Beer-Simmered Meatballs and Tomato Sauce

Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later. A beer-centric recipe finally made it into a college cooking blog.  Beer & College: one of the universe's mysterious partnerships.

I'm not a huge drinker, though. (My Mom just did the sign of the cross.) I actually think I cook with it more often than imbibe.  It flavors the food and doesn't leave you with a paralyzing fear of barfing everywhere, relegating you to the couch to watch Father of the Bride 1 AND 2 the next morning. 


I saw this recipe on Serious Eats, and knew I had to make it. Their recipe simmers sausages in beer, which would be equally as delicious, but I've got approximately 1 billion turkey meatballs in my freezer. Also, my roommates and I have kept the same case of beer hanging around for six months. I took the liberty of using it, thus lessening the chances for another morning featuring Steve Martin and the gang.

Beer- Simmered Meatballs and Tomato Sauce    Serves: 2
6 fully cooked (premade) frozen meatballs
1/2 can cheap beer
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 small onion, diced
1 (15 oz) can tomatoes, drained if watery
1-2 tsp. dried italian seasoning
Salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese
Freshly chopped parsley
1.) Pour beer into a pot and bring to a simmer. Add meatballs and cook until warmed through, about 10 minutes.
2.) Meanwhile, add olive oil to a pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, italian seasoning, salt and pepper, and a scoop of the simmering beer into the pot. Add warmed meatballs and cook, covered, on low for 15-20 minutes to let flavors combine. Serve with pasta, cheese, and a sprinkle of parsley.

Carrot and Cream Cheese Sandwich

My Mom does not approve of my sandwich choices. I told her about my creation, and the first words out of her mouth were: "oh [excruciatingly long, silent pause]...why?" It's like I told her I ate a dirty-needle and soiled diaper sandwich. I'm a good kid, so if that's her biggest issue, then her life is pretty easy-breezy. What I put between two slices of bread is my decision, Ma!

My body, my choice! My body, my choice! Hey, isn't there another group that uses this mantra? ...My cause is a bit less controversial, though.

This sandwich is a product of me trying to use up leftovers before going home for break. And you know what? It turned out to be really, really good. Next time I might throw in some turkey or chicken, but it's a fine sandwich on its own. Maybe my subsequent lunch will involve *gasp!* zucchini! The horror!

Carrot and Cream Cheese Sandwich   Serves: 1
2 small carrots, shredded
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. parsley, finely chopped
1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Pepper
1 Tbsp. cream cheese, softened
2 slices sandwich bread
1.) Toss carrots in a small bowl with lemon juice, parsley, and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
2.) Place bread on a microwave safe plate and microwave for 10 seconds. Spread on cream cheese and top with carrot mixture. Top with remaining bread slice.

Crispy Pumpkin Polenta Rounds

Polenta was one of those dishes I could never get the hang of. On TV and recipe books, it looks so enticing and versatile:

"Ooo, look. A soft, fluffy cloud to rest this incredible ragu on top of!"
or,
"Ooo, look. Cakes of polenta with crispy parmesan on the outside, and a soft, fluffy middle. Perfect with a salad!"


But, this is how my polenta situation usually turned out:
"Ooh, CRAP! I stirred the cornmeal in too quickly! It's lumpier than Hulk Hogan's body!! Why is this stupid whisk not working? WHY AREN'T THE LUMPS GOING AWAY? Great, I overcooked it and now it's a gelatinous piece of SH..."


You get the idea. But after a little practice, and a little (ok, a lot) of swearing, I finally got it. It's definitely something to try if you've never had polenta before. The trick is you can't do anything too quickly. This is a great recipe to use up leftover pumpkin from Thanksgiving. Just refrain from swearing like a sailor if the fam is still hanging around.

Crispy Pumpkin Polenta Rounds   Makes 2 side-dish servings
1/4 cup cornmeal
1 cup chicken stock
1 T. cream cheese
2 heaping T. pumpkin puree
1 t. olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Parmesan Cheese
Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
1.) Bring chicken stock to a boil in a small saucepan. Add cornmeal in a very slow, steady stream, whisking to get rid of any lumps. Turn heat to low, whisking constantly, and cook for 4-5 minutes (until all liquid is absorbed). Stir in cream cheese, pumpkin puree, and a dash of salt and pepper.
2.) Pour polenta into a small casserole dish. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
3.) Cut rounds of cold polenta from the dish using a cookie cutter or top side of a cup.
4.) Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add polenta rounds. Cook until golden brown on one side, then flip. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Remove once second side is golden. Top with chopped fresh parsley.

