Meatballs

There are some foods that just seem yummy, no matter what. Meatballs fit into that category. Check out today's six meatball recipes (and a couple of meatless balls), including a yummy Meatball Sandwich recipe (from Seattle's Macrina Bakery) and Spicy Buffalo-Style Meatballs. Enjoy!

KOREAN BARBECUE-STYLE MEATBALLS

This yumminess is from Kay Chun in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Kay wrote, "These meatballs, inspired by traditional Korean barbecue, bring the savory-sweet flavors of caramelized meat without the need for a grill. As the meatballs bake, the soy sauce marries the garlic and scallions to create a glaze. This meatball mixture can be made ahead and left to marinate in the fridge for 3 hours or even overnight. Use ground beef that is 85 percent lean meat, 15 percent fat, or 80 percent lean and 20 percent fat for juicier meatballs. The Ritz crackers here make for a more tender meatball, but feel free to substitute plain dry bread crumbs. The meatballs are tasty on their own, but for a simple dipping sauce, combine 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar. Serve over steamed rice with kimchi, or as a sandwich with mayonnaise or marinara sauce."

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 20 minutes

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019763-korean-barbecue-style-meatballs.

Ingredients

1/2 cup chopped scallions

2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup finely crushed Ritz crackers (12 crackers)

1 pound ground beef (round or chuck)

Preparation

Heat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients and use your hands to gently mix.

Shape the meat into 12 golf-ball-size rounds (about 2 inches in diameter), and arrange on a greased rimmed baking sheet.

Bake until golden and cooked through, about 15 minutes. Serve warm.

Tips

Leftover meatballs freeze well and can be reheated in the oven at 375 degrees until warmed through (about 20 minutes).

To make the Ritz crumbs, place the crackers in a resealable plastic bag and lightly crush them with the back of a wooden spoon or measuring cup.

MEATLESS-BALL SUBS

Ingredients

1 package Meatless Balls (see note)

1 26 oz. Jar spaghetti sauce

4 hoagie rolls

cheese slices

Directions

Place spaghetti sauce and meatless balls into a good-sized saucepan. Stir, and cook over medium-low to medium heat, stirring occasionally.





Open hoagie rolls, add cheese, cover with meatless balls and sauce.



Makes 4 meatless ball subs.

Note: I use Veggie Patch Meatless Meatballs, though really, you can use any brand you like. I had used another brand for a number of years, but unfortunately, I can no longer find that particular brand anywhere now. Whatever brand you buy is fine, as well as the jarred spaghetti sauce.

MEATLESS MEATBALLS IN MARINARA SAUCE

This is from Melissa Clark, also in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Melissa wrote, “These ‘meatballs’ use plant-based ground meat, and a combination of onions, garlic and tamari give them a satisfying chew and robust flavor. Because there’s no egg for binding, these are slightly more delicate than other meatballs, so use a light touch when shaping them, and make sure the mixture is very cold. Serve them on their own, covered in marinara sauce, or stuff them into hero rolls for sandwiches. They are also excellent over spaghetti.”

Yield: 4 to 6 servings; Time: 45 minutes, plus chilling

This was featured in “The Meat-Lover’s Guide to Eating Less Meat”, and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020740-meatless-meatballs-in-marinara-sauce.

Ingredients

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

1/4 cup minced onion

1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves and tender stems

3 garlic cloves, grated or minced

1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Pinch of red-pepper flakes (optional)

1 1/2 pounds plant-based vegan ground beef (such as Beyond Meat)

Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

3 cups marinara sauce, homemade or store-bought

Parmesan (optional, or use vegetarian Parmesan if you prefer), for garnish

Preparation

In a large bowl, combine bread crumbs, onion, parsley, garlic, tamari, salt, pepper, oregano and red-pepper flakes, if using, and mix well. Add plant-based beef, and blend with your hands until well mixed. Cover mixture and chill for at least an hour or up to 24 hours. (It’s easiest to form the meatballs when the mixture is very cold.)

Heat the broiler. Form 28 meatballs, each about 1 1/4 inches in diameter. Transfer meatballs to one or two rimmed baking sheets, and drizzle with olive oil.

Broil meatballs until golden and firm, 7 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat marinara sauce in a pot. Serve meatballs with sauce on top, showered with cheese if you like and drizzled with a little more olive oil.

SPICY BUFFALO-STYLE MEATBALLS

Recipe Yield: Makes 32 appetizer servings.

View this inline at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/spicy-buffalo-style-meatballs.

Ingredients

1 pound 95% lean ground beef

1/2 cup soft bread crumbs

1 egg, slightly beaten

2 tablespoons chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 to 3 tablespoons hot pepper sauce

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 tablespoon honey

Blue cheese dressing

Celery sticks

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F. Combine ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, onion, garlic, salt and pepper in large bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly.

Shape beef mixture into 32 1-inch meatballs; place on rack in broiler pan. Bake in 350F oven 18 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine hot pepper sauce, butter and honey in large bowl; mix well. Add meatballs; stir to coat.

Serve with dressing and celery sticks, as desired. Makes 32 appetizer servings.

Cook's Tip: Cooking times are for fresh or thoroughly thawed ground beef. Ground beef should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160F. Color is not a reliable indicator of ground beef done-ness.

Cook's Tip: 1 package (about 18 ounces) frozen fully-cooked beef meatballs can be substituted for ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook meatballs according to package directions. Continue as directed in step 3.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 33; Fat: 2 g; Sodium: 78 mg; Cholesterol: 16 mg; Protein: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 1 g

ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP

This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten-emailing-list.

Prep Time 15 minutes; Cooking Time 60 minutes; Serves 10

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef

1 egg, (or 2 egg whites)

1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs

3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons grated onion

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

6 cups chicken broth

6 cups water

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon celery salt

2/3 cup orzo, (tiny rice shaped grains of pasta)

2 cups thinly sliced escarole

grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Combine first 7 ingredients and form into tiny balls, about 1/2 inch in diameter.

Bring 6 cups of water to a slow boil in a stockpot. Add the chicken broth and season with onion powder, garlic powder, celery salt, salt and pepper to taste.

Add the meatballs, and cook for a few minutes until done. Remove the meatballs with a slotted spoon. Add the orzo and cook for about 5 minutes.

Add the escarole. Add the meatballs back to the soup pot, heat and serve.

Top with Parmesan cheese.

Tips

The secret to this recipe's flavor is the cheese, add a tablespoon or two to the finished soup to enhance the flavor!

MEATBALL SANDWICH

This is from Macrina Bakery's emailing list. The bakery, located in Seattle, is one of those places I wouldn't mind visiting, if I ever take a road trip. But since that road trip isn't in the near future, I'll stay on their Recipe of the Month emailing list.

The meatball sandwich recipe starts off with the following: "Meatball sandwiches are a fun way to shake up your weeknight dinner rotation. We play up the flavors in our Italian-style meatballs with a generous slather of pesto and toothsome slices of fresh mozzarella. Our Fresh Herb Roll is strong enough to hold in all of the juices while adding the earthiness of freshly picked herbs and coarse sea salt. Warning: This sandwich can be messy, but it is guaranteed to get a thumbs-up from the whole family!"

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

1/2 cup day-old bread, trimmed of crust and diced into 1/4-inch cubes

1/2 cup milk

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

8 ounces ground turkey

8 ounces ground pork

2 tablespoons tomato paste or ketchup

1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped

1/2 cup Parmesan, shredded

1 large egg

For the sandwiches:

4 Macrina Fresh Herb Sandwich Rolls, 5 ounces each

1/4 cup pesto

12 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced into 8 to 12 pieces

2 cups tomato sauce

Preparation

Makes 4 Sandwiches

Assembling the meatballs:

Preheat the oven to 400°F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place the diced bread into a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over low heat, warm the milk until it starts to boil. Remove from heat and pour over the diced bread. Let the bread mixture stand and cool to room temperature. As it cools, the bread will absorb the milk.

In a skillet over medium, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the garlic and sauté just until fragrant. Set aside.

Add the garlic, turkey, pork, tomato paste, red pepper flakes, salt, basil, Parmesan and egg to the bread mixture. Use a spatula to thoroughly combine the ingredients.

Using a small ice cream scoop or your hands, form 12 golf ball-size meatballs. Place the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

Assembling the sandwiches:

Slice each roll lengthwise and place cut side up on a baking sheet. Brush each half with the remaining olive oil and spread with 1 tablespoon of pesto. Top the bottom halves with 2 to 3 slices of mozzarella.

Warm the bread in the 400°F oven for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

In a small saucepan over low heat, warm the tomato sauce.

Once the bread is removed from the oven, top each bottom half with three meatballs and ladle them with tomato sauce.

Enjoy these sandwiches with a side of mixed greens - and don’t forget a few napkins!

Meatballs

There are some foods that just seem yummy, no matter what. Meatballs fit into that category. Check out today's six meatball recipes (and a couple of meatless balls), including a yummy Meatball Sandwich recipe (from Seattle's Macrina Bakery) and Spicy Buffalo-Style Meatballs. Enjoy!

