1 T Fennel Pollen Dipping Sauce (plus more for topping)
1 lb. ground beef
1 t olive oil
1/4 to 1/3 C water
tomato, for topping
lettuce, for topping
4 hamburger buns (for Gluten Free, use GF buns!)
Instructions
Whisk together lemon juice through dressing. Add beef and combine (but don't overmix). Shape into 4 patties. Press each patty in the middle with your thumb to make a slight indent.
Heat skillet over high heat. Add oil. When oil is hot, add patties and turn heat to med-low. Cook covered for 5-6 minutes. Flip, add water to pan, and cook uncovered for 5-7 minutes more (or until beef reaches desired temperature - I prefer mine to be cooked to 160F).
Place on a bun and top with Fennel Pollen Dipping Sauce, lettuce, and tomato.
Originally, I was going to suggest making this dinner for Valentine’s Day. I was going to make heart shaped meatballs. Then I tasted it and it was so yummy and delicious and full of garlic. I love garlic. But, maybe it isn’t the best thing for Valentine’s Day? Unless you’re both eating garlic? Maybe? You can make an educated decision on this one. I started shaping the meatballs, but they kinda just looked awkward, and not really like hearts. So they are just round.
My new idea: just make this. Make it today. Make it for dinner. Or lunch. Is it lunchtime now? I think that’s a perfectly good time to eat Spaghetti and Meatballs.
The meatballs are simple. Since the rest of the meal has lots and lots of flavor, I didn’t feel the need to add too much to these guys. A little mustard, some lemon juice, garlic, yeah, more garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper. They cook up pretty quickly and are nice and tasty. Oh and PS: You could easily flatten them and turn them into sliders (hello Oscar party idea!).
In today’s episode, there are quite a few veggies that co-star. Things like napa cabbage, Korean daikon radish, carrots, and kale… (You could chop them as small as you’d like, or purée them, making them hide-able, if you have any picky eaters in your home.)
I paired it with some Caesar Salad. I could eat this salad for every meal. Ummm, maybe not breakfast. Might not go so well alongside my cereal… but if I’m having eggs and toast??! No. Stop… The Caesar Salad that I make as a side for our dinners is my usual recipe, sans chicken and fava beans.
We had this for dinner last night. Here’s Tim’s response after a few bites, (almost yelling) “Is there more of this?!!???” Be still my heart.
Add pasta to salted, boiling water. Cook according to package directions. Reserve 2 C pasta water before draining*.
Heat skillet. Add 1 T olive oil. When it's hot, add onion, carrot, radish, salt, and pepper. Cook for 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and balsamic vinegar, cook 1 minute more. Add kale, cabbage, herbs, cayenne, tomato sauce, and pasta water. Stir, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 5-10 minutes. Add more water if needed.
Combine beef, salt, lemon juice, dijon, garlic, and a drizzle of olive oil. Using hands, mix (but don't over mix). Divide in 8. Shape each of the 8 pieces into a ball. Heat skillet, add 1 T oil, when hot, add meatballs and flatten ever so slightly. Cook, covered, over medium heat for 5 minutes. Flip and cook, uncovered, for 5-10 minutes more (or until internal temperature of meatball reaches 160F).
Top pasta with sauce, meatballs, parmesan, and basil.
Notes
*If pasta is finished cooking before sauce and meatballs, drain, return to hot pot, toss with olive oil, and cover to keep warm. This works best with whole wheat and not as well with rice pasta.
1/2 to 1 C cheese, grated (creamy jack and cheddar)
Instructions
Pre-heat oven to 350F. In an ovenproof skillet, cook beef. Drain (wipe out pan, if desired) and set aside. Add olive oil to skillet and let it get hot. Add all veggies and seasonings except mustard greens and garlic. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, or until veggies are tender.
Whisk cornstarch with water, dijon, balsamic vinegar, and garlic. Pour over veggies. Stir in beef and mustard greens, and cook for 10 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. If the liquid evaporates too much, add more water.
Remove from heat. Taste, and adjust seasonings if needed. Spread the meat and veggies evenly in the pan (if you weren’t cooking in an oven safe skillet, now’s the time to transfer to a greased, ovenproof dish.) Cover meat mixture with mashed potatoes. Top with cheese and sprinkle with smoked paprika.
Bake at 350F until the potatoes are hot (165F) and cheese is melted. With fresh, hot mashed potatoes, it should only be 10-15 minutes. With cold potatoes, it could be about 30-40 minutes (at least it was for me!).
Notes
Individual pies would also be a fun idea, especially for a dinner party! Great with a simple Green Salad, or Coleslaw. * To roast garlic: Slice the top off a head of garlic. Drizzle with olive oil and wrap in foil. Bake at 350F for 45-60 minutes. Once it’s cool, squeeze garlic from skin.
1/4 to 1/2 C cooked ground beef (I used leftovers)
1-2 C spinach (I used some that I’d frozen from fresh)
1 egg/serving
parmesan cheese, grated, for topping
Instructions
Heat salted water for pasta.
In another pan, heat pan (if you’re using raw meat, cook it now, when it’s almost finished cooking, drain beef, add oil and go to onion step), then add oil. When oil is hot, add onion, carrot, and 1/2 t salt; cook 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add balsamic vinegar, stir in, and cook 1 minute.
Add tomato paste, stir in and cook 1 minute. Add paprika, pepper, 1/2 t salt, beef, and pasta water. Cook 5 minutes. Add spinach and cook 1-2 minutes.
Cook pasta until al dente. Drain and add sauce to pasta. Stir. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Cover and keep warm.
In sauce pan, or a new pan, add a little more oil. Add eggs to pan and cook, covered, over low heat. Flip, turn heat off, and let them continue to cook until yolks are to desired doneness (I like mine “over medium” – whites set, yolks slightly runny).
Serve pasta topped with parmesan cheese and an egg.
Notes
Caesar Salad or Garlic Bread would go great with this dish!
Hearty and warm, this Borscht is a family favorite of ours.
Ingredients
2 T olive oil
1 lb. chuck roast, cut into smallish cubes
4 carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
4 small beets, peeled and chopped
4-6 celery stalks, chopped
1 daikon radish, chopped
3 potatoes, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1-2 T fresh lemon juice
10-12 C chicken or vegetable stock (or mixture of both) (use more or less depending on how thick you want the soup)
2 t salt (or to taste)
pepper (to taste)
Greek yogurt or sour cream (for topping)
Instructions
Pat each piece of beef dry with a paper towel (this helps it to brown better – this step can be skipped if you’re short on time). Heat large soup pot. Add olive oil. When oil is hot, add beef, being sure not to over-crowd the pan. Cook, over medium heat, until beef is browned, about 10 minutes or so. Remove beef from pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Add veggies and salt and pepper to soup pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are getting tender.
Add beef and stock and bring up to a boil. Once it’s boiling, reduce to a low boil or a simmer, and cook 1-2 hours (until veggies are tender), adding more stock or water if it gets too thick.
Add lemon juice. Taste and add more salt if desired.
Serve topped with a dolup of yogurt.
Notes
I serve this with warm rolls or bread, with butter. Perfect for dipping into the soup.