Apple Raisin Stuffing

Stuffing and I have not always been good buddies. The first time I tried it, I thought I'd scooped a helping of Thanksgiving scraps that weren't supposed to be eaten. Silly me.

And then, a revelation! My freshman year of college, I suddenly loved stuffing. I began loving a lot of foods my freshman year-- tuna, coleslaw, cheese quesadillas with extra cheese. Come to think of it, that last one didn't love me back so much. Let's just say a communal toilet may have been put out of commission for a few days.

Anyways, since I have no patience (especially when it comes to large holiday feasts), I made this stuffing for dinner. No turkey, just beautiful, warm on the inside, crisp on the outside stuffing. Why did I not like this as a child? Kids these days.

*What's up with the lopsided raisin portioning? Clearly an improper ratio of stuffing to raisins. Don't be like me.
Apple Raisin Stuffing   Makes 2 main-dish or 4 side-dish servings
5 slices white bread, cut in cubes (better if it's stale)
3 T. raisins
1 1/3 cup chicken stock, divided
3 T. butter, melted
1 t. dried thyme
1/2 t. dried oregano
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1 small celery stalk, chopped
1/4 onion, chopped
1/2 apple, chopped
1 cup button mushrooms, sliced
1.) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place raisins in 1/3 cup of hot chicken stock. Set aside.
2.) Toss bread with 1 t. thyme, salt and pepper. Drizzle with melted butter. Spread cubes on a baking sheet and toast for 10-12 minutes.
3.) Add a pat of butter to a skillet, heat over medium heat, and add celery, onion, and apple. Stir around for a minute, then add mushrooms. Sprinkle with a bit of thyme and add oregano. Once mushrooms are browned and veggies tender, remove and set aside.
4.) Heat oven to 400. Combine bread, veggies, raisins (and stock), and remaining 1 cup chicken stock in a buttered casserole dish. Let sit for 10 minutes to allow bread to absorb the stock. Add more stock if too dry.
5.) Bake 30 minutes with foil covering the top, then remove and cook another 15 without the foil.

White Bolognese Sauce

PBS doesn't get enough credit for their shows. Sesame Street is (and always will be) the bomb, but there are other good programs that are ignored for oh, say, Sandra's Semi-Homemade or The Kardashians. 


Lidia Bastianich's show, Lidia's Italy, is the real deal.  She's the italian grandma I'm destined to never have.* Lidia's show will switch between cooking and traveling through Italy, making you want to cook a killer eggplant parmesan while riding a vespa. She featured this white bolognese sauce the other day, and I almost fell off the couch because it looked un-freaking-believable. My lunch that day consisted of a roll (thanks, finals), so basically everything sounded good to me.

Fortunately, my fraying sensory receptors did not deceive me. The recipe is a delicious change from the typical red meat sauce. Lidia used pappardelle pasta with the bolognese, but I couldn't find any. Plus, I had a coupon for 75 cent linguine. But trust me, I didn't suffer too much.

*Unless I marry an Italian Stallion, of course. Call me.

White Bolognese Sauce   Makes 2 hearty servings
1/2 lb. lean ground sirloin
1/2 medium onion, cut in chunks
1 small carrot, cut in chunks
1 small celery stalk, cut in chunks
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 t. butter
1/3 cup white wine
2 t. tomato paste
1/3 cup milk + 2 t. cornstarch
1 cup hot chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1 t. dried italian seasoning
1.) Place onion, carrot, and celery in food processor and mince to an even textured paste (aka a pastata. Fancy!).
2.) Pour oil and butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add pastata and a dash of salt. Cook for around 5 minutes, or until all the liquid evaporates and is beginning to stick to the pan.
3.) Crumble in beef and stir with the pestata. Sprinkle with salt and cook until browned.
3.) Pour in wine and bring to a simmer. Cook for 3 minutes for the alcohol to evaporate. Pour in the milk mixed with cornstarch and tomato paste. Stir around for 1-2 minutes.
4.) Ladle in the hot stock and add bay leaf, italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and cook for 20 more minutes, or until the sauce thickens. Taste and add salt and pepper, if needed. Serve with hot cooked pasta and fresh parsley.

