New Recipe!

I think I have made meatballs a few times, just winging the recipe and other times adapting others. Well, tonight I tried a recipe of someone whose cooking I absolutely love, Lidia Bastianich. I really love her food. I have been to several of her restaurants (one's she has with her son and Mario Batali - they really are a great team). In any case, I decided to try her meatball recipe this evening and I am in LOVE.

These meatballs were so moist on the inside and just absolutely delish. The kids liked them too and you know my picky kids (I have one who does not like sauce so I have to rinse the sauce off with hot water - please). My son's only request is that the meatballs have cheese in them and he can actually tell when I have not had it in them.

Here's her recipe:

Spaghetti con Polpette di Carne

Meatballs

1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 pound ground beef
1 cup fine, dry bread crumbs
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped fine
1 large egg
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
All-purpose flour
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Meanwhile, crumble the pork and beef into a mixing bowl. Sprinkle the bread crumbs, 1/3 cup grated cheese, the parsley, and garlic over the meat. Beat the egg with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper in a small bowl until blended. Pour over the meat mixture. Mix the ingredients with clean hands just until evenly blended. Don't overmix. Shape the meat mixture into 1-1/2 inch balls.

Dredge the meatballs in the flour until lightly but evenly coated. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil and the vegetable oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Slip as many meatballs into the skillet as will fit without crowding. Fry, turning as necessary, until golden brown on all sides, about 6 minutes. Adjust the heat as the meatballs cook to prevent them from overbrowning. Remove the meatballs, and repeat if necessary with the remaining meatballs.

Add the browned meatballs to tomato sauce and cook, stirring gently with a wooden spoon, until no trace of pink remains at the center of the meatballs, about 30 minutes. Serve over pasta. Enjoy!

Then I was being a bit ambitious this evening and even baked my family my chocolate chip cookies. They were very happy. I am sure they will be gone by Saturday. I will make more or try something new this weekend. I am thinking about trying Bakerella's cake pops for Maya's Halloween party next week.

Happy Friday!

Amazing Art Show

I think I have told you in the past about my wonderful artist friend Emily.

She can be found here.

Last night I went to her art show in NYC.

I met up with a few of the camp ladies and we went out for the night.

The show was called ParTY.

My FAVORITE, I so love this picture

These are pretty cool too.

I love this piece

Truth is I love all her art. She even had some from what we did this summer which was pretty cool; not only seeing it but seeing people wanting to buy it. She really is talented and she gives me lots of inspiration. There was so much more art there and it was/is all fabulous. It was held at the Prince George Ballroom. One side it has this gorgeous art gallery and the other side it has this beautiful ballroom. The nice Emily told me was that the rental fees for the Gallery portion of the space go to support the Homeless.

It was a fabulous night and after the artist's reception we went for some BBQ at a pretty good place where you go up with tickets, get your food and then come back to your seat. The end of the night the waiter collects your tickets that shows a price for what you ate and done. They had a band, which my friend kept remarking about the "short" Cowboy - ironic since my friend is a petite gal herself.

It was a great night, Bravo Emily!

Zizette

Birds Nest Breakfast

We were invited to have breakfast this morning at a friend's house. Gorgeous day for a lovely breakfast outside on the patio.

I decided to make a breakfast that I have not tried before. I could have gone with my standard Creme Brulee French Toast (but I forgot to buy the necessary bread for the recipe last night).

I made Birds Nests but I think I prefer the name Eggs in a Basket. You decide.

Eggs in a Basket

1 dozen eggs

4 Tablespoons of butter

Cheese (I chose a dill harvarti)

Fresh Dill (again I chose this to pair with my cheese)

Loaf of Whole Grain Bread

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter, grease muffin pan. Take slices of bread and put into the muffin pan as you would a cupcake liner. They will stick out a little. Butter the bread with a silicone brush (easier to clean), crack an egg into each bread basket (it may overflow a little but the bread does absorb a little of the egg). Grate your cheese if you buy a block (I used about 3/4 of the block) and then sprinkle on each egg basket. Bake for about 10 minutes. You can do less, depends on how runny you would like your eggs. Mine were soft not runny.

Remove from oven and season with salt and pepper. Serve warm out of the oven.

