HOMEMADE MEATBALLS

HOMEMADE MEATBALLS 
Adapted from Ina Garten's Real Meatballs and Spaghetti, Barefoot Contessa Family Style
Yield: 4-6 Servings

Meatballs:
1 pound ground sirloin
¾ cups fresh breadcrumbs (about 3 ciabatta slices (couple days old), crusts removed, ground in food processor. If you have fresh bread, bake it until dry, then grind in F.P.)
1 Tablespoon chopped parsley
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon onion flakes
1 large egg, beaten
1/3 cup warm water
Vegetable oil
Olive oil

Place the ground sirloin, breadcrumbs, parsley, Parmesan, salt, pepper, onion flakes, egg and 1/3 cup warm water in a bowl. Combine very lightly with a fork. Using your hands, lightly form the mixture into 1-inch meatballs. You will have 12 to 14 meatballs.
Pour equal amounts of vegetable oil and olive oil into a large (12-inch) skillet to a depth of 1/4-inch. Heat the oil. Carefully, in 2 batches, place the meatballs in the oil and brown them well on all sides over medium-low heat, turning carefully with a spatula or a fork. This should take about 10 minutes for each batch. Remove the meatballs to a plate covered with paper towels.
Add the meatballs to your favorite red sauce, cover, and simmer on the lowest heat for 25 to 30 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through. Serve with pasta and with fresh grated Parmesan.

PRINTABLE RECIPE

APPLE CINNAMON STREUSEL MUFFINS

APPLE CINNAMON STREUSEL MUFFINS 

Adapted from allrecipes.com

Makes 12 Muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 1/4 cup butter, softened 1/4 cup olive oil or applesauce 1/2 cup white sugar 1/2 brown sugar 2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups chopped apples, small pieces

 

Streusel Topping:

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease or add paper liners to a 12-cup muffin pan.

Peel and chop the apples and set aside.

In a medium bowl mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.

In a large bowl beat together butter, oil, white sugar, brown sugar and eggs until smooth. Mix in vanilla. Stir in apples, and gradually blend in the flour mixture until completely combined. The batter will be really thick almost like dough but don't worry because the apples will release their juices when baking. 

Spoon the mixture into the prepared muffin pan.

In a small bowl mix brown sugar, flour and cinnamon thoroughly and cut in butter until mixture is like coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over tops of mixture in muffin pan.

Bake 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Allow to sit 5 minutes before removing muffins from pan. Cool on a wire rack.

Love these muffins...they also freeze well. They taste best when warm so microwave for about 15 seconds once thawed.

Beautiful...

Hopefully the last snowfall for awhile! 

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