Menu Wednesday #16 - Meatball Subs

Last week, when I should have been posting Menu Wednesday, I was making the Barefoot Contessa's Meatballs & Spaghetti for Barefoot Bloggers and they were de-li-cious. The recipe made so many big wonderful meatballs that I hadn't finished my first bite before I knew some of the extras would end up in meatball subs. And, I thought, what a perfect menu for this time of year! So here it is -- finally! -- the menu I owed you last Wednesday. When you try it, you'll know it was worth the wait!

MEATBALL SUBS
adapted from Barefoot Contessa Family Style Cookbook
For the meatballs:
1 lb. ground pork
1 lb. very lean ground beef
1 c. fresh white bread crumbs
1/4 c. dry bread crumbs
1/4 tsp. Italian herb blend
2 tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 c. Kraft shredded Parmesan cheese
2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 extra-large egg, beaten
Olive oil

For the sauce:
1 tbsp. good olive oil
1 c. chopped yellow onion (1 onion)
1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 c. good red wine (I used a Merlot)
1 (28-oz.) can crushed tomatoes, or plum tomatoes in puree, chopped
1 tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

For the sandwiches:
8 sub rolls
16 provolone or mozzarella cheese slices

Place the ground meats, both bread crumbs, parsley, Parmesan, salt, pepper, nutmeg, egg, and 3/4 c. warm water in a bowl. Combine very lightly with a fork. Using your hands, lightly form the mixture into 2-in. meatballs. You will have 14 to 16 meatballs.

Pour equal amounts of vegetable oil and olive oil into a large (12-in.) skillet to a depth of 1/4-in. Heat the oil. Very carefully, in batches, place the meatballs in the oil and brown them well on all sides over medium-low heat, turning carefully with a spatula or a fork. This should take about 10 minutes for each batch. Don't crowd the meatballs. Remove the meatballs to a plate covered with paper towels. Discard the oil but don't clean the pan.

For the sauce, heat the olive oil in the same pan. Add the onion and saute over medium heat until translucent, 5 to 10 mins. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more min. Add the wine and cook on high heat, scraping up all the brown bits in the pan, until almost all the liquid evaporates, about 3 mins. Stir in the tomatoes, parsley, salt, and pepper.

Return the meatballs to the sauce, cover, and simmer on the lowest heat for 25 to 30 mins., until the meatballs are cooked through. Slice sub rolls open, but do not separate into two pieces. Warm rolls in a 350-degree oven. Place a slice of cheese inside the roll, spoon in meatballs and sauce and serve immediately.

Serves 8-10 subs. Freeze some to use for spaghetti and meatballs or sandwiches later, if you don't use them all at once.

LEMON GARLIC VINAIGRETTE SALAD
1⁄2 c. extra virgin olive oil
1⁄2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic minced
1 tsp kosher salt
1/8-tsp. fresh ground pepper
Choice of mixed green lettuces

Combine the olive oil, garlic and lemon juice. Slowly add the olive oil whisking vigorously. Add the salt and pepper to suit your taste. Just before serving your dinner, toss a small amount of the vinaigrette with the lettuces.

LEMON ICEBOX CUPCAKES
1 box vanilla wafers
cupcake papers
1 6-oz. can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
1 can sweetened condensed milk (Eagle Brand)
1 small carton Cool Whip

Place cupcake papers in muffin pans. Place one vanilla wafer in each cupcake paper. In a large bowl, combine thawed lemonade and sweetened condensed milk. Fold in Cool Whip. Spoon Cool Whip mixture over vanilla wafers. Freeze for several hours until firm. Serve frozen. Makes 12 cupcakes.

SHOPPING LIST for Menu Wednesday #16
Meatball Subs
Lemon Garlic Vinaigrette Salad
Lemon Icebox Cupcakes

Produce
1 bunch Italian flat-leaf parsley
1 yellow onion
4 cloves garlic
choice of lettuces for salad

Pantry
fresh white bread
1 pkg. (8) sub rolls
plain bread crumbs
Italian herb blend
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
whole nutmeg
olive oil
1 can (28-oz.) crushed tomatoes in puree
Dijon mustard
1 box vanilla wafers
1 pkg. cupcake papers
1 can sweetened condensed milk (Eagle Brand)

Meat
1 lb. ground pork
1 lb. very lean ground beef

Dairy
1 egg
16 slices provolone or mozzarella

Freezer
1 6-oz. can frozen lemonade concentrate
1 small carton Cool Whip

Spirits
1 bottle red wine

Menu Wednesday #12

This week's menu features a thick, hearty Italian-style bean soup inspired by holiday leftovers. I had a partial bag of dried northern beans, some cooked sausage leftover from making pizzas, and some leftover penne from making baked ziti. With the addition of a few vegetables from the fridge and some pantry seasonings, I created the best soup I think I've ever made. Memories of a hearty minestrone at a little Italian restaurant in Chicago, circa 1975, came flooding back to me when I tasted this -- and that's a very good thing.