ENJOY!

Everyone loved them. I may need to serve that at my Moms and Mimosas brunch next month Thanks Kasey ;) for the idea. Oh, and I forgot to take the after picture all pretty on the platter since I was rushing out to get it to my friend's house while they were warm.

Zizette

Happy Dance

Well, this week I did myself one better, actually two better.

I lost 3 pounds this week!

I have been trying so very hard to do well. I was actually lower before the summer but evidently, I had a good time. :) Consistently I have bee losing 1 pound and this week I did so much better.

So I have been religiously eating my salads every day for lunch and having my 100 calorie snacks, even cut back on my wine during the week (even though some days I really do need it).

I even went to the dr today, regular check up and he even said I was doing well and his scale said the same as my home scale (morning weight) in the evening. Very happy, so I can do my happy dance today. Thanks for the inspiring words from my friends.

Another Good Week

I am so proud again this week.

Even though I am overwhelmed with a new position and in a place where you would think I would splurge I have been able to stick to it and lose the week.

I am down 1.1 lbs this week.

I know it seems slow but as the saying goes, "slow and steady wins the race."

Here's to next week.

Zizette

Thanks Kim

About a week ago my dear friend Kim made a delicious meal that I really enjoy making, Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic.

I think she first introduced it to me last year and when I tried it I knew I loved it. I never felt that it was a difficult recipe and even today I did not feel this way.

I have sort of been MIA a bit lately. The new school year has kicked my booty. Just adjusting to a new situation and staffing has been quite a challenge for me.

So, I am starting to get myself back in the groove. The cooking and baking, the things I want to do and I am not.

I took on the big task of a carnival but I should not have taken it on. It really is too much but I can never say no. The only benefit is that it will be over this weekend and then I can go back to working on myself and my family.

So, this evening I made this fabulous dish. AND I finally took pictures of me cooking along the way (the picture taking is something I want to do better).

Sauteed chicken

The garlic smelled so good (not sure if there are exactly 40 cloves in there)

The final product with all the yummy sauce

I chose to put it over egg noodles to save the time with what the children will eat and I really was not in the mood to make roasted garlic mashed potatoes. Actually that is hubby's signature dish and he was busy using the wet vac on our flooded basement. It was a very good dinner and I am so glad Kim brought it back into my memory.

Enjoy!

Zizette

Bad Mommy Award or Just Evil Mommy?

I think that is what I am in the running for today.

You see I have told my children a little white lie.

Actually I didn't lie, it was an omission, or rather an assumption by them (see I am putting it off on the little lads - bad mommy, huh?)

I decided that my little children needed some variety in their diet.

They love the same foods all the time. I try to have some diversity but they are who they are and I guess it is mostly my fault so now I have to work hard at getting them to eat new foods. The thing is there was a time when my pickiest eater son, did eat any and all foods his nanny, Julie gave him and then one day something changed.

So, tonight I did a trick from the past.

I have done it before but one day got caught so I have not dared to do it again,

until

TODAY

I was shopping and bought Boneless Pork Loin Chops.

You know, the thin ones that you can totally pass off as chicken, specifically Chicken Cutlets?

I did it.

I made the pork cutlets and the kiddies thought they were chicken cutlets. I never said chicken, I just said cutlets. Sam even asked to have his with cheese on top - like his chicken - "No problem" says his evil, I mean Wonderful mommy.

Can you believe they ate EVERY.SINGLE.MORSEL?

They had a fabulous dinner, Pork with Cous Cous and Green beans (fresh from the Farmers Market - more on that later).

Oh yeah, my other time. In the past I have passed off fresh fish fried as a cutlet and the kids have loved it as well, until one day I bought frozen flounder from a favorite place. It was not good, too salty or something off but I did not know until Sam tells me after one bite, "this is the WORST chicken you have ever made MOM!" I said, "No it's not, it's the worst fish I have ever made!" He could not believe I tricked them. For a while he wouldn't eat my chicken and he loves my chicken. So, I had to wait until the memory was out of his head. Today it was. My husband asked if he should tell the kids about the pork, I told him "NO WAY."

So, am I really that bad since I did something good? I am happy they liked it and it gives me more to give them.

Zizette