KOREAN BARBECUE-STYLE MEATBALLS

This yumminess is from Kay Chun in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Kay wrote, "These meatballs, inspired by traditional Korean barbecue, bring the savory-sweet flavors of caramelized meat without the need for a grill. As the meatballs bake, the soy sauce marries the garlic and scallions to create a glaze. This meatball mixture can be made ahead and left to marinate in the fridge for 3 hours or even overnight. Use ground beef that is 85 percent lean meat, 15 percent fat, or 80 percent lean and 20 percent fat for juicier meatballs. The Ritz crackers here make for a more tender meatball, but feel free to substitute plain dry bread crumbs. The meatballs are tasty on their own, but for a simple dipping sauce, combine 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar. Serve over steamed rice with kimchi, or as a sandwich with mayonnaise or marinara sauce."

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 20 minutes

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019763-korean-barbecue-style-meatballs.

Ingredients

1/2 cup chopped scallions

2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup finely crushed Ritz crackers (12 crackers)

1 pound ground beef (round or chuck)

Preparation

Heat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients and use your hands to gently mix.

Shape the meat into 12 golf-ball-size rounds (about 2 inches in diameter), and arrange on a greased rimmed baking sheet.

Bake until golden and cooked through, about 15 minutes. Serve warm.

Tips

Leftover meatballs freeze well and can be reheated in the oven at 375 degrees until warmed through (about 20 minutes).

To make the Ritz crumbs, place the crackers in a resealable plastic bag and lightly crush them with the back of a wooden spoon or measuring cup.

MEATLESS-BALL SUBS

Ingredients

1 package Meatless Balls (see note)

1 26 oz. Jar spaghetti sauce

4 hoagie rolls

cheese slices

Directions

Place spaghetti sauce and meatless balls into a good-sized saucepan. Stir, and cook over medium-low to medium heat, stirring occasionally.





Open hoagie rolls, add cheese, cover with meatless balls and sauce.



Makes 4 meatless ball subs.

Note: I use Veggie Patch Meatless Meatballs, though really, you can use any brand you like. I had used another brand for a number of years, but unfortunately, I can no longer find that particular brand anywhere now. Whatever brand you buy is fine, as well as the jarred spaghetti sauce.

MEATLESS MEATBALLS IN MARINARA SAUCE

This is from Melissa Clark, also in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Melissa wrote, “These ‘meatballs’ use plant-based ground meat, and a combination of onions, garlic and tamari give them a satisfying chew and robust flavor. Because there’s no egg for binding, these are slightly more delicate than other meatballs, so use a light touch when shaping them, and make sure the mixture is very cold. Serve them on their own, covered in marinara sauce, or stuff them into hero rolls for sandwiches. They are also excellent over spaghetti.”

Yield: 4 to 6 servings; Time: 45 minutes, plus chilling

This was featured in “The Meat-Lover’s Guide to Eating Less Meat”, and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020740-meatless-meatballs-in-marinara-sauce.

Ingredients

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

1/4 cup minced onion

1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves and tender stems

3 garlic cloves, grated or minced

1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Pinch of red-pepper flakes (optional)

1 1/2 pounds plant-based vegan ground beef (such as Beyond Meat)

Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

3 cups marinara sauce, homemade or store-bought

Parmesan (optional, or use vegetarian Parmesan if you prefer), for garnish

Preparation

In a large bowl, combine bread crumbs, onion, parsley, garlic, tamari, salt, pepper, oregano and red-pepper flakes, if using, and mix well. Add plant-based beef, and blend with your hands until well mixed. Cover mixture and chill for at least an hour or up to 24 hours. (It’s easiest to form the meatballs when the mixture is very cold.)

Heat the broiler. Form 28 meatballs, each about 1 1/4 inches in diameter. Transfer meatballs to one or two rimmed baking sheets, and drizzle with olive oil.

Broil meatballs until golden and firm, 7 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat marinara sauce in a pot. Serve meatballs with sauce on top, showered with cheese if you like and drizzled with a little more olive oil.

SPICY BUFFALO-STYLE MEATBALLS

Recipe Yield: Makes 32 appetizer servings.

View this inline at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/spicy-buffalo-style-meatballs.

Ingredients

1 pound 95% lean ground beef

1/2 cup soft bread crumbs

1 egg, slightly beaten

2 tablespoons chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 to 3 tablespoons hot pepper sauce

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 tablespoon honey

Blue cheese dressing

Celery sticks

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F. Combine ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, onion, garlic, salt and pepper in large bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly.

Shape beef mixture into 32 1-inch meatballs; place on rack in broiler pan. Bake in 350F oven 18 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine hot pepper sauce, butter and honey in large bowl; mix well. Add meatballs; stir to coat.

Serve with dressing and celery sticks, as desired. Makes 32 appetizer servings.

Cook's Tip: Cooking times are for fresh or thoroughly thawed ground beef. Ground beef should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160F. Color is not a reliable indicator of ground beef done-ness.

Cook's Tip: 1 package (about 18 ounces) frozen fully-cooked beef meatballs can be substituted for ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook meatballs according to package directions. Continue as directed in step 3.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 33; Fat: 2 g; Sodium: 78 mg; Cholesterol: 16 mg; Protein: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 1 g

ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP

This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten-emailing-list.

Prep Time 15 minutes; Cooking Time 60 minutes; Serves 10

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef

1 egg, (or 2 egg whites)

1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs

3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons grated onion

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

6 cups chicken broth

6 cups water

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon celery salt

2/3 cup orzo, (tiny rice shaped grains of pasta)

2 cups thinly sliced escarole

grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Combine first 7 ingredients and form into tiny balls, about 1/2 inch in diameter.

Bring 6 cups of water to a slow boil in a stockpot. Add the chicken broth and season with onion powder, garlic powder, celery salt, salt and pepper to taste.

Add the meatballs, and cook for a few minutes until done. Remove the meatballs with a slotted spoon. Add the orzo and cook for about 5 minutes.

Add the escarole. Add the meatballs back to the soup pot, heat and serve.

Top with Parmesan cheese.

Tips

The secret to this recipe's flavor is the cheese, add a tablespoon or two to the finished soup to enhance the flavor!

MEATBALL SANDWICH

This is from Macrina Bakery's emailing list. The bakery, located in Seattle, is one of those places I wouldn't mind visiting, if I ever take a road trip. But since that road trip isn't in the near future, I'll stay on their Recipe of the Month emailing list.

The meatball sandwich recipe starts off with the following: "Meatball sandwiches are a fun way to shake up your weeknight dinner rotation. We play up the flavors in our Italian-style meatballs with a generous slather of pesto and toothsome slices of fresh mozzarella. Our Fresh Herb Roll is strong enough to hold in all of the juices while adding the earthiness of freshly picked herbs and coarse sea salt. Warning: This sandwich can be messy, but it is guaranteed to get a thumbs-up from the whole family!"

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

1/2 cup day-old bread, trimmed of crust and diced into 1/4-inch cubes

1/2 cup milk

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

8 ounces ground turkey

8 ounces ground pork

2 tablespoons tomato paste or ketchup

1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped

1/2 cup Parmesan, shredded

1 large egg

For the sandwiches:

4 Macrina Fresh Herb Sandwich Rolls, 5 ounces each

1/4 cup pesto

12 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced into 8 to 12 pieces

2 cups tomato sauce

Preparation

Makes 4 Sandwiches

Assembling the meatballs:

Preheat the oven to 400°F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place the diced bread into a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over low heat, warm the milk until it starts to boil. Remove from heat and pour over the diced bread. Let the bread mixture stand and cool to room temperature. As it cools, the bread will absorb the milk.

In a skillet over medium, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the garlic and sauté just until fragrant. Set aside.

Add the garlic, turkey, pork, tomato paste, red pepper flakes, salt, basil, Parmesan and egg to the bread mixture. Use a spatula to thoroughly combine the ingredients.

Using a small ice cream scoop or your hands, form 12 golf ball-size meatballs. Place the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

Assembling the sandwiches:

Slice each roll lengthwise and place cut side up on a baking sheet. Brush each half with the remaining olive oil and spread with 1 tablespoon of pesto. Top the bottom halves with 2 to 3 slices of mozzarella.

Warm the bread in the 400°F oven for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

In a small saucepan over low heat, warm the tomato sauce.

Once the bread is removed from the oven, top each bottom half with three meatballs and ladle them with tomato sauce.

Enjoy these sandwiches with a side of mixed greens - and don’t forget a few napkins!

Diabetic Thursday

It's time for another Diabetic Thursday. Here are six diabetic recipes to help you through the day, including a yummy Pumpkin Roll and Sweet Potato Pie. Enjoy!

GINGERBREAD MUFFINS

Recipe Yield: 12 servings

Source: Equal®

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipe/gingerbread-muffins.

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups Kellogg's Special K cereal, crushed to 1 cup

3/4 cup Equal Spoonful or Granulated*

1/2 cup raisins

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup low-fat buttermilk

2 egg whites

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 tablespoons light molasses

* May substitute 18 packets Equal sweetener

Directions

Lightly coat 12 muffin cups with nonstick spray or line with paper-liners; set aside.