Soup is not something that normally photographs well, at least for a non-professional like me, but I couldn't resist giving it a try (see the bite out of my sandwich already!) so you could see how thick and hearty it turned out. Even My Favorite Husband, who is often suspicious of bean foods, loved this as much as I did.

I'd enjoy this with a crusty piece of homemade bread, so I've added the recipe for the ever popular No Knead Bread that swept the country a couple of years ago. If you'd like though, a plate of antipasto or a sandwich would make it a perfect meal for bigger appetites. I'll leave that to you. And, don't be afraid to add or subtract to accommodate the leftovers in your fridge -- that's the best part of making soup AND making ends meets for your grocery budget when money is tight right after the holidays.

BEST EVER BEAN SOUP
8 oz. dried northern or cannellini beans
1 c. finely chopped onion
1 c. finely chopped celery
1 c. finely chopped carrots
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
Water
1/2 lb. Italian sausage
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 can diced tomatoes
1 qt. good chicken stock
1 qt. good beef stock
2 cups cooked pasta, cooled – mini penne, macaroni, ditalini, etc.
1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Place dried beans, onion, celery, carrots, garlic and thyme in a large heavy stockpot and add water to 2 in. above beans. Cook on medium-high until beans begin to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook until beans are tender. Be sure to add more water, if necessary to keep beans just covered. Remove Italian sausage from casings and brown in a skillet; drain and add to beans. Add red pepper flakes, tomatoes and enough chicken and beef stocks. Simmer on medium-low heat, until beans get very soft and flavors are well blended. Add cooked pasta and Parmesan and continue to heat over medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring a few times to keep cheese from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with crusty Italian bread, or with a sandwich or salad.

CRISPY CRUST NO-KNEAD BREAD
Adapted from Sullivan Street Bakery

3 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. SAF-instant yeast (red label)
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. water
olive oil (for coating pan and bread)
extra flour or cornmeal (for dusting)

You need two bowls, a wooden spoon, two cotton kitchen towels, plastic wrap, and a heavy pot (I use my 4 1/2 qt. Le Creuset Dutch Oven) or ceramic or glass baking bowl – with a lid.

Mix the flour, yeast and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the water and mix by hand until blended. Coat the inside of a medium mixing bowl with olive oil and put the dough into the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside to rest, at room temperature, for 12 hours.

Dump dough out onto a floured surface and fold it a couple of times. Let the dough rest for about 15 minutes. Take a large cotton kitchen towel (not terry cloth) and dust it with a heavy coating of flour or cornmeal. Shape the dough into a ball and place it seam side down on the towel. Sprinkle the top of the dough with more flour. Cover the dough with a second cotton towel and let it rise at room temperature for
1–2 hours, until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 450–500 degrees. About 30 minutes before ready to bake bread, place a large cast iron pot, or ceramic or Pyrex glass bowl in the oven to preheat. Remove the pot from the oven and place the dough in the pot, seam side up and cover. Bake for 30 minutes; remove cover and bake 15–30 more minutes uncovered, until bread is a nice, rich brown on top.

Cool on a wire rack. Crust will be crisp and make a cracking noise as it cools. Eat the bread right away with butter or olive oil! And then make more!

SHOPPING LIST FOR Menu Wednesday #12
Best Ever Bean Soup
Crispy Crust No Knead Bread

Produce
Onion – 1
Celery – 2 ribs
Carrots – 2
Garlic – 4 cloves

Pantry
Dried beans – 8 oz.
Dried thyme – 1/2 tsp.
Red pepper flakes – 1/2 tsp.
Canned diced tomatoes – 1 can
Chicken stock – 1 qt.
Beef stock – 1 qt.
Dried pasta – 4 oz.
All-purpose flour – 5 c.
SAF instant yeast – 1/4 tsp.
Salt & pepper
Olive oil

Meats
Italian sausage – 8 oz.

