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Italian Meatball Salad

Italian Meatball Salad

We all wished for warmer weather and our wish has come true! So, with warmer weather, and our garden doing very well, it was time to make salad! Italian Meatball Salad!

Our lettuce and spinach has done very well this year. Especially the baby spinach, which is the base for this salad. You can use whatever kind of lettuce you like, but due to our over abundance, I chose baby spinach.

The weather this week has been warm and sticky. I really didn’t want to heat up the kitchen or even cook for that matter. But, we had to eat, so I trudged on. I had some leftover meatballs from another meal in the freezer so, out they came…….but what to have with them? Since they were Italian spinach meatballs……spinach theme……Italian theme? Tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and basil. But what for a dressing? I wanted to keep with the Italianese, and meatballs need marinara….hmmm. I made a basic vinaigrette and added some jarred marinara sauce. A little parmesan cheese and the result………….FANTASTIC! Tim and I both thought it was the perfect dressing for the Italian Meatball Salad……like spaghetti and meatballs……with no spaghetti…..

Now, above all it was easy. Used left overs, I didn’t need to use any thing but the microwave (I heated the meatballs just a bit). It was inexpensive (using my own produce), and best of all it was totally yummy!! So, now that the heat of summer has arrived try this Italian Meatballs Salad for a cool summer meal!

Italian Meatball Salad

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Author: Marty Bpyd
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 2
Category: Salad
Method: No Cook
Cuisine: Italian

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Ingredients

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8 precooked meatballs
6 cups baby spinach
4 slices fresh mozzarella cheese, cut in half
4 small tomatoes, quartered
2 tablespoons shredded parmesan cheese
Fresh basil, chopped for garnish
Ground Italian Seasoning to taste- I use the McCormick grinders
Marinara Vinaigrette

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Instructions

Place spinach on serving platter. Arrange mozzarella,tomatoes, and meatballs on spinach. I used meatballs I had left over from another recipe, but you can buy frozen prepared meatballs.Heat to take the chill off. Grind (or sprinkle if you are not using a grinder) the Italian seasoning over the top of the entire salad. Garnish with parmesan cheese and basil. Serve with Marinara Vinaigrette.

Italian Marinara Vinaigrette

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Author: Marty Boyd
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 2 servings
Category: Salad
Method: No Cook
Cuisine: Italian

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Ingredients

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1/2 cup Marinara Sauce
1/2 cup chopped basil
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons cup Red Wine Vinegar
1 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 cloves garlic
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper to taste

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Instructions

In a blender,small food processor, or a Bullet Blender combine Marinara, basil, parmesan cheese, vinegars, mustard and garlic. Pulse with 1/2 cup of olive oil until blended. Add remaining olive oil and blend until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve at room temperature. Refrigerate to store.

Bacon Egg Breakfast Bread

Bacon Egg Breakfast Bread

Sunday breakfast has alway been a big deal for Tim and I. When we were first dating, we went to breakfast every Sunday morning. We had a favorite place and we had a favorite waitress………..we were Sunday morning regulars………..fast forward three years, we are now an old married couple and we tend to stay home more.

But, Sunday breakfast is still a big deal. We have the usual bacon and eggs, or french toast, or pancakes. But, sometimes we try something new and today was a ‘try something new day’!

I suppose, you could consider this a pizza, but I prefer to call it a Breakfast Bread. Eggs, bacon, and cheese fancied up with cherry tomatoes,basil, and spiced up with just a touch of pepper flakes!

Yeast dough is scary for a lot of you……….don’t be afraid!!!! It is really easy. The dough takes just a few minutes to put together, it has a short knead time (I use my Kitchen-aide mixer, it takes all the work out of it). The rise time gives you time to prep the other ingredients. If you are really afraid of the dough, you can use a pre-made, but give the dough a try you will not be sorry.

Tim and I really enjoyed this Bacon Egg Breakfast Bread……..it will join the list of our Sunday favorites!

