Tag: Onions

Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

 Note: This post is sponsored by Moyer Beef. All opinions are mine alone.

Sunday night in my house is pasta night, which almost always means pasta with a meaty tomato sauce. I tend to make Meatballs in Tomato Sauce in batches about once a month and freeze it for future Sundays.

It’s funny, I make this recipe all the time and yet

  1. I had no clue what measurements I was putting into my sauce, and
  2. never posted the recipe to my blog!

Continuing my partnership with Moyer Beef, I decided it was about darn time I actually figured out what exactly I make every month and to share it on here.

These meatballs are half ground beef and half hot Italian sausage. It adds a touch of heat to the overall sauce without being actually spicy.

Ingredients:

Meatballs:

  • 1 lb 80% lean ground beef (I used Moyer Beef’s 81% lean ground beef chuck)
  • 1 lb hot Italian sausage removed from its casing
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/4 teaspoon fennel seed
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Tomato Sauce:

  • 1 lb beef short ribs (1-2 pieces)
  • 1 lb 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 white onion, finely chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 (28 oz) cans crushed tomatoes
  • 2 (28 oz) cans strained tomatoes (can substitute tomato puree)
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Continue reading Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos with Chimichurri

 Note: This post is sponsored by Moyer Beef. All opinions are mine alone.

It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of tacos. I have over a dozen different recipes for tacos on my blog, including fish, pork, chicken and steak tacos. I somehow have not posted a shredded beef taco recipe, so my partnership with Moyer Beef is the perfect opportunity to rectify that! These Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos with Chimichurri are sure to become a staple in your house!

As a reminder, for the next few months, I’m partnering with Moyer Beef to share some awesome beef recipes. Moyer Beef sources beef and angus beef locally from small family farms in the Northeast.

I used Moyer Beef’s boneless chuck beef for this recipe. Chuck roast comes from the muscle between the neck and shoulder blade of a cow. It’s a relatively inexpensive and is a great cut for braising and slow cooking. (Note: “pot roast” is boneless chuck beef)

This recipe has a bit of Argentinian flair to it by adding a simple chimichurri and some diced red onions on top. Chimichurri is a herb-based sauce typically used for grilled meat. It’s similar to a pesto but uses multiple herbs (traditionally parsley and oregano) with garlic, vinegar, olive oil, and crushed red pepper.

The best part about this recipe is everything can be made ahead of time! I actually made the beef over the weekend and whipped up the chimichurri right before serving, but the chimichurri can also be made 1-2 days ahead of time.

Ingredients: (serves 8)

Shredded Beef:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 3-4 pound boneless chuck roast
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 small onion, finely diced
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (sweet paprika can be substituted)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano (normal oregano can be substituted)
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Chimichurri:

  • 1 cup firmly packed flat-leaf parsley
  • 1/4 cup firmly packed cilantro
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Other:

  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
  • 8 flour tortillas

Continue reading Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos with Chimichurri

Slow Cooker Ropa Vieja

I love love love this recipe for Slow Cooker Ropa Vieja. It’s a perfect slow cooker meal, which means dinner is ready for me when I come home from work.

Ropa Vieja translates to “old clothes,” referring to the shredded beef and colorful peppers in a tomato sauce with caramelized onions that resemble torn cloth. It’s a well-known Cuban dish, but its origins go back to Sephardic dishes in the Middle Ages.

This version has a bit more prep work to it to fully develop the flavors. Trust me, it’s worth it!

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 pounds flank steak
  • 3 bell peppers (1 red, 1 green, 1 yellow), thinly sliced
  • 1 onion, thinly sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (or 3/4 tsp ground cumin)
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • pinch ground allspice
  • 2 whole cloves (or a pinch of ground cloves)
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 6 oz can tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 cup beef broth
  • pimiento-stuffed green olives, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon brine from the olive jar
  • Cooked white or yellow rice
  • 1 can black beans, optional, for serving

Continue reading Slow Cooker Ropa Vieja

Pork Belly Adobo

I’m fairly certain all avid cooks dream of the day they will receive their first piece of Le Creuset cookware or bakeware. Le Creuset products are also a staple on wedding registries. So when I was contacted to help spread the word that a Le Creuset store was opening in the King of Prussia Mall (outside Philadelphia) I absolutely wanted to get the word out. How exciting! I’m pretty pumped to visit it for the first time. The store is near the Macy’s; you can park and enter through the Orange Garage. (Address: 160 N Gulph Road • Suite C226A • King of Prussia, PA 19406)

To celebrate, the Le Creuset store hosted three separate events this past weekend, including bubbles bites with Yellow Springs Farm, a cooking demonstration with chef Ben Thomas, and sweet treats and coffee with Aux Petites Delices and La Colombe.

