The BEST meatballs!

Posted on June 8, 2020 by Chatty Kathy

When you request spaghetti and meatballs at Nana’s house you better be prepared to make the meatballs! Stella loves to, and we all agreed that they were the absolute best meatballs ever. In fact, I had a hard time keeping enough left in the sauce to have dinner. Tasters kept appearing in my kitchen …..

This shows a double recipe, all measured exactly to what Stella feels is the perfect meatball size …. 38 grams. If you aren’t in a hurry your kids are great at this!

1 pound ground meat (I like a combo of beef and pork)
1/2 cup panko-style breadcrumbs
1/3 cup milk, any kind
2 tablespoon finely chopped parsley, plus more to serve
2 tablespoons finely grated parmesan or pecorino romano cheese, plus more to serve
2 teaspoons coarse or kosher salt, divided
Red pepper flakes and/or freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
2 large eggs
2 garlic cloves, minced

Place meat, crumbs, milk, parsley, cheese, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, onion powder, eggs, and one-third of your minced garlic in a large bowl, and mash everything together with a fork or potato masher until evenly mixed. Using wet hands if needed, form mixture into 2-inch meatballs and arrange on prepared tray. Roast for 12 minutes, until cooked through (you can cut one in half).

Ground beef and pork well mixed and ready for forming.

Making sure each meatball is 38 grams takes time …..

Almost 7 now, Stella likes to do it all, even if Nana’s freaking (quietly!) while she puts stuff in or takes it out of the oven.

From this point you can serve them however you like – we like them simmered in a tomato sauce just until heated through. They are so soft and tender with just the right amount of seasoning. I always make enough to freeze half for another dinner, for us that means doubling this recipe.

This recipe came from the amazing Deb at smitten kitchen.com, and she also lists her easy tomato sauce for simmering … if you haven’t been to her website, or read any of her cookbooks, make sure you do! Always delicious, and manageable for doing with kid helpers.

Lemon Artichoke Pasta

Posted on October 17, 2019 by Chatty Kathy

Have you ever seen artichokes growing in the field? Well, maybe it isn’t a big deal to Californian’s…… It took a few miles before we realized that was what we were seeing but ever since we cooked some fresh artichokes (Thanks Meghan) I can’t stop adding them to everything. This quick and easy pasta dish is bright and refreshing – dinner ready in 20 minutes!

2-1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
1 pack angel hair/capellini pasta
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots
1 can (14 ounces) water-packed quartered artichoke hearts, well drained
1/2 cup minced sun dried tomatoes
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup sliced kalamata olives
2 cups fresh spinach
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/3 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
freshly ground black pepper

This recipe makes enough to serve 2-4 people. 4 as a side, 2 as a main meal

Angel hair pasta cooks very quickly (4 minutes) to prepare the artichoke sauce first and allow it to sit while you cook the pasta.

Saute the shallots in the melted butter, adding the artichoke hearts, sun dried tomatoes, and garlic as soon as the onions have softened. When heated through add the olives, parsley, lemon zest and lemon juice. Set aside while the pasta cooks.

As soon as the pasta is cooked, pull it out of the boiling water and drop it into the lemon artichoke sauce, allowing some of the pasta water to drip into the pan also. Stir in the spinach and let the warm pasta wilt the spinach. Add feta and serve with fresh ground pepper and parmesan shavings to garnish.

Sun Dried Tomato Pasta with Chicken and Spinach

Posted on June 7, 2019 by Chatty Kathy

Tender chicken, barely cooked spinach, crunchy bacon and tangy parmesan … this pasta dish has it all, It’s a meal in a dish.

It seems like many years ago I just L O V E D a recipe like this at a local restaurant, creamy yet intensely flavoured and tasty chicken bits. It took a while, but I finally found this one from RecipeTin Eats, and it is perfect!

Ingredients

300g / 10 oz fettuccine
30g / 2 tbsp butter , separated
2 chicken breasts , cut in half horizontally
1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
2 garlic cloves , minced
1/2 cup (125ml) dry white wine (sub more chicken broth)
1/2 cup (125ml) chicken stock / broth
1 1/4 cups (315ml) cream , thickened / heavy
3/4 cup (75g) parmesan , finely shredded
70g / 2.5oz baby spinach
100 g / 3oz sun dried tomato strips

SERVING:

120g / 4oz bacon , cooked and crumbled
More parmesan
Parsley , for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water for time per packet minus 1 1/2 minutes.
Just before draining, scoop out a mugful of pasta cooking water. Then drain pasta.

CHICKEN:

Sprinkle both sides of chicken with salt and pepper.
Melt half the butter in a large skillet over hig heat.
Add chicken and cook for 2 minutes on each side until deep golden.
Remove chicken onto plate, rest for a few minutes then shred with 2 forks.

ALFREDO SAUCE:

Turn down heat to medium high. In the same skillet, add remaining butter and garlic.
Cook garlic for 30 seconds until golden, then add wine.
Simmer rapidly, stirring to scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Once mostly evaporated, add chicken broth, cream, parmesan and sun dried tomato.
Simmer on medium for 3 – 5 minutes, stirring leisurely, until it reduces and thickens.