Combine flour, crushed cereal, Equal, raisins, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, baking soda and salt in large mixing bowl.

Stir in buttermilk, egg whites, vegetable oil and molasses until all ingredients are just moistened. Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling 2/3 full.

Bake in preheated 400F oven 18 to 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove muffins from pan and cool on wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 152; Fat: 4 g; Sodium: 273 mg; Cholesterol: 1 mg; Protein: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 26 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch, 1/2 fat

SWEET POTATO PIE

Recipe Yield: Yield: 8 servings

Source: Equal

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/sweet-potato-pie-3.

Ingredients

Pastry for single-crust 9-inch pie

2 cups cooked, mashed sweet potatoes (about 2 Pastry for single-crust 9-inch pie pounds)

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup Equal Spoonful or Granulated*

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 can (12 ounces) evaporated fat-free milk

Light whipped topping (optional)

Grated nutmeg (optional)

* May substitute 24 packets Equal sweetener

Directions

Roll pastry on floured surface into a circle 1 inch larger than inverted 9-inch pie plate. Ease pastry into plate; trim and flute edge. Set aside.

Blend sweet potatoes in mixing bowl on medium speed of mixer until smooth. Stir in eggs, Equal, flour, lemon juice, vanilla, spices, salt and evaporated milk. Pour mixture over pastry shell.

Bake in preheated 400F oven 40 to 45 minutes or until filling is set and sharp knife inserted into center comes out clean.

Cool pie completely on wire rack. Cover and refrigerate. Garnish top of pie with whipped topping and grated nutmeg, if desired. Cut pie into wedges.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 197; Fat: 6 g; Sodium: 316 mg; Cholesterol: 58 mg; Protein: 7 g; Carbohydrates: 28 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 fat

PUMPKIN ROLL

Recipe Yield: Yield: 8 servings

Source: Equal

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipe/pumpkin-roll.

Ingredients

Cake Ingredients:

3 eggs

1 cup Equal Spoonful or Granulated*

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 cup self-rising flour

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Filling Ingredients:

4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, softened

1-1/2 to 2 cups light whipped topping, thawed, if frozen

2 tablespoons Equal Spoonful or Granulated** (or to taste)

* May substitute 24 packets Equal sweetener

** May substitute 3 packets Equal sweetener

Directions

For Cake, beat eggs and 1 cup Equal for 5 minutes in mixing bowl on medium speed of mixer.

Stir in pumpkin and lemon juice. Blend in flour, cinnamon and nutmeg until well combined.

Line a jelly roll pan with waxed paper. Spread batter evenly in pan. Bake in preheated 350F oven 5 to 8 minutes or until wooden pick comes out clean. Cool 3 minutes in pan; turn out onto a cloth and roll up from the narrow end.

Chill in refrigerator until completely cool.

For Filling, beat cream cheese, whipped topping and 2 tablespoons Equal in mixing bowl on medium speed of mixer until smooth and spreadable.

Unroll pumpkin roll and spread with filling. Re-roll. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Slice cake into pinwheels.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 159; Fat: 6 g; Sodium: 341 mg; Cholesterol: 87 mg; Protein: 6 g; Carbohydrates: 19 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 starch, 1 fat

SPICY BUFFALO-STYLE MEATBALLS

Recipe Yield: Makes 32 appetizer servings.

To view this online, go to https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/spicy-buffalo-style-meatballs

Ingredients

1 pound 95% lean ground beef

1/2 cup soft bread crumbs

1 egg, slightly beaten

2 tablespoons chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 to 3 tablespoons hot pepper sauce

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 tablespoon honey

Blue cheese dressing

Celery sticks

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F. Combine ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, onion, garlic, salt and pepper in large bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly.

Shape beef mixture into 32 1-inch meatballs; place on rack in broiler pan. Bake in 350F oven 18 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine hot pepper sauce, butter and honey in large bowl; mix well. Add meatballs; stir to coat.

Serve with dressing and celery sticks, as desired. Makes 32 appetizer servings.

Cook's Tip: Cooking times are for fresh or thoroughly thawed ground beef. Ground beef should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160F. Color is not a reliable indicator of ground beef done-ness.

Cook's Tip: 1 package (about 18 ounces) frozen fully-cooked beef meatballs can be substituted for ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook meatballs according to package directions. Continue as directed in step 3.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 33; Fat: 2 g; Sodium: 78 mg; Cholesterol: 16 mg; Protein: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 1 g

SOUTHWEST MEATLOAF

Recipe Yield: Makes 6 to 8 servings

Source: TBC

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/southwest-meatloaf.

Ingredients

2 pounds ground beef (95% lean)

1 cup soft bread crumbs

3/4 cup finely chopped onion

1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper

1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed

1/2 cup milk

1 egg

1 large clove garlic, minced

2 teaspoons salt

1-1/2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup thick and chunky salsa

Directions

Heat oven to 350F. Combine all ingredients in large bowl except salsa, mixing lightly but thoroughly.

Shape beef mixture into 10 x 4-inch loaf on rack in broiler pan. Bake in 350F oven 1 hour,15 minutes to 1 hour, 20 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 160F.

Let stand 10 minutes. Top with salsa; cut into slices.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 280; Fat: 9 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Fiber: 1.8 g; Sodium: 313 mg; Cholesterol: 120 mg; Protein: 34 g; Carbohydrates: 12 g

SANTA FE CHICKEN

Recipe Yield: Yield: 6 servings

Source: Campbells; Culinary.net and FamilyFeatures

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipe/santa-fe-chicken.

Ingredients

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 1-3/4 pounds)

1 teaspoon minced garlic

4 green onions, minced (about 1/2 cup)

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's Healthy Request Condensed Healthy Request Tomato Soup

1/2 cup Pace Picante Sauce

1/2 cup water

1 can (about 15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup whole kernel corn

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Directions

Stir the chili powder and cumin in a small bowl. Season the chicken with the chili powder mixture.

Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 6 minutes or until browned on both sides. Add the garlic and onions and cook and stir for 1 minute.

Stir in the soup, picante sauce and water and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the beans and corn. Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Sprinkle with the cilantro.

Notes:

This Santa Fe Chicken is a flavorful one-skillet dish and it’s a snap to make. Serving size is 1 piece of chicken and 3/4 cup sauce.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 308; Fat: 7 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Fiber: 6 g; Sodium: 486 mg; Cholesterol: 78 mg;Protein: 35 g; Carbohydrates: 27 g

Meatballs

What's a good way to start a good meal? How about with Meatballs? (Do I have your attention now?) Here are six yummy meatball recipes to get your evening meal started, including Korean Barbecue-Style Meatballs and Spicy Buffalo-Style Meatballs. Enjoy!

ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP WITH TURKEY MEATBALLS

This is from Sarah Copeland in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Sarah wrote, "Classic Italian wedding soup is beloved for its simplicity and satisfaction. This turkey version is lean, while meatballs stay moist by simmering in broth. Start with the most flavorful broth you can get your hands on (homemade is ideal, but store-bought works well too), then pack the meatballs with flavor (garlic and parsley) and staying power (egg, panko and cheese, to gently bind them together). Traditionalists may be tempted to add a small grated onion to the meat mixture, and sweat celery and carrots into the broth, but for a quick weeknight meal, you won’t miss them here. If speed is your game, roll the mixture into 12 large meatballs—or opt for 20 smaller ones if serving kids (mini meatballs will cook through even faster). Either way, finish with a healthy dose of olive oil, lemon, cheese and dill, or any fresh Italian herb you may have on hand."

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 30 minutes

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019925-italian-wedding-soup-with-turkey-meatballs.

Ingredients

12 cups chicken broth

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus additional for greasing and serving

1 pound lean ground turkey

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

1/3 packed cup fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped

1 egg, lightly beaten

3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

3/4 cup orzo, ditalini, acini di pepe or another small soup pasta

3 packed cups baby spinach or kale, thinly sliced

1 lemon, zested and halved

1/4 cup fresh dill, oregano or basil, roughly chopped (optional)

Preparation

Combine the chicken broth and 2 tablespoons oil in a large pot and bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, add the turkey, panko, parsley, egg, garlic, salt, pepper and 1/2 cup Parmesan to a large bowl. Mix with a fork or clean hands until combined. Gently roll the mixture into 12 medium (2-inch) or 20 small (1 1/2-inch) meatballs and transfer to a baking sheet lined with lightly oiled aluminum foil or a silicone baking mat.

Heat the broiler to high and set an oven rack 6 to 8 inches from the heat. Broil the meatballs until brown on two sides, turning halfway through, about 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Add the pasta to the boiling broth and cook over medium until al dente, then lower the heat to a low simmer.

Add the meatballs to the broth and simmer on low until completely warmed through, 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat, and add the spinach and lemon zest, stirring well, to wilt. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Divide the soup among four bowls. Drizzle each with olive oil, sprinkle with more Parmesan and squeeze a bit of lemon over the top. Scatter the dill over the top, or stir in.