Dairy
Parmesan cheese – 4 oz.
Butter

Menu Wednesday #10

The menu this week is so fresh and delicious and easy - perfect for brightening a cold, dreary day! Fish tacos are one of my favorites and, believe it or not, they are not difficult to make at home. Any kind of firm white fish will work, but I like to buy nice IQF pieces of cod because they cut up into such nice bite-size pieces. A quick saute is all that's needed to cook these small pieces of fish. Of course, you can also bake or grill them, if it's warm enough where you live. The coleslaw that goes inside the taco is also quick to make when with chopped coleslaw mix in a bag. You know dessert will be easy, since I'm not much of a baker, so I've chosen a classic Pineapple Upside-Down Cake that uses a good quality box mix and canned pineapple. If you are a baking fool, feel free to make your own cake and cut up your own fresh pineapple - and then call and invite me to your house!

Fish Tacos
1 lb. cod filets
1 lemon or lime – ½ for fish, ½ for coleslaw
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/3 c. flour
3 tablespoons olive oil

Coleslaw for Fish Tacos:
1/3 c. mayonnaise
1/3 c. sour cream
1/2 whole lemon or lime
1 pkg. (16 oz.) coleslaw mix
2 green onions, chopped
2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
kosher salt
freshly ground pepper

12 corn tortillas
olive oil
salsa


Cut cod filets into 1-inch pieces and place in a bowl. Squeeze one lemon half over fish and set aside for about 15 minutes.

While fish is marinating in lemon juice, mix mayonnaise and sour cream in a medium bowl. Squeeze juice from remaining half lemon into mayonnaise mixture. Add coleslaw mix, green onions and cilantro. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Mix together cumin, garlic powder, chili powder and kosher salt. Sprinkle fish with seasoning mixture. Place flour in a Ziploc bag, fill with fish pieces and toss to coat fish with flour. Heat olive oil in heavy skillet (cast iron is good). Shake excess flour from fish and add to skillet. Cook fish until browned and crispy on one side and carefully turn to brown second side.

While fish is cooking, heat flat griddle or heavy skillet and brush with olive oil. Warm each tortilla on griddle and place in a covered dish or aluminum foil in warm oven until ready to serve tacos.

To serve, place fish pieces and slaw on each tortilla, add salsa, if desired, and fold in half.

Note: Fish may also be grilled or baked, omitting flour, if desired.

Baja Pinto Beans
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 c. chopped white onion
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 large jalapeño chili with seeds removed, cut in half
1 tbsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. ground cumin
2 cans pinto beans
2 tbsp. (packed) dark brown sugar
1 tsp. salt

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic, chili, oregano, and cumin; sauté 1 minute. Add pinto beans; cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove chili pieces. Add sugar and salt and continue to cook uncovered until liquid is evaporated. Remove from heat and mash beans with potato masher or fork. Serve.

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
1/4 c. butter or margarine
1 c. packed brown sugar
1 can (20 oz.) pineapple slices in juice, drained, juice reserved
1 jar (6 oz.) maraschino cherries without stems, drained
1 box Duncan Hines yellow cake mix
1/3 c. vegetable oil
3 large eggs called

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In 13x9-inch pan, melt butter in oven. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter. Arrange pineapple slices on brown sugar. Place cherry in center of each pineapple slice and press gently into brown sugar. Add enough water to reserved pineapple juice to measure 1 1/3 cups. Make cake batter as directed on box, substituting pineapple juice mixture for the water. Pour batter over pineapple and cherries. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Immediately run knife around side of pan to loosen cake. Place heatproof serving plate upside down onto pan; turn plate and pan over. Leave pan over cake 5 minutes so brown sugar topping can drizzle over cake; remove pan. Cool 30 minutes. Serve warm or cool. Store covered in refrigerator.

SHOPPING LIST FOR Menu Wednesday #10
Fish Tacos
Baja Pinto Beans
Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Produce
Lemon or lime – 1
Coleslaw mix – 1 pkg. (16 oz.)
Green onions – 2
Fresh cilantro – 2 tbsp.
White onion – 1 sm.
Garlic – 1 head
Jalapeno chili - 1

Pantry
Cumin
Garlic powder
Chili powder
Dried oregano
Kosher salt
Ground pepper
Flour – 1/3 c.
Olive oil – 1 c.
Mayonnaise – 1/3 c.
Salsa – 1 sm. Jar (or 1 sm. carton fresh from produce section)
Pinto beans – 2 cans
Dark brown sugar – 1 1/4 c.
Canned pineapple slices – 1 can (20 oz.)
Maraschino cherries – 1 jar (6 oz.)
Duncan Hines yellow cake mix - 1

Meats
Cod filets – 1 lb.

