Spaghetti and Meatballs

Serves 6


Ingredients:


Meatballs:

500g beef
1 egg
2 tablespoons grated parmesan
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3 tabelspoons breadcrumbs
good grind black pepper
1 teaspoon salt


Tomato sauce:

1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 large tomatoes
1&1/2 cup boiling water
pinch sugar
salt and pepper
100ml full fat milk


Method:


For the meatballs:

Just put everything in a large bowl, and then, using your hands, mix to combine, shape them into small balls. Place the meatballs on baking sheets or plates that you have lined with clingfilm, and put in the fridge.


For the tomato sauce:

Put the onion, garlic and oregano into the process and blitz to a pulp. Heat the butter and oil in a deep wide pan, then scrape the onion-garlic mix into it and cook over a low-medium for about 10 minutes. Don't let the mixture catch, just let it become soft. Add the tomatoes, boiling water, pinch of sugar, some salt and pepper, and cook for about 10 minutes.

The tomato sauce will appear thin at this stage, but don't worry as it will thicken a little later. Stir in the milk, and then drop the meatballs in one by one. Don't stir the pan until the meatballs have turned from pink to brown as you don't want to break them up. Cook everything for about 20 minutes, with the lid only partially covering it. At the end of cooking time, check the seasoning as you may want more salt and a grind or two more of pepper.


Enjoy...

Yummy Crab Cakes

Serves 6


Ingredients:

1 pound crabmeat
1 egg, beaten
2 teaspoons yellow mustard
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon crab seasoning
1 cup fresh grated bread crumbs


Method:

- Put crabmeat in mixing bowl. Add beaten egg. Mix lightly. Add remaining ingredients in order listed.

- Form the crab cake mixture into the desired size. Fry in skillet with vegetable oil on medium to high heat (about 1/2-inch of oil in bottom of skillet).

- Fry on one side until golden brown and turn over on other side to get the same.


I normally serve this with a dill-meyo sauce:


1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon fresh dill, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
a dash of tabasco sauce

In a small bowl, whisk together ingredients until blended.


Enjoy...

Great Yogurt Dip

a Greek dip...


Serves 6


Ingredients:

2 cups plain yogurt
2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded
Salt, to taste
4 garlic cloves, mashed or minced
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 to 3 teaspoons lemon juice


Method:

Line a sieve with cheesecloth and place over a bowl. Spoon the yogurt into the sieve and refrigerate for 4 hours to drain.

Meanwhile, using the large holes on a hand-held grater-shredder, grate enough cucumber to measure 1 cup. Spread out the grated cucumber on paper towels, salt lightly and let drain for 15 minutes.

In a bowl, combine the yogurt, cucumber, garlic, mint, dill, olive oil and lemon juice, to taste. Stir to mix well, then season with salt.

Transfer to a bowl and serve as a dip with wedges of pita bread.

Enjoy...

Macaroni and Hamburger

Serves 4








Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef
1 yellow onion, chopped (or you can mix it with green onions as well)
Olive oil
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
Dash crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1 large can of diced tomatoes
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 cups uncooked macaroni


Method:

Put a large pot of hot water on the stove and begin cooking the macaroni until al dente.

In a skillet, brown the ground beef in a tablespoon of olive oil on high heat. Stir only infrequently so that the ground beef browns.

In a large skillet, sauté chopped onion with a tablespoon of olive oil on medium high heat. Add the ground beef and lower the heat to medium. Add a dash of crushed red pepper, seasoned salt, celery seed, canned tomatoes. and Worcestershire sauce.

Bring to a simmer for 5 minutes. Mix in the drained and cooked macaroni and parsley. Simmer for another 5 minutes.


Enjoy...

Stuffed Crab Shells

Serves 8

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1 celery, chopped
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
1 pound crab meat
3 Tablespoons minced green onion, bulbs only
2 Tablespoons minced parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1 egg beaten with 1/4 cup milk
3/4 cup plain bread crumbs
Buttered bread crumbs



Method:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Melt butter in skillet over low fire.
Add onions, celery, and bell pepper and cook slowly until tender.
Add crab meat, green onions, and parsley, and simmer about 10 minutes.
Add salt, pepper, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco and egg-milk mixture. Set aside to cool slightly.
Add approximately 3/4 cup bread crumbs to obtain stuffing consistency.
Stuff crab shells and top with buttered bread crumbs.
Bake 15 minutes, or until lightly browned.


Enjoy...

Home-made Coleslaw ~ WS

Ingredients:

1 small head cabbage, shredded
2 carrots, peeled and shredded

For the dressing:
2 egg yolks
4 Tbs. sugar
1 Tbs. dry mustard
2 to 3 drops Tabasco sauce
4 Tbs. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1&1/2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup white vinegar
2 tsp. ground celery seed
4 Tbs. sour cream

Method:

To make the dressing, in a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks until light in color, then add the sugar, mustard and Tabasco and whisk vigorously.

In a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour to form a smooth paste and cook, whisking constantly, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the water until smooth.

Whisk the egg yolk mixture into the butter-flour mixture, reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring, until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes more. Add the vinegar and celery seed, bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, 1 minute more. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Mix in the sour cream, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

In a large bowl, combine the cabbage and carrots and toss to mix. Add half of the dressing and toss to coat, adding more dressing as needed. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour to let the flavors develop.

Serves 6 to 8.

Enjoy.....


Items to use in this recipe:

Strawberry and Avocado salad

Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup raspberry vinegar (you can use apple vinigar if not available)
1 1/2 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 head romaine, torn into bite-size pieces
1/2 cup mandarin oranges
1 cup strawberries, stemmed and quartered
1/2 cup sliced red onion
1/4 cup coarsely chopped toasted pecans
1/2 avocado, sliced

Method:

Combine the olive oil, vinegar, sugar, hot sauce, salt, pepper and cinnamon in a jar. Shake well & refrigerate for 2 hours. Combine the romaine, orange, strawberries, onion, pecans and avocado in a large bowl.
Top with half the dressing; toss well. Serve with the remaining dressing.


Tip:

De-stem strawberries with a drinking straw. Just push the straw up through the bottom of the strawberry and push through until the stem ops off.