VEGETARIAN SWEDISH MEATBALLS

This is from Kay Chun in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Kay wrote, "Cremini mushrooms, chickpeas and bulgur wheat mimic the texture of ground meat in this vegetarian version of the classic Swedish meatball dish. Seasoned generously with allspice and nutmeg and blanketed in a velvety mushroom gravy, they are excellent served over egg noodles or mashed potatoes — or spooned onto a toasted hero (add sliced tangy pickles to balance out the richness). Leftover cooked meatballs can be frozen and reheated in a 425-degree oven until warmed through, about 15 minutes."

Yield: 2 dozen meatballs; Time: 50 minutes.

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020839-vegetarian-swedish-meatballs.

Ingredients

For the Meatballs:

2 tablespoons bulgur wheat

4 cremini mushrooms, stemmed and quartered

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed (about 1 1/2 cups)

1/3 cup plain bread crumbs

1/4 cup sour cream

1 large egg

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

3/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

Canola oil, for greasing

For the Gravy:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups mushroom stock (or vegetable stock)

1 tablespoon sour cream

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Make the meatballs: Heat oven to 375 degrees. Bring 1/4 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the bulgur, remove from heat, cover and let sit until tender, 15 minutes. Drain, pressing to remove excess water. Cool.

Meanwhile, in a food processor, pulse mushrooms until finely chopped with some pea-size pieces remaining (do not purée); transfer to a large bowl. Repeat with the chickpeas: Pulse, then add them to the large bowl. Add the bread crumbs, sour cream, egg, salt, allspice, pepper, onion powder, nutmeg and the cooled bulgur and mix until well blended. Form into 1 1/4-inch meatballs (about 2 teaspoons each; you should have about 24). Arrange on a greased baking sheet and bake, turning halfway, until golden, 18 to 20 minutes.

Make the gravy: While the meatballs bake, in a large nonstick saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, until smooth and lightly golden, 2 minutes. Add stock and bring to a simmer. Cook, whisking, until thickened, 2 minutes. Whisk in sour cream, parsley and mustard; season to taste with salt and pepper (you should have about 1 cup gravy). Add meatballs and simmer, spooning sauce over meatballs, until nakes 32 appetizer servings.

SPICY BUFFALO-STYLE MEATBALLS

View this inline at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/spicy-buffalo-style-meatballs.

Ingredients

1 pound 95% lean ground beef

1/2 cup soft bread crumbs

1 egg, slightly beaten

2 tablespoons chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 to 3 tablespoons hot pepper sauce

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 tablespoon honey

Blue cheese dressing

Celery sticks

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F. Combine ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, onion, garlic, salt and pepper in large bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly.

Shape beef mixture into 32 1-inch meatballs; place on rack in broiler pan. Bake in 350F oven 18 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine hot pepper sauce, butter and honey in large bowl; mix well. Add meatballs; stir to coat.

Serve with dressing and celery sticks, as desired. Makes 32 appetizer servings.

Cook's Tip: Cooking times are for fresh or thoroughly thawed ground beef. Ground beef should be Cooked to an internal temperature of 160F. Color is not a reliable indicator of ground beef done-ness.

Cook's Tip: 1 package (about 18 ounces) frozen fully-cooked beef meatballs can be substituted for ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook meatballs according to package directions. Continue as directed in step 3.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 33; Fat: 2 g; Sodium: 78 mg; Cholesterol: 16 mg; Protein: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 1 g

KOREAN BARBECUE-STYLE MEATBALLS

This yumminess is from Kay Chun in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Kay wrote, "These meatballs, inspired by traditional Korean barbecue, bring the savory-sweet flavors of caramelized meat without the need for a grill. As the meatballs bake, the soy sauce marries the garlic and scallions to create a glaze. This meatball mixture can be made ahead and left to marinate in the fridge for 3 hours or even overnight. Use ground beef that is 85 percent lean meat, 15 percent fat, or 80 percent lean and 20 percent fat for juicier meatballs. The Ritz crackers here make for a more tender meatball, but feel free to substitute plain dry bread crumbs. The meatballs are tasty on their own, but for a simple dipping sauce, combine 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar. Serve over steamed rice with kimchi, or as a sandwich with mayonnaise or marinara sauce."

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 20 minutes

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019763-korean-barbecue-style-meatballs.

Ingredients

1/2 cup chopped scallions

2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup finely crushed Ritz crackers (12 crackers)

1 pound ground beef (round or chuck)

Preparation

Heat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients and use your hands to gently mix.

Shape the meat into 12 golf-ball-size rounds (about 2 inches in diameter), and arrange on a greased rimmed baking sheet.

Bake until golden and cooked through, about 15 minutes. Serve warm.

Tips

Leftover meatballs freeze well and can be reheated in the oven at 375 degrees until warmed through (about 20 minutes).

To make the Ritz crumbs, place the crackers in a resealable plastic bag and lightly crush them with the back of a wooden spoon or measuring cup.

ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP

This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten-emailing-list.

Prep Time 15 minutes; Cooking Time 60 minutes; Serves 10

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef

1 egg, (or 2 egg whites)

1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs

3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons grated onion

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

6 cups chicken broth

6 cups water

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon celery salt

2/3 cup orzo, (tiny rice shaped grains of pasta)

2 cups thinly sliced escarole

grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Combine first 7 ingredients and form into tiny balls, about 1/2 inch in diameter.

Bring 6 cups of water to a slow boil in a stockpot. Add the chicken broth and season with onion powder, garlic powder, celery salt, salt and pepper to taste.

Add the meatballs, and cook for a few minutes until done. Remove the meatballs with a slotted spoon. Add the orzo and cook for about 5 minutes.

Add the escarole. Add the meatballs back to the soup pot, heat and serve.

Top with Parmesan cheese.

Tips

The secret to this recipe's flavor is the cheese, add a tablespoon or two to the finished soup to enhance the flavor!

COMFORT MEATBALLS

This is from Ree Drummond of The Food Network’s The Pioneer Woman.

Total: 2 hr; Prep: 15 min; Inactive: 45 min; Cook: 1 hr; Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Level: Easy

To view this online, go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/comfort-meatballs-recipe-2042533

Ingredients

Meatballs:

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

3/4 cup quick oats

1 cup milk

3 tablespoons very finely minced onion

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Plenty of ground black pepper

4 tablespoons canola oil

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Sauce:

1 cup ketchup

4 to 6 tablespoons minced onion

3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Dash of hot sauce, such as Tabasco

Directions

For the meatballs: In bowl, combine the ground beef and oats. Pour in the milk, and then add the onions, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Roll the mixture into tablespoon-size balls and refrigerate them for 30 to 45 minutes to firm.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Dredge the meatballs in the flour, and then brown the meatballs in batches until light brown. As they brown, place them into a rectangular baking dish.

For the sauce: Stir together the ketchup, onions, vinegar, sugar, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Drizzle the sauce evenly on the meatballs.

Bake until bubbly and hot, about 45 minutes.

Meatballs

There are some foods that just seem yummy, no matter what. Meatballs fit into that category. Check out today's six meatball recipes (and a couple of meatless balls), including a yummy Meatball Sandwich recipe (from Seattle's Macrina Bakery) and Spicy Buffalo-Style Meatballs. Enjoy!

KOREAN BARBECUE-STYLE MEATBALLS

This yumminess is from Kay Chun in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Kay wrote, "These meatballs, inspired by traditional Korean barbecue, bring the savory-sweet flavors of caramelized meat without the need for a grill. As the meatballs bake, the soy sauce marries the garlic and scallions to create a glaze. This meatball mixture can be made ahead and left to marinate in the fridge for 3 hours or even overnight. Use ground beef that is 85 percent lean meat, 15 percent fat, or 80 percent lean and 20 percent fat for juicier meatballs. The Ritz crackers here make for a more tender meatball, but feel free to substitute plain dry bread crumbs. The meatballs are tasty on their own, but for a simple dipping sauce, combine 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar. Serve over steamed rice with kimchi, or as a sandwich with mayonnaise or marinara sauce."

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 20 minutes

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019763-korean-barbecue-style-meatballs.

Ingredients

1/2 cup chopped scallions

2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup finely crushed Ritz crackers (12 crackers)

1 pound ground beef (round or chuck)

Preparation

Heat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients and use your hands to gently mix.

Shape the meat into 12 golf-ball-size rounds (about 2 inches in diameter), and arrange on a greased rimmed baking sheet.

Bake until golden and cooked through, about 15 minutes. Serve warm.

Tips

Leftover meatballs freeze well and can be reheated in the oven at 375 degrees until warmed through (about 20 minutes).

To make the Ritz crumbs, place the crackers in a resealable plastic bag and lightly crush them with the back of a wooden spoon or measuring cup.

MEATLESS-BALL SUBS

Ingredients

1 package Meatless Balls (see note)

1 26 oz. Jar spaghetti sauce

4 hoagie rolls

cheese slices

Directions

Place spaghetti sauce and meatless balls into a good-sized saucepan. Stir, and cook over medium-low to medium heat, stirring occasionally.





Open hoagie rolls, add cheese, cover with meatless balls and sauce.



Makes 4 meatless ball subs.

Note: I use Veggie Patch Meatless Meatballs, though really, you can use any brand you like. I had used another brand for a number of years, but unfortunately, I can no longer find that particular brand anywhere now. Whatever brand you buy is fine, as well as the jarred spaghetti sauce.