The most important aspect of this sauce is letting it thicken enough to be rich and glistening.

ESSENTIAL TOSSING:

Add spinach, chicken and cooked pasta.
Toss for 1 1/2 – 2 minutes on the stove, until sauce thickens and coats the pasta strands – Use pasta cooking water if needed if it gets too thick.
Serve immediately with parmesan, crumbled bacon and parsley (if desired).

Fresh herbs really pop with colour and freshness in this dish, I added some fresh basil out of the garden and it was a perfect touch.

Grilled Shrimp and Cauliflower with Romesco Dipping Sauce

Posted on August 27, 2017 by Chatty Kathy

The first thing you need to know is that this sauce is A M A Z I N G. Put it on your sandwich, toss hot pasta with it, fresh veggie dip or meat skewer dip …. it wins every time. Today’s appetizer included these grilled cauliflower florets, lightly marinated shrimp and green onions.

1 1/2 CUPS SERVINGS

1 large roasted red bell pepper from a jar
1 garlic clove, smashed
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1/4 cup tomato purée
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons Sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pulse first 8 ingredients in a food processor until very finely chopped. With motor running, slowly add oil; process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Romesco can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and chill.

romescu

To use as a dipping sauce, heat through until easy to stir and warm.

Shrimp and Vegetables

1 head of cauliflower – cut into florets
1/4 tsp salt
1 lb jumbo shrimp – tails and shells on
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp lime juice
1 bunch green onions

Lightly steam cauliflower until just tender crisp – be careful not too overcook it.

Season with salt.

In a large bowl, toss shrimp with vegetable oil and lime juice. Allow to sit for 20-30 minutes.

Grill cauliflower, shrimp and green onions just until heated through (and shrimp is fully cooked) – try to get some pretty grill marks on there!

Arrange on a serving platter with the Romesco and dip merrily away.

Lemon, Shrimp & Spinach Pasta

Posted on May 29, 2016 by Chatty Kathy

This makes a very quick dinner, fresh and delicious.

Ingredients
For the lemon oil:
1/2 cup warm extra-virgin olive oil
1 lemon, zested (in wide strips)

For the pasta:
1 pound linguine pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup sliced zucchini
16 ounces frozen shrimp
1/4 cup lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
1 lemon, zested
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 ounces spinach (about 3 packed cups)
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Optional: 1/2 – 1 tsp chile flakes & 1 tbsp butter

For the lemon oil:
Combine the olive oil and the lemon zest in a small bowl and reserve.
For the pasta:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
Meanwhile, in a large, heavy skillet warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add zucchini and saute until just tender. Add the shrimp and cook until pink, about 5 minutes. Add the cooked linguine, lemon juice, lemon zest, chile flakes, butter, salt, and pepper. Toss to combine. Turn off the heat and add the spinach. Using a mesh sieve, strain the lemon zest out of the reserved lemon olive oil and add the oil to the pasta. The zest can be discarded. Add some of the cooking water to desired consistency. Add the chopped parsley to the pasta and toss to combine. Serve immediately. (dusted with parmesan if you like)

Linguine with Shrimp and Spinach

Posted on July 18, 2015 by Chatty Kathy

I’m really going to try and simplify a few meals …. seems as though I look at 20 or 30 minute meals and only use that as a starting point … always adding more dishes. Next thing I know I’m looking at 60 minute meals … Usually that is just fine, it is my kitchen yoga after a busy day at work. However – sometimes, like when my beautiful Sloan and Stella are helping out, a 20 or 30 minute meal is the way to go.

Freshly harvested corn, spinach and tomatoes make this deliciously simple pasta dish extra tasty.

Here is one for you to try – deliciously simple and when made with fresh tomatoes and spinach out of the garden, not to mention the first of this years corn, it really is enough.

You can use any pasta you like for this – the main point is to cook it in enough salted water – be generous with that salt, and have lots of water. Cook pasta until al dente.

3/4 pound pasta
1 pound raw shrimp
4 cups baby spinach
1/2 cup chopped fresh tomato
extra virgin olive oil
freshly ground black pepper
kosher salt
lemon
Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta in boiling water, in the last few minutes of cooking time, toss in the shrimp and cook ONLY until the shrimp is opaque and slightly pink throughout. Neither pasta or shrimp do well when overcooked. Drain well, reserving a bit of the pasta water in case needed.

Return to pot and add in freshly grated lemon zest, the juice of 1 lemon, chopped fresh tomato, 2-3 tbsp olive oil and the 4 cups of baby spinach. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If it seems a bit dry, this is the time to add a bit of the pasta water. Parmesan cheese grated over finishes it all off.

Served with the fresh corn on the cob it really is a great meal – quick and easy too.

Angel Hair Pasta with Shrimp, Capers and Tomatoes

Posted on April 12, 2015 by Chatty Kathy

This pasta is quick, light and easy. Most of these ingredients are things I have on hand anyway, so as a last minute dinner it always works – add a fresh, crisp green salad and some garlic toast and your meal is perfect.