Pumpkin Mashed Potatoes

My Grandma Mea makes the most decadently creamy, buttery, 5 helpings-worthy, "oh-man-I'm-hitting-the-gym-tomorrow", incredibly delicious mashed potatoes.

These aren't those potatoes. But, in my defense, I don't think anyone can re-create her potatoes. She's got that magic starchy touch.

Personally, I would add a dollop of pumpkin to practically anything, but it works exceptionally well in mashed potatoes.  It's a festive update to the traditional side dish.  I'd even consider eating pumpkin mashed potatoes as an accompaniment to my Grandma's mashed potatoes. Now that's a compliment.

Pumpkin Mashed Potatoes   Serves: 2
2 russet potatoes, peeled
2 T. butter
1/3 cup pumpkin puree
Splash of milk (or cream, if you're naughty)
1 T. parmesan cheese
Salt
Pepper
1.) Dice potatoes. Add water and 1 T. salt to a pot, then bring to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until fork tender, about 10 minutes.
2.) Drain potatoes. Mash with the butter, pumpkin, parmesan cheese, and milk. Season with salt and pepper.

Hearty Tomato and Dumpling Stew

I thought I knew my Dad so well. But apparently once you go to college, the secrets come out.

Here's a small synopsis of what I know:
- He had a mustache in the '80s.
- He loves tuna sandwiches.
- He is a chocolate-loving dentist.
- He water-skiis like nobody's business.
- He had a mustache in the '80s.
- He had a mustache in the '80s.

Here's what I recently learned: He doesn't like the restaurant Cracker Barrel.

Wicka-whaaaat? We almost always stopped to eat at Cracker Barrel on road trips. You get a nice, homey meal along with a peg game on each table to keep you entertained.  And hey, there's even a gift shop! My sister and I eventually graduated from the fried shrimp dinner to the chicken n' dumplings. We've been hooked ever since. Their doughy dumplings are incredible. But, lo and behold, my father finally admitted he doesn't care for Cracker Barrel.

Guess I'll have to get my dumplin' fix with this stew from now on. Sans gift shop.

Hearty Tomato and Dumpling Stew   Serves: 2
1/2 T. olive oil
1/2 small onion, diced
1/2 t. cumin
1/8 t. chili powder
1/2 (15 oz) can cannellini beans, drained
1 cup chicken stock
1 (15 oz) can chopped tomatoes
Dumplings:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1 T. butter
1/4 cup milk
1 t. dried italian seasoning
1.) Stir flour, baking powder, italian seasoning, and salt together. Cut butter with a fork in the flour until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in milk until just moistened. (dough will be lumpy). Set aside.
2.) Heat oil over medium heat and saute onion for 2-3 minutes. Add cumin, chili powder, chopped tomatoes, and chicken stock. Season with salt and pepper. Blend with an immersion blender until smooth.
3.) Stir in beans and bring to a boil. Drop dough into the soup by the tablespoon. Cover and let cook for 20 minutes.

adapted from: A Cozy Kitchen

Two-Ingredient Pumpkin Muffins

So I'm sitting in a campus computer lab, working my collegiate fanny off before finals begin in exactly one week. But after making killer progress on my statistics project, my mind is now toying with thoughts of Thanksgiving for two reasons: 1.) it's right after exams end, and 2.) it's the best. holiday. EVER.

Eating all kinds of comfort foods with a crazy, yet lovable, family: my interpretation of the American Dream.

These pumpkin muffins are perfect for Thanksgiving. They're only two, (yes, two) ingredients, so you'll have plenty of time and energy to hunt down, de-feather, gut, and brine your own turkey.  Or maybe just spend a little extra time with the fam.

Oops, no picture. I ate the muffins too fast. I hope this muffin top t-shirt graphic will suffice.

Two-Ingredient Pumpkin Muffins   Makes: 1 dozen
1 15oz can plain pumpkin (not pie mix)
1 box spice cake mix
1.) Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2.) In a large bowl, stir together pumpkin and spice cake mix until well combined.
3.) Spray a muffin tin with non-stick spray, then fill 3/4 way with muffin batter.
4.) Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Quick Italian Beef Sandwich

My neighborhood italian beef-ery shut down for renovations. So, naturally, I developed a wicked craving for an italian beef sandwich approximately 1 hour after it closed. Classic case of not wanting it 'til it's gone.