MEATLESS MEATBALLS IN MARINARA SAUCE

This is from Melissa Clark, also in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Melissa wrote, “These ‘meatballs’ use plant-based ground meat, and a combination of onions, garlic and tamari give them a satisfying chew and robust flavor. Because there’s no egg for binding, these are slightly more delicate than other meatballs, so use a light touch when shaping them, and make sure the mixture is very cold. Serve them on their own, covered in marinara sauce, or stuff them into hero rolls for sandwiches. They are also excellent over spaghetti.”

Yield: 4 to 6 servings; Time: 45 minutes, plus chilling

This was featured in “The Meat-Lover’s Guide to Eating Less Meat”, and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020740-meatless-meatballs-in-marinara-sauce.

Ingredients

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

1/4 cup minced onion

1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves and tender stems

3 garlic cloves, grated or minced

1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Pinch of red-pepper flakes (optional)

1 1/2 pounds plant-based vegan ground beef (such as Beyond Meat)

Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

3 cups marinara sauce, homemade or store-bought

Parmesan (optional, or use vegetarian Parmesan if you prefer), for garnish

Preparation

In a large bowl, combine bread crumbs, onion, parsley, garlic, tamari, salt, pepper, oregano and red-pepper flakes, if using, and mix well. Add plant-based beef, and blend with your hands until well mixed. Cover mixture and chill for at least an hour or up to 24 hours. (It’s easiest to form the meatballs when the mixture is very cold.)

Heat the broiler. Form 28 meatballs, each about 1 1/4 inches in diameter. Transfer meatballs to one or two rimmed baking sheets, and drizzle with olive oil.

Broil meatballs until golden and firm, 7 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat marinara sauce in a pot. Serve meatballs with sauce on top, showered with cheese if you like and drizzled with a little more olive oil.

SPICY BUFFALO-STYLE MEATBALLS

Recipe Yield: Makes 32 appetizer servings.

View this inline at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/spicy-buffalo-style-meatballs.

Ingredients

1 pound 95% lean ground beef

1/2 cup soft bread crumbs

1 egg, slightly beaten

2 tablespoons chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 to 3 tablespoons hot pepper sauce

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 tablespoon honey

Blue cheese dressing

Celery sticks

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F. Combine ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, onion, garlic, salt and pepper in large bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly.

Shape beef mixture into 32 1-inch meatballs; place on rack in broiler pan. Bake in 350F oven 18 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine hot pepper sauce, butter and honey in large bowl; mix well. Add meatballs; stir to coat.

Serve with dressing and celery sticks, as desired. Makes 32 appetizer servings.

Cook's Tip: Cooking times are for fresh or thoroughly thawed ground beef. Ground beef should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160F. Color is not a reliable indicator of ground beef done-ness.

Cook's Tip: 1 package (about 18 ounces) frozen fully-cooked beef meatballs can be substituted for ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook meatballs according to package directions. Continue as directed in step 3.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 33; Fat: 2 g; Sodium: 78 mg; Cholesterol: 16 mg; Protein: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 1 g

ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP

This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten-emailing-list.

Prep Time 15 minutes; Cooking Time 60 minutes; Serves 10

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef

1 egg, (or 2 egg whites)

1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs

3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons grated onion

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

6 cups chicken broth

6 cups water

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon celery salt

2/3 cup orzo, (tiny rice shaped grains of pasta)

2 cups thinly sliced escarole

grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Combine first 7 ingredients and form into tiny balls, about 1/2 inch in diameter.

Bring 6 cups of water to a slow boil in a stockpot. Add the chicken broth and season with onion powder, garlic powder, celery salt, salt and pepper to taste.

Add the meatballs, and cook for a few minutes until done. Remove the meatballs with a slotted spoon. Add the orzo and cook for about 5 minutes.

Add the escarole. Add the meatballs back to the soup pot, heat and serve.

Top with Parmesan cheese.

Tips

The secret to this recipe's flavor is the cheese, add a tablespoon or two to the finished soup to enhance the flavor!

MEATBALL SANDWICH

This is from Macrina Bakery's emailing list. The bakery, located in Seattle, is one of those places I wouldn't mind visiting, if I ever take a road trip. But since that road trip isn't in the near future, I'll stay on their Recipe of the Month emailing list.

The meatball sandwich recipe starts off with the following: "Meatball sandwiches are a fun way to shake up your weeknight dinner rotation. We play up the flavors in our Italian-style meatballs with a generous slather of pesto and toothsome slices of fresh mozzarella. Our Fresh Herb Roll is strong enough to hold in all of the juices while adding the earthiness of freshly picked herbs and coarse sea salt. Warning: This sandwich can be messy, but it is guaranteed to get a thumbs-up from the whole family!"

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

1/2 cup day-old bread, trimmed of crust and diced into 1/4-inch cubes

1/2 cup milk

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

8 ounces ground turkey

8 ounces ground pork

2 tablespoons tomato paste or ketchup

1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped

1/2 cup Parmesan, shredded

1 large egg

For the sandwiches:

4 Macrina Fresh Herb Sandwich Rolls, 5 ounces each

1/4 cup pesto

12 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced into 8 to 12 pieces

2 cups tomato sauce

Preparation

Makes 4 Sandwiches

Assembling the meatballs:

Preheat the oven to 400°F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place the diced bread into a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over low heat, warm the milk until it starts to boil. Remove from heat and pour over the diced bread. Let the bread mixture stand and cool to room temperature. As it cools, the bread will absorb the milk.

In a skillet over medium, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the garlic and sauté just until fragrant. Set aside.

Add the garlic, turkey, pork, tomato paste, red pepper flakes, salt, basil, Parmesan and egg to the bread mixture. Use a spatula to thoroughly combine the ingredients.

Using a small ice cream scoop or your hands, form 12 golf ball-size meatballs. Place the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

Assembling the sandwiches:

Slice each roll lengthwise and place cut side up on a baking sheet. Brush each half with the remaining olive oil and spread with 1 tablespoon of pesto. Top the bottom halves with 2 to 3 slices of mozzarella.

Warm the bread in the 400°F oven for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

In a small saucepan over low heat, warm the tomato sauce.

Once the bread is removed from the oven, top each bottom half with three meatballs and ladle them with tomato sauce.

Enjoy these sandwiches with a side of mixed greens - and don’t forget a few napkins!

Diabetic Thursday

It's time for another Diabetic Thursday. Today's offerings include Spicy Buffalo-Style Meatballs and Warm Chicken Salad. Enjoy!

QUICK MINESTRONE

Recipe Yield: Servings: 8

Source: Deliciously Healthy Favorite Foods Cookbook

Book Title: Deliciously Healthy Favorite Foods Cookbook

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/quick-minestrone.

Ingredients

1/4 pound lean ham, cut into small pieces

1 can (10-3/4 oz.) condensed onion soup

2 cups canned tomatoes (with juice), cut into pieces

1/2 cup each: diced carrot and celery

1 medium zucchini, diced

1 large clove garlic, minced

1/3 cup minced fresh parsley

1 bay leaf

1/4 teaspoon each: dried thyme leaves, marjoram, basil and pepper

5 cups water

1 cup broken uncooked spaghetti

1 can (15 oz.) cannellini, navy or other white beans, undrained

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

In a large soup pot, combine ham, soup, tomatoes, carrot, celery, zucchini, garlic, parsley, bay leaf, thyme, marjoram, basil, pepper and water. Simmer, covered, for 1 hour.

Add spaghetti and beans with liquid and cook 30 minutes longer. Remove bay leaf. Sprinkle each serving with Parmesan cheese.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 122; Fat: 2.4 g; Sodium: 871 mg; Cholesterol: 6.1 mg; Protein: 8.9 g; Carbohydrates: 17 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Lean Meat, 1 Bread/Starch

SUGAR-FREE BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

This originally came from Diabetic Gourmet, though the recipe is probably more than ten years old. (It was in an email that long ago.) Unfortunately, I no longer have the link to this recipe.

Ingredients

1 cup blueberries, picked over and rinsed

1-3/4 cups plus 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

2 eggs

1/4 cup canola oil

3/4 cup orange juice

1 teaspoon grated lemon or orange rind

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray or line with baking cups.

Lightly coat the blueberries with 2 teaspoons flour by shaking together in a paper bag.

In a large bowl, stir together 1-3/4 cups flour, baking powder, nutmeg, and cinnamon. In a small bowl, beat the eggs lightly. Add oil, orange juice, and grated rind. Add liquid to dry mixture and stir gently. Before the mixtures are fully combined, fold in the blueberries. Fill each muffin cup about two-thirds full. Bake 20-25 minutes.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1 muffin): Calories: 137, Fat: 6 g, Cholesterol: 36 mg, Sodium: 103 mg, Carbohydrate: 18 g, Dietary Fiber: 1 g, Sugars: 3 g, Protein: 3 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Starch, 1 Fat

ROASTED POTATOES WITH GARLIC AND ROSEMARY

Recipe Yield: Makes: 8 to 12 wedges (4 servings)

Source: The New Family Cookbook For People with Diabetes

Book Title: The New Family Cookbook For People with Diabetes

View online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/roasted-potatoes-with-garlic-and-rosemary.