Plump juicy shrimp, fresh tomatoes and spring onions combine with capers for a quick easy dinner.

Put on a large pot of water to boil – salt only once it has come to rolling boil.

While waiting for the water to boil, heat a fry pan and stir in:

1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup butter

Once melted, stir in
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
when lightly brown, stir in
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper, stir for 30 seconds and add:
3 pounds large shrimp – shelled and deveined
Stir occasionally and cook only until shrimp are cooked through – around 3-4 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper
Finish with 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice and a knob of butter.

Stir well and set aside.

By now your water has come to a boil and you are ready to cook your angel hair pasta – add a generous amount of salt to water, then pasta (enough for 4). Cook for time listed on your pasta container – being careful not to overcook. Drain – reserving 1 cup of the pasta liquid.

Return the pasta to the pot, toss in the shrimp mixture, including and juices, along with:
2 small tomatoes, coarsely chopped
2 tbsp capers
green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Stir well, adding pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce up a bit and season to taste with salt and pepper.

If you don’t have any frozen shrimp on hand, this works really well with chicken too!

Toasted Crumbs

Posted on January 12, 2015 by Chatty Kathy

Do you ever have left over garlic toast? Bread that is past its “best before” date? Or – as has occasionally happened ….. just forget to take the garlic bread out of the oven to serve??? I can relate to all this very well. Don’t throw it out!

The tastiest use of forgotten or leftover garlic bread is to make bread crumbs. You’ll never buy bread crumbs again!

Allow it to completely dry out by cutting or tearing it into pieces – then spread on a baking tray and just leaving it be. If you want it toastier just put it in a moderate oven (350) and allow to toast a bit more.

When totally dried out, give it a whiz in your food processor, and you have the tastiest bread crumbs – particularly if you are working with leftover or forgotten garlic bread. If you don’t have an immediate use for it, put crumbs in a ziplock bag in the freezer – stays for ages and so handy to have.

~ ~ Melt a little butter in a frypan and crisp the crumbs up – serve sprinkled over pasta!

Asian Noodle Stir Fry

Posted on February 12, 2014 by Chatty Kathy

This is easily one of the simplest noodle stir fry dishes I have made, and packs lots of taste in every bite. I think the secret is the spicy vinegar for the finishing touch!

¼ cup vegetable oil

½ red onion, julienned

1 sweet red pepper, julienned

2 cloves garlic, chopped

⅓ cup oyster sauce

⅓ cup water, mixed in with oyster sauce

2 tablespoons ginger, finely chopped

1 bunch green onion, chopped

Flavoured Vinegar

½ cup rice wine vinegar

2 teaspoons palm sugar (or natural sugar)

1-2 tablespoon chili oil

1 bunch chives, finely chopped

salt

Stir all vinegar ingredients together and set aside – really important to do this to your individual taste – SOME LIKE IT HOT …

Mix oyster sauce with water

Soften egg noodles according to package directions, but be careful not to overcook them.

Heat oil in wok, add onions and saute until softened and translucent, add ginger, garlic and red pepper. Stir fry until just softened.

Add some of the oyster sauce and stir until well combined – add most of the rest of the sauce and stir in the noodles. Stir fry until all the noodles are well coated and heated through – finish with the last drizzle of the oyster sauce.

Serve with chives to garnish. I served the vinegar on the side for everybody to add as they pleased, but it could easily be added as soon as the dish is finished.

This dish is really made for you to experiment with – go green instead of red and stir in chopped fresh spinach or sliced snow peas right before serving and garnish with cilantro, green onions and bean sprouts.

For a complete meal add some prawns or thinly sliced chicken – stir fry with the onion/pepper mixture before adding the noodles.

Sweet Basil Pesto

Posted on September 28, 2013 by Chatty Kathy

I think one of my favorite herbs is basil – always makes me think of summer and freshness – drinking Holy Basil Tea right now in fact!!

3 cloves garlic

4 cups packed fresh basil leaves

1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

1/3 cup finely grated best quality parmesan cheese

2 tbsp lemon juice

2/3 cup olive oil

1 tsp kosher salt

drop garlic cloves into food processor while it is running, continuing with basil, pine nuts, parmesan, lemon juice and salt. Pulse after it is finely chopped, and with motor still running slowly add oil – scrape down the side of the bowl a few times. Do another couple pulses just to make sure it is all finely blended.

This keeps easily in the fridge for up to a week, and will store well in freezer also. Either freeze in small containers, or in ice cube trays. Once they have frozen in the trays, pop them out and store in a ziplock bag.

This makes an amazing pasta dish – toss it with freshly cooked pasta, adding either a bit of the pasta cooking water or heavy cream, whichever is your preference that night!

Other suggestions:

Pizza topping, with prawns and carmelized red onions – sprinkle with fresh spinach

Blend with butter and spread on french bread for an alternative to garlic bread

Top a grilled steak with a tbsp of pesto

blend 1 tbsp with 2 tbsp red wine vinegar & 5 tbsp olive oil for a salad dressing

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Tag Archives: pasta

The BEST meatballs!

Lemon Artichoke Pasta