Broccoli Rabe Crockpot Meatballs

Posted on September 26, 2016 by kitchenbelle

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Happy Fall! I am posting this recipe so that I will not forget how much I loved this meal. I rely on Kitchenbelle.com as a place to find our favorite recipes. Whenever I am at a loss of what to cook for dinner, or if someone asks me to bring an appetizer to a party, or I need to make a dessert, I come to this site to find my favorites curated and easily accessible.

SO here we go. I recently made Skinny Taste Broccoli Rabe Crockpot meatballs and instantly fell in love. They are DELICIOUS. And so easy. I made one substitution–instead of the bread I used one cup of oatmeal because my husband is gluten free. I was wary of how it would work but then very pleasantly surprised by the result. The oatmeal gave the meatballs a nice firmness and great texture. And they reheated really well the days following. I served over quinoa and with a side salad. To my future self–do not forget about this recipe!!

Skinny Taste Crockpot Broccoli Rabe Meatballs:

  • 1 bunch  broccoli rabe, washed, stems trimmed off
  • 1 cup gluten free oatmeal
  • 3 tablespoons  milk
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 3 cloves smashed garlic
  • 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 bay leaf
  • salt
  • black pepper
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then add the broccoli rabe. Blanch for about 1-1/2 to 2 minutes, drain well and set aside in a colander to cool. Finely chop 3/4 cup of the florets and leaves (3-3/4 ounces) and set the rest aside for another use
  2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl combine the oatmeal with milk, tossing to coat. Let stand, mixing occasionally, about 10 minutes.
  3. Add the ground beef, chopped broccoli rabe, grated cheese, egg, fresh garlic, salt and pepper. Mix with clean hands, then gently form into 15 meatballs, about 1/4 cup each and transfer to a large baking sheet. Broil on the 2nd rack from the top until the top is golden, about 8 to 10 minutes.
  4. In a small skillet heat the oil over medium heat, add the garlic and cook until golden on both sides.
  5. Pour the crushed tomatoes into a slow cooker. Add salt and pepper, bay leaf and the garlic. Gently place the meatballs into the sauce, cover and cook low 4 to 6 hours or high 2 to 3 hours.

Source: Skinny Taste

 

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Filed under: beef, cheese, Fall, gluten free, ground meat, Main Dish, oatmeal, quinoa | Leave a comment »

Veggie Packed Macaroni and Cheese

Posted on March 28, 2015 by kitchenbelle

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My husband is gluten free and our girls LOVE macaroni. I float somewhere in the middle. I am certainly not gluten free (GIRL SCOUT COOKIES!), however, I  could easily live without pasta. Typically I make a single meal for the four of us, however, sometimes it makes sense to make a big batch of macaroni for the kids that can be reheated for lunches and dinners a few nights in a row. And that is how I came to make this veggie packed macaroni.

This was a huge hit with the little ones! In fact, my oldest yelled, “This is the best meal ever!!!” when I set it on the table. Wow! I wish I received that kind of enthusiasm every night! I had to agree with her–this is darn good. I”ll be honest–I think the wheel-shaped macaroni is a huge selling point. The tiny spokes ooze with the gooey, drippy, melty cheese sauce in the most wonderful of ways. Also, the chunky little circles of pasta are easy for little fingers to pick up and pop in their mouths.

Veggie Packed Macaroni and Cheese:

  • 3 cups uncooked wheel-shaped macaroni
  • 1 cup diced carrots
  • 3 cups broccoli florets
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 small onion, finely diced
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • salt and black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add in the macaroni and diced carrots. Set timer for 9 minutes and cook until your timer has four minutes remaining then add the broccoli. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the timer goes off and/or pasta is al dente. Remove from heat, add in the peas, stir, and reserve 1/3 cup of the cooking liquid. Then, drain the pasta/carrot/broccoli/pea mixture and set aside.

Meanwhile, make the cheese sauce. Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat, then add in the diced onions. Cook until onions are soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk and broth. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly, then reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes, until the sauce is thickened. Remove from heat, and stir in the cheddar, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stir until smooth.

In a large bowl, stir together cooked macaroni/veggies, reserved cooking liquid, + the cheese sauce. Transfer to the prepared 9×13 dish. bake at 350 F for 20 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.