 

I was also sent a beautiful Rectangular Dish with Platter Lid, which is great for casseroles as well as for marinating in the dish and using the platter to serve.

To try it out, I decided to make a Filipino recipe I’ve been eyeing up for a while: Pork Belly Adobo. The recipe is pretty simple; you marinate the pork belly in a soy sauce marinade, brown the pork, and simmer in the marinade to finish cooking. But the result is fan-tas-tic.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup low sodium soy sauce
  • 6 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 5 pounds boneless pork belly, cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1/3 cup white distilled vinegar
  • Cooked white rice, for serving

Continue reading Pork Belly Adobo

Pesto Chicken, Blistered Tomatoes and Orzo & Herb Pilaf

You can never have too many weeknight meals, especially chicken recipes! For this dinner, I combined two Cooking Light recipes  (Pesto Chicken with Blistered Tomatoes and Orzo and Herb Pilaf) to make one dinner, and served it with a simple salad on the side.

Any recipe that uses pesto is a winner in my book. This particular pesto uses spinach, basil, and parsley to deliver a more complex flavor.

Ingredients:

Pesto:

  • 2 cups packed fresh baby spinach
  • 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
  • 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 6 tablespoons chopped toasted walnuts
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 1/2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1/3 cup)
  • 1 garlic clove, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Chicken:

  • 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 4 (6-oz.) skinless, boneless chicken breasts
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
  • 1/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
  • 6 tablespoons spinach pesto (recipe below)

Tomatoes:

  • 3 cups multicolored cherry tomatoes
  • 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

Orzo and Herb Pilaf:

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
  • 3/4 cup uncooked orzo
  • 1 1/2 cups unsalted chicken stock
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • blistered tomatoes (recipe below)
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

Continue reading Pesto Chicken, Blistered Tomatoes and Orzo & Herb Pilaf

Chelo Kebab

Chelo Kebab or Chelow Kebab is a Persian dish made with steamed saffron rice and kebabs. This version parboils the rice which then browns in a large pan, covered with a cloth, and steams with a little bit of butter to deliver a crispy, golden crust.

The lamb kebobs are marinated for hours to lock in flavor. The result is probably one of my favorite dishes I’ve made recently; it’s well worth the morning prep to have an amazing dinner!

Ingredients:

Kebab:

  • 2 onions, very finely chopped (or pureed)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced (or pureed)
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless leg of lamb, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 18 grape tomatoes
  • Cooking spray

Chelo:

  • 1 1/2 cups uncooked basmati rice
  • 6 cups water
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and divided
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed
  • 2 tablespoons chopped green onions
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 lemon, cut into 6 wedges

Continue reading Chelo Kebab

Chicken Yassa (Senegalese Lemon Chicken)

Chicken Yassa is a popular chicken dish originating from Senegal. This meal is the epitome of comfort food: marinated roasted chicken with onions, lemon juice, olives, garlic, and broth served over rice. It has a subtle heat to it as well that really makes for a flavorful meal.

This recipe makes quite a bit of food, a good 8 servings. However, in my house, leftovers this good don’t last very long!

 

Ingredients:

  • 6 cups sliced onion (about 3 pounds)
  • 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 lb chicken drumsticks
  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • Cooking spray
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil
  • 2 cups thinly sliced carrot
  • 1 1/2 cups less-sodium, fat-free chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup pimiento-stuffed olives
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 Scotch bonnet pepper, pierced with a fork
  • 4 cups hot cooked long-grain rice (optional)

Continue reading Chicken Yassa (Senegalese Lemon Chicken)

Cape Malay Curry

My husband and I (obviously) love trying new and different recipes. Living in Philadelphia, we are lucky enough to have a pretty solid restaurant scene, covering quite a range of cuisines. So my interest is always peaked by a recipe I haven’t tried before that comes from a different part of the world and I can make at home, like this recipe for Cape Malay Curry.

Cape Malay Curry comes from Cape Town, South Africa. Beginning in the 17th century, slaves from Indonesia and Southeast Asia were brought to work the farms of Cape Town, South Africa. Known as Cape Malays, the name “Cape” is derived from the Cape of Good Hope and “Malay” refers to the community’s Indonesian, Malaysian and Singaporean ancestry.

