaf meatballs with homemade ketchup style sauce.

3. Place a scoop of sauce onto each meatball.

4. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes at  375º in a preheated oven. Serve while hot.

TIP: Turn any left over meatloaf meatballs into a meatball sub.

This reciped is inspired from Chef Michael’s Kitchen.

Double Chocolate Banana Cake

Double chocolate chip banana cake with chocolate icing and garnished with fresh raspberries, icing sugar and cocoa powder.

• 3 ripe bananas, mashed (if not ripe, add 1 tbsp of skim milk for moisture)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1.5 cup all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine banana, sugar, egg and oil.

2. In another bowl, sift together the cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt and flour.

3. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Once mixed, add in chocolate chips. Combine thoroughly.

4. Grease a baking dish (8 by 9.5 inch) with oil and then coat with a light layer of flour.

5. Pour cake mixture in and bake for 350º for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cake separates from the sides of the baking dish.

6. Let cool and decorate as you choose. Our cake was decorated with chocolate icing, a dusting of cocoa powder and icing sugar, and garnished with fresh raspberries.

Undecorated cake fresh from the oven.

The above cake creation was inspired by the following double chocolate banana muffin recipe. Thank you to Lillian for making the cake. Stay tuned next week for another “double” recipe!

Spinach Mushroom Pastries

Flaky tender pre-made pastries topped with homemade spinach and mushroom filling.

• Tenderflake (pack of six)
• ten cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced into thirds
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
•  4 handfuls baby spinach, coarsely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsps unsalted butter
• 2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tbsps flour
• sea salt and pepper

1. Bake the Tenderflake pastries for half the recommended time.

2. Once ready, remove from oven and let cool for a couple of minutes before adding the filling.

3. After the pastries have been filled, they will continue baking for the remaining time.

Six Tenderflake pastries, baked for half the recommended time.

4. For the spinach mushroom filling, add to a hot pan the butter, oil and garlic.

5. Once the garlic is brown, add in the mushrooms and turn down to medium heat.

6. Sprinkle in a little salt over the mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms begin to soften (about 3 minutes).

Cremini mushrooms with chopped garlic sauteing in olive oil and unsalted butters.

7. Add in the flour evenly over the mushrooms and cook the flour for a few seconds (this removes the raw taste of the flour), then pour in the milk.

Sauted mushrooms with flour and milk.

8. Once the milk begins to bubble, gradually add in the spinach.

9. Cook until the spinach has wilted and the mushrooms are completely soft.

10. Add salt and pepper to taste.

11. Remove from heat and let cool.

12. Once cooled add in the parmesan. Combine well.

Cremini mushrooms and baby spinach simmering in milk.

Once the mushrooms and spinach mixture is cool, add in the parmesan.

13. Drain as much liquid from the filling before placing onto the pastries.

14. Scope a generous amount of filling onto each pastry.

15. Place into the oven and bake for the remaining time as instructed on the package.

16. When finished, remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes before serving.

Tenderflake pastry topped with baby spinach and sliced cremini mushrooms.

*Alternatively, instead of using the spinach and mushroom filling as pastry toppings, toss the creamy mixture with some cooked  pasta and serve hot as a vegetarian friendly entree.

Plum Strudel

Fresh plums baked in phyllo sheets.

The following is a twist on the classic Pita od Visnja and was created by Lillian.

• 8 to 10 sheets of phyllo pastry
• 4 plums, cut into bit size pieces
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup carbonated water
• 1/2 canola oil
• 1/4 plain bread crumbs
• 1 cup icing sugar

Phyllo and pieces of plum.

1. Lightly oil a 10 by 8 inch baking dish.

2. Fold one sheet of phyllo in half and place at the bottom of the baking dish.

3. Spread about ten pieces of plum over this layer.

4. Sprinkle 1 tbsp each of brown sugar, bread crumbs and oil evenly over the plums.

5. Repeat 3 more times and for the middle layer sprinkle 1 tbsp of carbonated water over this level.

Middle layer which in addition to the plums, bread crumbs and brown sugar, includes a light sprinkle of carbonated water.

6. Cover the top with a phyllo sheet, then drizzle with oil and carbonated water. The oil will help the pastry turn brown and crispy during baking and the water will help the pastry puff up.

7. If so desired, cut the phyllo almost to the bottom before baking. This will help separate the pieces during serving.

Plums and phyllo ready for the oven.

8. Bake in a preheated over for 400ºC for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

9. Immediately after removing from the oven, sprinkle a generous amount of icing sugar over the plum strudels.

10. Let cool for a few minutes before cutting and serving.

Plum strudel immediately out of the oven.

A generous dusting of icing sugar over the plum strudels.

Baked Balsamic Portbello Mushrooms

Portobello mushrooms baked with balsamic vinegar.

• 6 portbello mushrooms
• 6 tbsps balsamic vinegar
• 6 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
• freshly ground pepper and sea salt to taste

In an oven safe dish, season each mushroom with one tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, one tablespoon extra virgin olive oil and pepper. Placing the mushrooms such that the stems are facing up, bake in a preheated oven at 350º for 15 minutes. Season with salt when finished.

Six portobello mushrooms in a baking dish.

Portobello mushrooms seasoned with balsamic vinegar, olive oil and freshly ground pepper.

Mushrooms finished baking.

Crispy Chicken

Boneless skinless chicken breast encrusted with a homemade cracker coating.

• depending on the size, 2 or 3 skinless boneless chicken breasts
• 20 to 25 crackers, finely crushed. I used Christie’s Toppable Crackers. I find the easiest way is to place all the crackers in a ziploc bag and then using a meat mallet pound them until finely crushed.
• sea salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 eggs beaten

This are Christie’s Toppables Crackers.

Crushed crackers.

Using a meat mallet, pound the chicken breasts to make them more thin.  This will reduce the cooking which also reduces the likelihood that the chicken will dry out in the even. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge each piece of chicken in the egg and then place into the bag of crushed crackers.  Repeat (this is optional but I like to double coat the chicken). Place the chicken on a lined baking sheet. Cook in a pre-heated oven at 400ºC for approximately 30 minutes. Flip the chicken halfway through. Serve with rice, pasta, potatoes, grilled vegetables or salad, or make into a chicken burger.

Chicken right before being placed in the oven.

Chicken after being in the oven for 15 minutes. Ready to be flipped and put back into the oven for another 15 minutes.

Crispy chicken after a total of 30 minutes in the oven. It’s done!