Ingredients

2 large baking potatoes or 3 medium potatoes (1-1/4 pounds total), each cut in 4 wedges

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon crushed rosemary

1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a shallow dish or pan with nonstick pan spray.

Arrange the potato wedges in the prepared pan. Combine the oil, garlic, rosemary, and salt in a small bowl. Brush the potatoes lightly with the oil mixture.

Bake until tender and golden brown, about 1 hour, basting with oil from the pan every 15 minutes.

Notes:

Contains 3g sugars.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 136; Fat: 3 g; Sodium: 155 mg; Protein: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 24 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 Starch, 1/2 Fat

WARM CHICKEN SALAD

Recipe Yield: Yield: 4-1/2 cups (6 servings)

Source: The New Family Cookbook for People with Diabetes

Book Title: The New Family Cookbook for People with Diabetes

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/warm-chicken-salad.

Ingredients

2 cups diced cooked chicken (8 ounces)

2 cups chopped celery

1/3 cup light mayonnaise

1/4 cup slivered almonds

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

2 tablespoons chopped pimiento

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup (about 1 ounce) grated or shredded Swiss cheese

2 cups (2-oz) fat-free or reduced-fat potato chips, coarsely crushed

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 2-quart casserole with non-stick pan spray.

Mix all the ingredients except the cheese and potato chips in a large bowl. Turn into the casserole. Top with the cheese and crushed potato chips.

Bake about 25 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the salad is hot.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 212; Fat: 11 g; Sodium: 439 mg; Cholesterol: 43 mg; Protein: 15 g; Carbohydrates: 13 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1/2 Starch, 1 Vegetable, 2 Medium-Fat Meat

MARINATED ARTICHOKE APPETIZERS

Yield: 24 appetizers; Serving Size: 1 appetizer

Source: The Complete Diabetes Prevention Plan

Book Title: The Complete Diabetes Prevention Plan

View online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/marinated-artichoke-appetizers.

Ingredients

24 marinated artichoke quarters, drained

24 cherry or grape tomatoes

8-ounce block reduced-fat white cheddar or Swiss cheese, cut into 24 cubes

Directions

Skewer one artichoke piece, tomato, and cheese cube onto a toothpick. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 37; Fat: 2.1 g; Saturated Fat: 0.6 g; Sodium: 92 mg; Cholesterol: 5 mg; Protein: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 2 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 1/3 Medium-Fat Meat, 1/3 Vegetable

SPICY BUFFALO-STYLE MEATBALLS

Makes 32 appetizer servings.

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/541.shtml

Ingredients

1 pound 95% lean ground beef

1/2 cup soft bread crumbs

1 egg, slightly beaten

2 tablespoons chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 to 3 tablespoons hot pepper sauce

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 tablespoon honey

Blue cheese dressing

Celery sticks

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F. Combine ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, onion, garlic, salt and pepper in large bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly.

Shape beef mixture into 32 1-inch meatballs; place on rack in broiler pan. Bake in 350F oven 18 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine hot pepper sauce, butter and honey in large bowl; mix well. Add meatballs; stir to coat.

Serve with dressing and celery sticks, as desired. Makes 32 appetizer servings. Cook's Tip: Cooking times are for fresh or thoroughly thawed ground beef. Ground beef should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160F. Color is not a reliable indicator of ground beef done-ness.

Cook's Tip: 1 package (about 18 ounces) frozen fully-cooked beef meatballs can be substituted for ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook meatballs according to package directions. Continue as directed in step 3.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 33; Protein: 3 g; Fat: 2 g; Sodium: 78 mg; Cholesterol: 16 mg; Carbohydrates: 1 g

SPICY BUFFALO-STYLE MEATBALLS

Makes 32 appetizer servings.

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/541.shtml

Ingredients

1 pound 95% lean ground beef

1/2 cup soft bread crumbs

1 egg, slightly beaten

2 tablespoons chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 to 3 tablespoons hot pepper sauce

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 tablespoon honey

Blue cheese dressing

Celery sticks

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F. Combine ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, onion, garlic, salt and pepper in large bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly.

Shape beef mixture into 32 1-inch meatballs; place on rack in broiler pan. Bake in 350F oven 18 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine hot pepper sauce, butter and honey in large bowl; mix well. Add meatballs; stir to coat.

Serve with dressing and celery sticks, as desired. Makes 32 appetizer servings. Cook's Tip: Cooking times are for fresh or thoroughly thawed ground beef. Ground beef should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160F. Color is not a reliable indicator of ground beef done-ness.

Cook's Tip: 1 package (about 18 ounces) frozen fully-cooked beef meatballs can be substituted for ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook meatballs according to package directions. Continue as directed in step 3.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 33; Protein: 3 g; Fat: 2 g; Sodium: 78 mg; Cholesterol: 16 mg; Carbohydrates: 1 g

Double-Post Thursday

Besides being Diabetic Thursday, it's also Double-Post Thursday. Today's offerings include Spicy Buffalo-Style Meatballs and Han Oak Galbijjim. Enjoy!

LAYERED VEGETABLE TORTE

This is from Mark Bittman in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Mark wrote, "Getting this vegetable torte right takes a little time. You really must grill (or pan-grill) or roast all the vegetables well — they have to become quite tender — before assembling the torte. Ultimately, you want the vegetables to almost melt together. Grilling is the technique of choice because it gives the vegetables a hint of smokiness."

Yield: 4 to 6 servings; Time: 1 hour

This was featured in "A Vegetable Torte Starts at the Grill", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1013213-layered-vegetable-torte.

Ingredients

1 large eggplant, cut into 1/4-inch slices

4 medium zucchini or yellow squash, cut into 1/4-inch slices

2 portobello mushrooms, cut into 1/4-inch slices

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, or more as needed

Salt

freshly ground black pepper

2 plum tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch slices

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

1/2 cup bread crumbs, preferably fresh

Preparation

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Put a grill pan over medium-high heat, or prepare a grill; the heat should be medium-high, and the rack about 4 inches from flame. Brush eggplant, zucchini and mushrooms lightly with half the oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper; if roasting, grease 2 baking sheets with oil. Roast or grill vegetables on both sides until soft.

Coat bottom and sides of 8-inch springform pan with oil. Layer a third of the eggplant slices into bottom of the pan, then layer in half the zucchini, mushrooms, tomato, garlic and basil, sprinkling each layer with a bit of salt and pepper. Repeat layers until all vegetable are used. Press the top with a spatula or spoon to make the torte as compact as possible. Sprinkle top with Parmesan and bread crumbs, and drizzle with about 1 tablespoon oil.

Bake torte in oven until hot throughout and browned on top, about 30 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes before removing outer ring of pan, then let cool for another 10 minutes before cutting into wedges.

SPICY BUFFALO-STYLE MEATBALLS

Recipe Yield: Makes 32 appetizer servings.

View this inline at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/spicy-buffalo-style-meatballs.

Ingredients

1 pound 95% lean ground beef

1/2 cup soft bread crumbs

1 egg, slightly beaten

2 tablespoons chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 to 3 tablespoons hot pepper sauce

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 tablespoon honey

Blue cheese dressing

Celery sticks

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F. Combine ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, onion, garlic, salt and pepper in large bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly.

Shape beef mixture into 32 1-inch meatballs; place on rack in broiler pan. Bake in 350F oven 18 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine hot pepper sauce, butter and honey in large bowl; mix well. Add meatballs; stir to coat.

Serve with dressing and celery sticks, as desired. Makes 32 appetizer servings.

Cook's Tip: Cooking times are for fresh or thoroughly thawed ground beef. Ground beef should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160F. Color is not a reliable indicator of ground beef done-ness.

Cook's Tip: 1 package (about 18 ounces) frozen fully-cooked beef meatballs can be substituted for ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook meatballs according to package directions. Continue as directed in step 3.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 33; Fat: 2 g; Sodium: 78 mg; Cholesterol: 16 mg; Protein: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 1 g

SALTED MAPLE PIE

This yumminess is from Margaux Laskey in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Margaux wrote, "Sort of a Yankee riff on the South’s chess pie, this buttery and rich custard pie is adapted from 'Sister Pie: The Recipes and Stories of a Big-Hearted Bakery in Detroit' by Lisa Ludwinski. Use the best dark maple syrup you can find, and don’t forget the flaky sea salt. It takes the pie from simply sweet to sophisticated. Keep on eye on the crust while it's baking: If it’s browning too much for your taste, lightly cover the entire pie with a sheet of aluminum foil for the remaining time."

Yield: 8 to 10 servings; Time: 2 hours, plus chilling and freezing.

This was featured in "The Best Baking Cookbooks of 2018", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019782-salted-maple-pie.

Ingredients

Perfect Pie Crust, prepared for a custard pie and chilled

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/4 sticks), melted and cooled

1 cup dark robust (formerly Grade B) maple syrup

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup fine yellow cornmeal

Heaping 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 large egg yolk, at room temperature

3/4 cup heavy cream, at room temperature

1 1/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 large egg, beaten

Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

Preparation

On a lightly floured surface and using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out a disc of dough into a circle about 1/4-inch thick. Starting at one end, gently roll up the dough onto the rolling pin. Unfurl the dough over a 9-inch pie plate and press it in lightly, making sure it’s lining the plate.