The Cape Malay community has had a lot of influence on South African foods, particularly with the introduction of certain spices, hot sauces, and curries. This chunky beef stew is a sweet and savory curry dish, which reminds me a bit of my husband’s favorite meal, Slow Cooker Chicken and Chickpea Tagine, so I had a feeling we’d like this recipe.

This is definitely a weekend meal; it simmers on the stove for 2 hours. However, it could easily be multiplied to make a large batch and frozen for future meals.

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons canola oil
  • 2 cups chopped onion
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 pound beef stew meat, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 2 1/4 cups less-sodium beef broth
  • 1 cup chopped green bell pepper (about 1 medium)
  • 1/3 cup chopped dried apricots
  • 1/3 cup apricot spread
  • 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk (or coconut milk to make dairy-free)
  • 1 cup cooked rice

Continue reading Cape Malay Curry

Baked Ziti

This blog post has been compensated by Borden® Cheese. All opinions are mine alone. #BordenCheeseLove #CollectiveBias #Ad

 

As I’ve mentioned in the past, pasta night is a very important night in my house. Both my husband and I come from (partially) Italian backgrounds, so pasta once a week is basically a necessity.

There is something about pasta dishes that is so comforting. It’s the meal that my grandmother would make for me every time my sister and I visited, and it’s the meal we most look forward to when visiting my husband’s parents. Pasta dishes always feel like they are cooked with love, don’t they?

I also have quite a love of cheese, so baked ziti ranks pretty high on my list of favorite pasta dishes. Pasta + love + cheese = the perfect comfort food!

Food, especially cheesy food is one of the best ways to show love for those who are special to you. This weekend, I made a super cheesy, meaty, baked ziti for my husband and me, with the help of Borden® Cheese. This casserole-style dish is the perfect way to know you’ll have leftovers for later in the week, or to feed a large (or hungry) family!

This baked ziti is tossed in a ricotta-tomato mixture with ground meat. It is then topped with Borden® Cheese Mozzarella Shreds, which results in a wonderfully gooey, cheesy dish.

I found my Borden® Cheese at my local Acme, but check out this store locator to find Borden® Cheese near you. Borden® Cheese has a bunch of tasty cheese options, including Borden® Cheese Finely Shredded Four Cheese Mexican Shreds that I also picked up to use for tacos later in the week.

Ingredients:

  • 1 (16 oz) box ziti
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ cup finely chopped onions
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 lb hot Italian sausage, removed from its casing
  • 2 (28 oz) cans crushed tomatoes
  • 1 cup beef stock
  • 1 tbsp dried parsley
  • 1 tbsp dried basil
  • 1 tbsp dried oregano
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp pepper
  • 16 oz ricotta
  • ½ cup parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
  • 1 egg
  • 2 cups Borden® Cheese Mozzarella Shreds
  • Freshly chopped parsley, for garnish

Continue reading Baked Ziti

Chimichurri Roasted Chicken with Potatoes and Onions

My husband and I just moved into a new home, so I wanted to make one of my first meals here extra homey!

This recipe for Chimichurri Roasted Chicken is perfect for a Sunday night and is hearty to feed 6 people.

The original recipe used cilantro in the chimichurri, but I didn’t have any on hand, so I used parsley instead.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, divided
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
  • 3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 2 bone-in chicken breasts
  • 3 bone-in chicken thighs
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 1.5 pounds baby red potatoes
  • 2 small red onions, cut into wedges

Continue reading Chimichurri Roasted Chicken with Potatoes and Onions

Fesenjan Persian Chicken Stew with Walnut and Pomegranate Sauce

I am still working through my supply of pomegranates; I’m having so much fun finding different ways to use the arils!

This recipe caught my eye immediately during my search for pomegranate recipes. It uses both pomegranate molasses (made from pomegranate juice) and pomegranate arils.

Fesenjan is a Persian stew made with ground walnuts, pomegranate molasses, and typically chicken.

And, well, it’s not the prettiest dish I’ve ever made but the flavors are absolutely fantastic!

This recipe is from Simply Recipes.

Ingredients:

Chicken Stew:

  • 2 medium yellow onions, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 5 tablespoons pomegranate molasses (recipe below)
  • 1/2 pound walnut halves (about 2 cups)
  • 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces,
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • Salt
  • 1/2 cup fresh pomegranate seeds, for garnish
  • chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Pomegranate Molasses:

  • 2 cups pomegranate juice
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Continue reading Fesenjan Persian Chicken Stew with Walnut and Pomegranate Sauce

Slow Cooker Short Rib Ragu

This Slow Cooker Short Rib Ragu is the ultimate comfort food and is perfect for busy fall weeknights!