Recipe from The Fearless Homemaker.

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Add the shredded cheese.

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Wisk, wisk, wisk, wisk!

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Drain the macaroni and vegetables.

 

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Cheesy deliciousness and veggies!

Filed under: broccoli, carrot, cheese, Main Dish, pasta, peas | Tagged: , , , | 5 Comments »

Roast Beef Dinner with Cauliflower Rice Mash

Posted on March 8, 2015 by kitchenbelle

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While the skies are certainly brighter these days, winter does not seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. My kitchen is still churning out comfort food and I am trying to be OK with that. Dinners fit a few new requirements nowadays:

1) Tasty when reheated as leftovers

2) Gluten free

3) Toddler/young child approved

This was one of the meals that fit the bill–not to mention roast beef dinner has long been one of my favorite meals. The cauliflower mash is a “great find” as my mom would say. I am forever seeking vegetable sides that my little ones will gobble up and that my husband and I find satiating and delicious. This is a hearty side that pairs well with the beef–it is a similar consistency to mashed potatoes. Unlike the majority of the cauliflower mash recipes floating around the internet, this one contains rice. The rice thickens it yielding a sturdier and more filling puree.

There we have it: A perfect recipe for another cold night.

Roast Beef:

  • 2.5 lbs eye of round or top of round roast, fat trimmed off
  • cooking spray
  • 8 garlic cloves, sliced
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Remove the roast from the fridge about one hour prior to cooking to reach room temperature.

Preheat oven to 500 F. Spray roasting pan with cooking spray.

Pierce the roast with a sharp knife creating holes about 1/2 inch deep and insert slivers of garlic in each hole. Sprinkle salt, pepper, and garlic powder all over roast and place roast in pan.

Roast for 20 minutes at 500 F then reduce heat to 250 F. Roast for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes or until roast reaches your desired cooking temperature.

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Cauliflower Rice Mash:

  • 2 heads cauliflower, chopped
  • 48 oz. vegetable broth
  • 1.5 cups brown rice
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese

Combine all ingredients (except cheese) in a large pot over medium heat. When the liquid comes to a boil, cover with a tight fitting lid. Reduce heat to low and simmer about 20-30 minutes or until rice is cooked and cauliflower is tender. Mash with the back of a spoon until desired consistency is reached. Stir in cheese until melted.

Roast beef recipe adapted from Skinny Taste. Cauliflower adapted from Pinch of Yum.

Filed under: beef, cauliflower, cheese, gluten free | Tagged: , , | 1 Comment »

Pork Tenderloin with Mustard Sauce

Posted on July 16, 2012 by kitchenbelle

When I visited my friend Jenny in Chicago a few months ago, her very sweet boyfriend cooked us dinner so that Jenny and I could drink wine, chat, laugh uncontrollably and reminisce of our days spent riding camels in Australia, soaking in the sulfur baths of New Zealand, gorging on duck fat coated potatoes in France, and trekking through waterfalls in Martinique. (And quite honestly, that barely covers it!)

The meal was so delicious that as soon as my little one and I returned home it was the very first meal I prepared. And I have made iterations of it 3 times since.

While not exactly photogenic (large slabs of meat in brown sauce tend not to be) this recipe was utterly delicious. Jenny’s boyfriend served it with perfectly crisp roasted potatoes. In the photo above I was short on time so I served it with sauteed mushrooms over a bed of quinoa. (The quinoa really soaks up the mustard and pork juice sauce and tastes delicious.)

Wait to add salt to sauteed mushrooms until AFTER they are done cooking. And to boost their flavor, start with some fresh garlic and olive oil in the pan.

This recipe is now a staple in our kitchen. And as always (at least in this household!) a good meal is only partly about the actual food. It’s often about the feelings the food evokes. In this case, the years of memories of great times with a fabulous friend.