Bacon Egg Breakfast Bread

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Author: Marty Boyd
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Yield: 6
Category: Breakfast
Method: Bake
Cuisine: American

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Ingredients

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1¼ teaspoons dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
⅔ cup warm water
1½ cups flour+, plus extra, for dusting
1 teaspoon table salt
½ tablespoon olive oil, plus extra, for drizzling
4 eggs
8 slices applewood smoked bacon, cooked and crumbled
4 ounces cherry tomatoes
1 cup grated swiss
1/4 teaspoon dried re pepper flakes
2 tablespoons basil leaves, chopped

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°F.
Place the yeast, sugar and water in a large bowl and set aside in a warm place for 5 minutes or until bubbles appear on the surface. Sift flour, salt into yeast mixture, add oil and mix to combine. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place dough back in a large bowl, cover with a clean tea towel and set aside in a warm place for 15–20 minutes.
Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to make a 10 inch circle. Transfer to a deep-sided 10 inch cast iron skillet ( you can also use any deep baking dish) lined with parchment paper and push dough up sides.
Crack the eggs onto the dough and top with the bacon and tomatoes. Sprinkle with the cheese, red pepper flakes flakes and basil. Drizzle with olive oil and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden. Serves 4-6.

Notes

You may want to broil for just a few minutes to achieve a really golden top.

Hungarian Goulash

Hungarian Goulash

It’s rainy day……..Thank goodness I got all my shopping done before the rain came. I love to grocery shop! I know a lot of people do not, but it is like an adventure to me. I also am frequently inspired while there. For a small town, our local grocery stores have a nice variety, and a nice supply of Organic items, that I have been inspired to buy.

Tim and I love pork tenderloin, so I was thinking about something with noodles……hearty, with a bit of a kick. So, thanks to the folks at Cooking Light I found just the right recipe. I did change it just a bit, but I’ve got to give credit, as I would never have thought to use pork tenderloin for a Hungarian Goulash.

I remember Goulash as a child was, browned hamburger, tomato sauce, and noodles. One secret ingredient that my Mom always added was brown sugar, it made it slightly sweet. My brother and I loved it like that,and to this day, if I make the hamburger kind I always add the brown sugar. I did not add it to this recipe, but………..maybe next time.

So it was a an easy dish to make, without a long simmer time, since pork tenderloin is a very tender cut of meat. The recipe has chiles that add the heat that Tim likes so well, and smoked paprika that gives it an oaky, smokey flavor…………… all in a nice tomato base.

This is one of those dishes that gets better the next day…………so I’m glad there was some left!

Hungarian Goulash

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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Yield: 4
Category: Main Dish
Method: Cook
Cuisine: Hungarian

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Ingredients

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1 garlic clove, crushed
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds, crushed
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
Non Stick Cooking spray
1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups coarsely chopped onion
1 bacon slice, finely chopped
1 3/4 cups water, divided
1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes with their juice
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
3/4 cup beer
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
3 Hungarian wax chiles, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
8 ounces uncooked egg noodles
1 tablespoon butter
3 tablespoons sour cream
Chopped parsley (optional)

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Instructions

Place garlic in a small bowl; mash with the back of a spoon to form a paste. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, caraway seeds, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper.
Heat a large Dutch oven over high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Combine 1/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, and pork in a medium bowl; toss. Add pork to pan; sauté 6 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove pork from pan.
Reduce heat to medium-high; return pan to heat. Add onion and bacon; sauté 7 minutes or until bacon is done, stirring frequently. Stir in garlic mixture; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add 1 1/2 cups water, tomato, paprika, and beer; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in red pepper and chiles; simmer 15 minutes. Add pork to pan; simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Combine remaining 1/4 cup water and flour in a small bowl; stir with a whisk. Stir flour mixture and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt into pork mixture. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Cook noodles according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Combine noodles and butter in a medium bowl, stirring until butter melts. Place 1 cup noodles in each of 4 shallow bowls; top with 1 cup pork mixture. Top each serving with about 2 teaspoons sour cream. Garnish with parsley, if desired

Notes

Adapted from Cooking Light.