It is definitely feeling like fall in Philadelphia now. The days are getting shorter, and there is a chill in the air. Which means my slow cooker is back in full force!

I absolutely love my slow cooker (paid link). It makes me so happy to come back to an awesome comfort food meal at the end of the day. This recipe for Slow Cooker Short Rib Ragu is basically a really thick meat sauce, made with shredded boneless short ribs. And. It’s fantastic.

This can be served over pasta, egg noodles, polenta, or even mashed potatoes (I went with pappardelle pasta for this round). The recipe makes quite a bit, so you can stock your freezer for nights you just don’t feel like cooking.

Ingredients:

  • 3 pounds boneless short ribs
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 large carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 5 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 (28 ounce) can whole tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 cup red wine
  • 3 cups beef broth
  • 1 tablespoon corn starch
  • 1 tablespoon dried parsley
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 bay leaf

Continue reading Slow Cooker Short Rib Ragu

Slow Cooker Braciole

My mom recently put in a request for braciole. And by put in a request, I mean she went to Esposito’s in the Italian Market, purchased braciole, and told me I was going to make it. So. Slow Cooker Braciole it is!

I was excited to try; I’ve never made braciole before. Braciole is a thinly pounded meat that is topped with a filling and then rolled up and secured either with string or toothpicks. The rolled meat is browned and then added to a tomato sauce to cook.

I have to let you know. Braciole is a labor of love. There is so much prep work! The version I am sharing below is a recipe from a family friend that my parents have been using for years. I decided to make it in my slow cooker so that I could leave and run some errands while it cooked. Because of the prep work involved though, this is definitely a weekend meal.

Ingredients:

For Braciole:

  • 3 eggs, hardboiled, diced
  • 2 russet potatoes, boiled and diced
  • 1 green bell pepper, finely diced
  • 1 onion, finely diced
  • 1 lb mushrooms, finely chopped
  • 1/3 cup chopped parsley
  • 1/4 cup grated Romano cheese
  • 1/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs
  • 8 pieces of braiole, or 2 lbs top round, cut into half inch thick slices
  • 8 slices prosciutto
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

For Sauce:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small onion, finely diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1/3 cup dry red wine
  • 1 tablespoon dried parsley
  • 1 tablespoon dried basil
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 (26 oz) cans crushed tomatoes
  • 1 (26 oz) can strained tomatoes

Continue reading Slow Cooker Braciole

Cheesy Skillet Eggs and Hash

September is National Breakfast Month, and what better way to celebrate than with breakfast for dinner?

Nellie’s Certified Humane Free Range Eggs sent me some coupons and other goodies so that I could make a recipe with their yummy eggs.

In the past, I’ve made Arugula Pizza with Poached Eggs, so I went a bit more traditional this time with a Mexican inspired Cheesy Skillet Eggs and Hash.

 

This recipe is easy to make but has a ton going on: potatoes, chorizo, eggs, cheese, salsa, and avocado all together to make a truly delicious breakfast (or breakfast for dinner)!

 

Ingredients:

  • 3 russet potatoes
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ~10 oz uncooked chorizo, cut into bite sized pieces (I used 3 chorizo)
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 4 oz shredded Cheddar Jack Cheese
  • 4 Nellie’s Certified Humane Free Range Eggs
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Pico de Gallo or Salsa, to taste
  • 1 avocado, sliced
  • 1 green onion, sliced

Continue reading Cheesy Skillet Eggs and Hash

Jambalaya

This weekend, I cooked my little heart out. I realized Labor Day is only a couple of weeks away, so it’s time to stock my freezer with ready-made meals for busy nights in the fall, like this freezable Jambalaya!

I made tomato sauce, slow cooker chicken cacciatore, bacon-topped meatloaf, and this recipe for Jambalaya. (It was a busy weekend!)

This recipe was simple to make, although I did take some shortcuts from the original recipe. It freezes really well too!

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound andouille sausage, sliced
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 2 cups diced sweet onion
  • 1 cup diced celery
  • 1 cup jarred roasted red peppers, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 (10-oz.) cans diced tomatoes and green chiles
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 2 cups uncooked rice
  • 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
  • 1 pound frozen peeled, medium-size raw shrimp, deveined
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Continue reading Jambalaya

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