My Mom's got a tasty recipe for italian beef, but whenever she makes it, we eat the sandwiches for the rest of the week. And we're a family of four. If my calculations are correct, this means I would be ingesting beef sandwiches for about 12 days. This also implies my arteries would cry for mercy and give out.

But this sandwich is perfect for college kids, or anyone, who are feeding only one or two people. The result is pretty similar to a true italian beef, and it's incredibly easy to make. Just in time to study for final exams.

Quick Italian Beef Sandwich  Serves: 2
2 italian sub rolls, split
8 slices deli roast beef, thinly sliced
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 cup roasted red pepper strips
1/2 t. italian seasoning
1 packet au jus mix
1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.) Meanwhile, prepare au jus according to package directions. Add italian seasoning and roast beef. Stir around for about a minute.
3.) Place bread on a baking sheet. Evenly divide the roast beef between the rolls, and add a healthy scoop of au jus over the open sandwiches. (This is supposed to be a messy sandwich!). Top the beef with cheese and roasted red peppers. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until cheese melts and bread is golden brown.
4.) Close sandwiches and serve with au jus dipping sauce on the side.

Healthy Tuna Noodle Casserole

Tuna noodle casserole seems to be one of those dishes people sentimentally revere. It's a comforting reminder of what was served for dinner when they were younger. Yet *gasp!* this was my first experience with tuna noodle casserole. I don't think my childhood suffered too much, but I still wanted to see what the cult-like obsession was all about.

Not that I'm particularly intrigued by cult behavior, or anything. Don't worry, Grandma!

All the recipes I found involved mass amounts of "cream of whatever" soups. Those canned gelatinous globs freak me out. They also do a pretty good job of making me lose my appetite while making dinner. The irony! I found this recipe on epicurious.com. It's a lighter, more grown-up take (ahem, white wine) on tuna noodle casserole, and I think it's still pretty darn delicious.

Healthy Tuna Noodle Casserole   Serves:2
1/4 white wine (use the cheap stuff)
2 t. cornstarch
2 T. butter
1 T. flour
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 t. dried thyme
1 T. cream cheese
1 packet of tuna (the small size)
1/2 cup peas
1 celery stalk, diced
1 small carrot, diced
4 oz. egg noodles, cooked al dente
1/4 cup crushed crackers
1.) Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a loaf pan or smaller baking dish with cooking spray. Whisk wine and cornstarch together in a small bowl.
2.) Add butter to a saucepan and melt over medium heat. Whisk in flour and let cook for 2 minutes. Gradually add milk and whisk constantly until smooth. Add broth, thyme, tarragon, salt and pepper, and whisk until it thickens and boils, about 3 minutes. Add wine and cornstarch. Whisk until it boils and smooths.
3.) Remove sauce from heat and add cream cheese, tuna, peas, and salt and pepper (if needed). Stir in cooked egg noodles and pour into the baking dish. Top with crushed crackers. Bake 25 minutes, or until bubbly.

adapted from: epicurious.com

Spiced Beef Wrap

I'm not a huge meat eater. Don't get me wrong, steak, chicken, and...mmm...bacon are all delicious, but I do just fine without them.  This is most likely because I hate dividing up raw meat for freezing. I also dislike cooking the full pound, then eating pork chops for breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dinner. And sometimes dessert. Blegh.

Yet occasionally a craving hits me so hard that I'm forced to suck up my pansy antics and dig into raw meat. While my stats professor explained frequency distributions to the "question kid" for the 178th time, I dreamed of beef. Ground sirloin with a dash of garam masala, rolled in a chewy wrap with hummus, spinach, and dill yogurt sauce. It was worth every second of the raw meat ickiness.

Spiced Beef Wrap   Serves: 2
1/2 lb. ground sirloin
1/2 t. garam masala (or cinnamon)
Salt
Pepper
1/2 white onion, diced
2 whole wheat wraps (or burrito wraps)
Handful baby spinach
2 T. hummus
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1.5 t. dried dill
1.) Brown ground sirloin in a skillet over medium heat. When evenly browned, remove and set aside.
2.) In the same skillet over medium heat, add diced onion. Cook until translucent. Add beef, garam masala, salt, and pepper, and heat until warmed through.
3.) Assemble wraps. Spread 1 T. hummus in each wrap, top with half the meat, then add a handful of spinach. Roll. Stir yogurt and dill together. Serve as a dipping sauce for the wraps.