Dairy
Sour cream – 1/3 c.
Butter – 1/4 c.
Eggs - 3

MENU WEDNESDAY #9

MENU #9 - Turkey is perfect for Thanksgiving, unless you have a very big family. With only one oven, a little creativity is required to cook enough for everyone. Our solution has been two-fold. We fry a turkey outside and bake a ham inside. The ham requires less time to bake than the turkey, freeing up precious oven space for all the other hot foods. And the added bonus is a greater variety of leftovers.

The other bonus - a leftover ham bone is perfect for making Sally's Black Bean Soup, and soup is a good thing to have around for the very busy days between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Serve Sally's Black Bean Soup with a few add-ons, if desired, and some cornbread for a quick and easy one-pot lunch or dinner. This recipe can be reduced to make a smaller batch, or simply freeze leftovers for another time. It is the best Black Bean Soup I've ever tasted - thanks Sally!


SALLY'S BLACK BEAN SOUP
3 1-lb. bags of dried black beans, soaked in water overnight
1 c. olive oil
6 cups onions, diced
8-10 cloves garlic, crushed
1 meaty ham bone (or 4. diced ham)
6 qts. canned chicken broth
2 – 3 tablespoons ground cumin, to taste
1 tbsp dried oregano
3 bay leaves
2 tsp. black pepper
salt to taste
pinch of cayenne pepper
6 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 c. dry sherry (or more to taste)

Heat oil in a large, heavy pot. Add onions and garlic; cook until tender. Rinse and drain beans and add to the pot. Add the ham bone, chicken broth, cumin, oregano, bay leaves, black pepper, cayenne pepper, parsley, brown sugar and lemon juice. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer over low heat, uncovered for several hours. Add the sherry about 30 minutes before serving. Remove the bay leaves before serving! Make a day ahead for the best flavor. Makes a lot! Can be frozen and reheated.

Optional Garnishes for Black Bean Soup:
Chopped Onion or Sliced Green Onions
Sour Cream
Grated Cheese
Chopped Tomatoes
Diced Avocado
Salsa
Jalapenos
Hot Sauce (like Cholula)

SWEET CORN BREAD
1 9-ounce box of cornbread mix (Jiffy)
1 9-ounce box yellow cake mix (Jiffy or divide larger mix)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, prepare the corn muffin mix following directions on the box. In another bowl, make the cake mix following directions on the box. Combine the 2 mixes and stir to blend. Pour batter into a 9-by-12-inch pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cut into squares and serve with Honey Butter. Goes great with soups, especially bean soups and chili. This is similar to the sweet cake-like corn bread served at Marie Callendar’s restaurants in California.

APPLE SPICE DUMP CAKE
2 cans apples or apple pie filling
1 spice cake mix
2 sticks butter, melted
Optional Dessert Toppings: Whipped Cream, Ice Cream or Caramel Sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour apples into 9 x 13” glass baking dish. Sprinkle cake mix over apples. Pour melted butter over cake mix. Bake for about 45 minutes, until top is browned and sides are bubbly. Serve with fresh whipped cream, ice cream, or warm caramel sauce.

SHOPPING LIST FOR MENU #9
Sally's Black Bean Soup
Sweet Corn Bread
Apple Spice Dump Cake

PANTRY
black beans - 3 1-lb. bags

olive oil - 1 c.
chicken broth - 6 qts.
ground cumin - 3 tbsp.
oregano - 1 tbsp.
bay leaves - 3
black pepper
salt
cayenne pepper
brown sugar - 1 tbsp.
lemon juice - 1 tbsp.
Jiffy Corn Bread Mix - 1
Jiffy Cake Mix, yellow - 1
honey - 2 tbsp.
canned sliced apples or apple pie filling - 2 cans
spice cake mix - 1

PRODUCE
onions - 6
garlic - 8 cloves
parsley - 1 bunch

DAIRY
eggs - 3
milk - 1 c.
butter - 3 sticks (3/4 lb.)

MEAT
leftover ham bone (or 4 c. diced ham)

MISCELLANEOUS
dry sherry - 1/2 c. +/-

OPTIONAL SOUP GARNISH ITEMS: chopped onion, sliced green onions,
sour cream, grated cheese, chopped tomatoes, diced avocado, salsa, jalapenos,
hot sauce (Cholula)

OPTIONAL DESSERT TOPPING ITEMS: whipped cream, ice cream, 1 jar caramel sauce