Trim so there’s about 1/2-inch of excess dough hanging over the edge of the pie plate. (If the dough feels warm, refrigerate it for 15 minutes.) Tuck the excess dough under itself so it is flush with the edge of the pie plate; leave the pie like this for a straight-edge finish, or crimp as desired. Freeze for at least 15 minutes. Heat your oven to 450 degrees with the rack on the lowest level.

Remove the pie crust from the freezer, tear off a square of aluminum foil that is slightly larger than the pie shell, and gently fit it into the frozen crust. Fill the crust with pie weights or dried beans (they should come all the way up to the crimps) and place the pie pan on a baking sheet. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven, and bake for 25 to 27 minutes. Check for doneness by peeling up a piece of foil — the crimps should be light golden brown. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. After 6 minutes, carefully remove the foil and beans. You are now ready to fill the pie. Reduce your oven to 350 degrees.

Make the filling: In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter and maple syrup. Whisk in the brown sugar, cornmeal and kosher salt.

Crack the eggs and yolk into another medium bowl. Add the cream and vanilla, and whisk until combined.

Slowly pour the egg mixture into the maple mixture, and whisk just until combined.

Place the blind-baked shell on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush the crimped edge with the beaten egg. Pour the maple filling into the pie shell until it reaches the bottom of the crimps.

Transfer the baking sheet with the pie on it to the oven and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the edges are puffed and the center jiggles only slightly when shaken. It will continue to set as it cools.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer the pie to a wire rack to cool for 4 to 6 hours. Once fully cooled and at room temperature, sprinkle generously with flaky sea salt, slice into 8 to 10 pieces, and serve. Store leftover pie, well wrapped in plastic wrap or under a pie dome, at room temperature for up to 3 days.

CHICKEN ALFREDO PASTA SKILLET

Here's a simple, yet yummy, meal from Betty Crocker that begins, "A scratch dinner done in 40 minutes using just one pan? It’s not too good to be true—but it is so very good! A classic homemade Alfredo sauce gets tossed with cooked chicken, peas and ziti pasta for an impressive meal that you can make on the fly."

Prep Time: 40 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes; Servings: 6

To view this online at the Betty Crocker site, click here.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic

3 cups Progresso™ chicken broth (from 32-oz carton)

8 oz uncooked ziti pasta (2 1/2 cups)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 cups shredded deli rotisserie chicken

3/4 cup frozen sweet peas

Chopped Italian (flat-leaf) parsley, if desired

Directions

In 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat butter over medium heat until melted; add garlic. Cook and stir constantly about 1 minute or until fragrant. Add broth, pasta, salt and pepper; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to medium. Cook uncovered 12 to 14 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente and most of liquid is absorbed.

Stir in whipping cream and Parmesan cheese; cook over medium-high heat 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until bubbly. Stir in chicken and frozen sweet peas; cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly heated through.

Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley.

Expert Tips

Leftover shredded cooked chicken may be used in place of deli rotisserie chicken.

Penne pasta may be substituted for the ziti pasta.

ROASTED AUTUMN VEGETABLE SOUP

This comes from an old Weight Watchers emailing list, and begins, “This warm, comforting soup will stick to your ribs on cold fall days. Roasting the vegetables helps bring out their natural sweetness.”

POINTS® Value: 2; Servings: 8; Preparation Time: 25 min; Cooking Time: 30 min; Level of Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

1 large onion, cut into large chunks

4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces

6 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces

4 cups winter squash, cubed

2 servings cooking spray (5 one-second sprays per serving)

3 cups fat-free chicken broth

1/2 cup fat-free evaporated milk

1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste

1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 400ºF. In a large roasting pan combine onion, carrots, parsnips and squash; coat with cooking spray. Roast for 15 minutes.

Place vegetables in a large pot; add broth and milk. Season to taste. Cook over medium-high heat for 10 minutes to allow flavors to combine. Transfer mixture to a blender or food processor, or use an immersion blender in pot, and blend until smooth, about 4 to 5 minutes. (Puree soup in batches to prevent hot liquid from splatterng, if necessary. Or allow soup to cool before pureeing.) Yields about 1 1/2 cups per serving.

Notes

You can add more water or broth to the pureed soup to achieve desired thickness.

HAN OAK GALBIJJIM

This is from Sam Sifton in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Sam wrote, "This is a home cook’s take on the short-rib stew the chef Peter Cho serves at Han Oak, the beautiful homestyle Korean restaurant in Portland, Ore., that he runs with his wife, Sun Young Park. It is fragrant and sweet, with deep caramelized flavors that come in part from roasting the meat and vegetables separately before combining them in the braising liquid. Cho fries rice cakes before adding them to the stew, but you can just slide them in plain, if you prefer. Either way, the addition of greens at the end gives the dish an exciting brightness, a zip that many galbijjims lack."

Yield: 6 servings; Time: 2 hours

This was featured in "A Secret Ingredient Makes This Chef’s Galbijjim Perfect. Just Don’t Tell Mom.", and cam be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019918-han-oak-galbijjim.

Ingredients

3 pounds mixed root vegetables, such as carrots, parsnips, onions and sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

5 tablespoons neutral oil, like canola or vegetable oil

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

4 pounds bone-in short ribs, cut by a butcher into 2-inch pieces

2 medium-size Asian pears, peeled, cored and diced

1 large red onion, peeled and diced

12 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped

2 tablespoons roughly chopped ginger

3 cups chicken stock

1 12-ounce can Coca-Cola

1/4 cup honey

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup rice-wine vinegar

2 tablespoons gochugaru (Korean chile flakes), or to taste

4 cups roughly chopped kale, optional

1 pound Korean rice cakes, optional

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

3 scallions, trimmed and both white and green parts thinly sliced

3 radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced

Sesame seeds, to taste

Preparation

Heat oven to 425. Toss the root vegetables in a large bowl with 2 tablespoons of oil, and season with an aggressive amount of salt and pepper. Turn the vegetables onto a sheet pan. Put the short ribs in the same bowl, and toss with 1 tablespoon of oil and a lot of salt and pepper, then put the ribs on another sheet pan, bone sides down. Place both pans in the oven and roast, turning the pans once or twice, until the vegetables are soft and caramelized and the ribs are well browned, approximately 40 minutes. Set the pans aside until ready to use.

While the vegetables and ribs cook, place a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, and swirl into it the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. When it shimmers, add the pears, onion, garlic and ginger and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are softened and browning, approximately 15 minutes.

Turn heat to high, add the stock, Coca-Cola, honey, soy sauce, rice-wine vinegar and gochugaru, and bring the mixture to a lively simmer. Cook until pears are tender, approximately 20 minutes. Transfer to a blender or food processor, and purée the sauce until smooth, then return it to the pot.

Add the cooked short ribs and whatever fat has rendered from them to the pot, cover it and cook over medium-low heat for approximately 90 minutes, or until very tender.

When the meat can be flaked from the bone, add the roasted vegetables to the pot, along with the rice cakes. Cook until the vegetables are hot and the rice cakes (if using) are sticky, then add the greens, and stir them around until they have just started to turn tender.

Drizzle with the sesame oil, top with the scallions, radishes and sesame seeds to taste. Serve immediately.

Friday Recipes

It's finally Friday. Here are six yummy recipes to help you through the weekend, including Spicy Buffalo-Style Meatballs and Supreme Pizza Lasagna. Enjoy!

COLD CANDIED ORANGES

This is from Gabrielle Hamilton in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Gabrielle wrote, "Slowly poaching fresh, firm seedless oranges in a light sugar syrup is a simple yet magical kind of alchemy. You still end up with oranges, yes, but now they are glistening jewels — cooked but juicy, candied but fresh, bitter but sweet — that make an uncommonly elegant and refreshing dessert after a heavy winter meal. These cold candied oranges keep up to a month in the refrigerator, and any that are left over can be delicious with thick yogurt in the morning, or beside a cup of mint tea in the afternoon. But in every case, they are most bracing and most delicious when super cold."

Yield: 6 candied oranges; Time: 2 hours, plus curing and cooling

This was featured in "End Your Meal Elegantly With Candied Oranges", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020812-cold-candied-oranges.

Note: I highly recommend going to the "featured in" article. I found it to be a short but fascinating read.

Ingredients

6 firm, juicy, seedless oranges with thin skins (recently I’ve been using Cara Cara oranges), no bigger than a baseball

6 cups granulated sugar

Preparation

Bring a stainless-steel pot of water to a boil. (It should be large enough to hold the oranges submerged.)

Wash and dry the oranges, and channel from stem to navel at 1/2-inch intervals, removing strips of peel while leaving the pith intact, until the oranges resemble those onion domes on Russian churches. (You need a good, sharp channeler, not a tiny-toothed zester for this one.)

Place the oranges and their long, fat threads of channeled peel into the boiling water, and reduce to a simmer. Cover the oranges with a lid one size too small for the pot, to keep them submerged. Let them blanch for about 25 minutes to remove the harshest edge of their bitter nature. They should swell and soften but not collapse or split.