Pork Tenderloin with Mustard Sauce:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 pork tenderloins (3/4 – 1 pound each), trimmed
  • Coarse salt and ground pepper
  • 1/4 cup whole-grain mustard
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream

Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Season pork with salt and pepper; transfer to skillet and cook, turning, until browned all over, 5 to 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and cover skillet; cook pork, turning occasionally, until an instant-read thermometer registers 150  degrees. 20 to 25 minutes. Remove pork from skillet, wrap in aluminum foil, and let rest 10 minutes (reserve skillet with juices).  To juices in skillet, add mustards, and sour cream, and any accumulated juices from resting pork; whisk over medium heat until heated through (do not boil). Add water if sauce is too thick. Slice pork thinly and serve with pan sauce.

Pork Tenderloin with Mustard Sauce found here on Martha Stewart.com.

Filed under: Main Dish, mushroom, pork, quinoa | 2 Comments »

Farfalle with My Favorite Color Sauce and Roasted Vegetables

Posted on June 14, 2011 by kitchenbelle

If you can’t tell what color the sauce is from this picture, here are a few clues: 

As far back as I can remember my favorite color has been green.  There isn’t really an explanation except that looking at green makes me happy. One of my best memories from my wedding day is walking down the stairs in my parents’ home to a sea of green dresses worn by my bridesmaids! I don’t just like green, I love it.  Both consciously and subconsciously I choose to surround myself with green. As I was snapping photos of this meal, all of my green things sort of jumped out at me. I knew I had an affinity for the color, but, yikes! Even my three soap dispensers, napkins, place mats, measuring cups, and oven mitts are green!

As my mother-in-law put it, and I agree, this dish is very pretty. The smooth green sauce over a bed of farfalle (bow tie) pasta studded with (red) roasted tomatoes and (more green) asparagus makes for a lovely presentation. The flavor is great too. I created this recipe to be healthy and flavorful. It seems too often that pasta is smothered with thick cream and butter. That is not the case here. The sauce is a puree of peas, olive oil, fresh basil and some pungent parmesan, which makes for a delicate, smooth, and tasty sauce that is not rich with dairy. In fact, there is only one cup of cheese over the two pounds of pasta. 

Tips:

  • Using a different pasta shape than you would ordinarily use adds interest to a dish. Choosing new  pasta shapes is an easy way to spice up an old favorite. Check out these recipes: Papparadelle, Orecchiette, Gemelli, Orzo, Buccatini–they are all fun shapes to try! If the selection at your local grocer is sparse, stop in a specialty shop, like an Italian market. You are likely to find an array of new shapes and sizes.
  • Eliminate chicken and replace chicken broth with vegetable broth to convert this to a vegetarian recipe.

Farfalle with My Favorite Color Sauce:

  • 2 pounds farfalle (bow ties)
  • 2 pints grape tomatoes
  • 2 bunches green asparagus
  • 3 glugs of olive oil
  • 2 shallots, minced
  • 1-16 oz. bag frozen peas
  • 3/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • a handful of fresh basil leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 4 chicken breasts (seasoned generously with salt and pepper, grilled, and cut into 1-inch pieces)

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Fill a large pot with salted water and place on stove to boil.  When water is boiling add farfalle and cook according to package directions.

Slice grape tomatoes in half and place on baking sheet cut side down. Drizzle with a glug of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 12-14 minutes, or until just soft. Remove from oven and set aside. Leave oven on.

Cut off the tough ends of asparagus and throw away. Cut asparagus into 2-inch segments and place on baking sheet. Drizzle with a glug of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 13-15 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside. Turn oven off.

In a large skillet or saucepan warm a glug of olive oil over low/medium heat.  Add minced shallots. Cook until shallots are soft. Add peas to pan and combine with shallots. Cook peas for just a minute–just until they are warm and slightly soft. Remove from heat.

In a blender or food processor combine pea/shallot mixture, 3/4 cup olive oil, 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, 3/4 cup chicken broth, basil leaves, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Puree mixture until smooth.

In a large serving bowl, combine cooked pasta, roasted tomatoes, roasted asparagus, and chicken cubes. Pour sauce on top and gently toss to coat.

Peas with shallots

Roasted tomatoes, roasted asparagus, and grilled chicken waiting to be tossed with the green sauce

 

Delicious and pretty

A Kitchenbelle.com original.

Filed under: asparagus, cheese, chicken, Main Dish, pasta, tomato | 6 Comments »

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