Remove the oranges and zest from the simmering water with a slotted spoon, and set aside. Dump out the blanching water, and return the dry pot to the stove.

In that same pot, combine the sugar with 6 cups water; bring the sugar water to a boil over medium-high, stirring until the sugar has dissolved, then allow to gently boil, and reduce for 10 minutes, uncovered. You want some water to evaporate and for the syrup to take on a little body.

Carefully place blanched oranges and zest into the sugar syrup, and reduce heat to a very slow, lethargic simmer. Cover oranges with a parchment circle cut slightly larger than the circumference of the pot (by 1 inch is enough), then place the too-small lid on top of the parchment on top of the oranges, to keep them fully submerged (and sealed under the parchment) in the sluggishly simmering syrup.

Cook the oranges in the syrup for about 45 minutes, checking on them frequently to keep the temperature quite slow and stable, until they take on a high gloss and appear vaguely translucent and jewel-like. (We have several induction burners that come with features that can hold a temperature, and I leave the oranges at around 170 degrees for most of the candying, sometimes with a little bump up to 180. But without a thermometer or an induction burner, just a visual slow, slow, slow bubble is a good cue.)

Cool oranges and peels in their syrup for a full 24 hours before serving. This kind of “cures” them. They get even better after 48 hours. First, you’ll want to let them cool at room temperature until no longer warm to the touch, at least 4 hours, then refrigerate them until thoroughly chilled. The oranges last refrigerated for 1 month as long as they are submerged in that syrup.

Serve very cold. Eat the whole thing, skin and all, with a knife and fork. It’s like a half glacéed fruit and half fresh fruit — refreshing, tonic, digestive and so great after dinner.

SUPREME PIZZA LASAGNA

This is from Ree Drummond of the Food Network's The Pioneer Woman.

Active Time: 55 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes; Yield: 12 servings; Level: Intermediate

To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/supreme-pizza-lasagna-2316523.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 pounds Italian sausage

1 pound ground beef

12 ounces sliced pepperoni

1 pound mushrooms, sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 green bell peppers, diced

2 red bell peppers, diced

1 large onion, diced

One 28-ounce can whole tomatoes

One 15-ounce can tomato paste

1/4 cup prepared pesto

1/3 cup finely minced fresh parsley

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 cup sliced black olives

30 ounces whole-milk ricotta

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus extra for sprinkling

8 lasagna noodles, cooked until al dente

24 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into thin slices

Directions

Drizzle the olive oil into a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the sausage, ground beef and pepperoni and stir, breaking the meat up as it begins to cook. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until brown, and then remove the meat to a plate.

Add the mushrooms, garlic, bell peppers and onions to the pot and saute until the mushrooms have softened and the others have some color. Add the meat back in along with the tomatoes, tomato paste, pesto, half the parsley, 1 teaspoon of the salt, 1/2 teaspoon of the black pepper and the crushed red pepper flakes. Stir, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes. Add the black olives and stir.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

To make the cheese mixture: Combine the ricotta and eggs in a large bowl. Add the Parmesan, the rest of the parsley and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stir the mixture until totally combined.

To assemble the lasagna: Overlap 4 lasagna noodles in the bottom of a large rectangular baking dish. Spoon half the cheese mixture over the noodles and smooth it out into a flat layer. Lay half of the mozzarella slices on top followed by half of the meat sauce. Repeat these layers once more and top with some extra Parmesan. Bake until heated through and bubbly on the top, 40 to 45 minutes.

Cook’s Note

The lasagna can be made up to 2 days ahead of time and stored in the fridge, unbaked. It can also be frozen, unbaked. Just thaw before you're ready to bake it.

LAYERED VEGETABLE TORTE

This is from Mark Bittman in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Mark wrote, "Getting this vegetable torte right takes a little time. You really must grill (or pan-grill) or roast all the vegetables well — they have to become quite tender — before assembling the torte. Ultimately, you want the vegetables to almost melt together. Grilling is the technique of choice because it gives the vegetables a hint of smokiness."

Yield: 4 to 6 servings; Time: 1 hour

This was featured in "A Vegetable Torte Starts at the Grill", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1013213-layered-vegetable-torte.

Ingredients

1 large eggplant, cut into 1/4-inch slices

4 medium zucchini or yellow squash, cut into 1/4-inch slices

2 portobello mushrooms, cut into 1/4-inch slices

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, or more as needed

Salt

freshly ground black pepper

2 plum tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch slices

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

1/2 cup bread crumbs, preferably fresh

Preparation

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Put a grill pan over medium-high heat, or prepare a grill; the heat should be medium-high, and the rack about 4 inches from flame. Brush eggplant, zucchini and mushrooms lightly with half the oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper; if roasting, grease 2 baking sheets with oil. Roast or grill vegetables on both sides until soft.

Coat bottom and sides of 8-inch springform pan with oil. Layer a third of the eggplant slices into bottom of the pan, then layer in half the zucchini, mushrooms, tomato, garlic and basil, sprinkling each layer with a bit of salt and pepper. Repeat layers until all vegetable are used. Press the top with a spatula or spoon to make the torte as compact as possible. Sprinkle top with Parmesan and bread crumbs, and drizzle with about 1 tablespoon oil.

Bake torte in oven until hot throughout and browned on top, about 30 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes before removing outer ring of pan, then let cool for another 10 minutes before cutting into wedges.

INSTANT POT® HAMBURGER SOUP

This is from Angela Giannetti Snyder on AllRecipes. She wrote, "Easy and delicious soup with a nice thickness. You can make it in the Instant Pot® or on the stovetop. When this cools, it will be very thick, but it thins out when reheated. Freezes very well."

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 45 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes; Makes: 8 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/268565/instant-pot-hamburger-soup/.

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

1 medium onion, finely chopped

3 (14.5 ounce) cans beef consomme

1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes

2 cups water

1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed tomato soup

Campbell's® Condensed Tomato Soup

4 carrots, finely chopped

3 stalks celery, finely chopped

4 tablespoons pearl barley

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 bay leaf

Directions

Turn on a multi-functional pressure cooker (such as Instant Pot(R)) and select Saute function. Cook and stir beef and onion until browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Pour in beef consomme, tomatoes, water, and tomato soup. Add carrots, celery, barley, thyme, and bay leaf.

Close and lock the lid. Select Soup function; set timer for 30 minutes. Allow 10 to 15 minutes for pressure to build.

Release pressure using the natural-release method according to manufacturer's instructions, about 10 minutes.

Cook's Note:

If you're making it on the stovetop, brown ground beef and onion together, then add the remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer for at least 2 hours.

SPICY BUFFALO-STYLE MEATBALLS

Recipe Yield: Makes 32 appetizer servings.

View this inline at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/spicy-buffalo-style-meatballs.

Ingredients

1 pound 95% lean ground beef

1/2 cup soft bread crumbs

1 egg, slightly beaten

2 tablespoons chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 to 3 tablespoons hot pepper sauce

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 tablespoon honey

Blue cheese dressing

Celery sticks

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F. Combine ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, onion, garlic, salt and pepper in large bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly.

Shape beef mixture into 32 1-inch meatballs; place on rack in broiler pan. Bake in 350F oven 18 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine hot pepper sauce, butter and honey in large bowl; mix well. Add meatballs; stir to coat.

Serve with dressing and celery sticks, as desired. Makes 32 appetizer servings.

Cook's Tip: Cooking times are for fresh or thoroughly thawed ground beef. Ground beef should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160F. Color is not a reliable indicator of ground beef done-ness.

Cook's Tip: 1 package (about 18 ounces) frozen fully-cooked beef meatballs can be substituted for ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook meatballs according to package directions. Continue as directed in step 3.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 33; Fat: 2 g; Sodium: 78 mg; Cholesterol: 16 mg; Protein: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 1 g

PESTO PASTA SALAD WITH SUN DRIED TOMATOES

This is from Cara Harbstreet on Fruits & Veggies, a website I recently stumbled across. This salad can be served hot or cold, whichever strikes your fancy.

Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Servings: 8

To view this online, go to https://fruitsandveggies.org/recipes/pesto-pasta-salad-with-sun-dried-tomatoes/.

Ingredients

1 16 oz box cellentani, rotini, or bowtie pasta

1 cup pesto sauce

1 can chickpeas

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped

1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

1 head broccoli florets

1 tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 lemon (optional)

Directions

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Wash and dry the broccoli, then cut into small florets. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Roast 10 minutes on high heat or until the edges begin to brown and the broccoli is cooked to your preference.

While the oven is preheating, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 8-10 minutes depending on your pasta shape.

Meanwhile, chop the sun-dried tomatoes and drain and rinse the chickpeas. Set aside until ready to combine.

Once pasta is cooked, drain and add to a large mixing bowl. Remove the broccoli from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Add to the mixing bowl with the pesto sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, and chickpeas. If using lemon, squeeze over the top, being careful not to include the seeds. Gently fold together to combine all ingredients.

Top with parmesan cheese just before serving. Serve warm, or chill until ready to serve.