Recipes

Recipe: Paleo Meatballs

February 10, 2013

One of our favorite things to eat these days are paleo friendly meatballs. After some trial and error, Nick perfected this recipe. They are good alone or with marinara sauce. I get excited whenever we make these. I barely even miss the pasta that should rightfully accompany them.

Nick doesn’t measure things, so the ingredient amounts are all estimations. It’s a pretty forgiving recipe. Let us know if you make any!

Ingredients:

1–2 cups Italian parsley leaves, medium chopped

2 pounds ground meat, your choice (Italian sausage, beef, bison, lamb, veil, pork, etc. Mix and match for unique flavors!)

2 eggs, beaten

2–4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 medium onions, finely chopped (or substitute 1 onion for 1 green pepper)

2/3 cup almond meal

2 tablespoons oregano

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

1/4 cup meatball seasoning (we like Wee Willy’s Classic Homemade Meatball mix)

Extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except the olive oil and mix thoroughly.

Roll the mixture into balls. We like to make them a little bigger than golf balls.

In a frying pan, heat olive oil and brown the meatballs on all sides.

Place meatballs in a baking dish lined with non-stick aluminum foil. You’ll want to leave a little bit of space between them. Bake for 20–30 minutes depending on size.

Makes approximately 24 (1.3 ounce) meatballs.

jilly’s Awesome Chocolate Chunk Nutty Brownies

May 7, 2007

Here is the recipe for my delicious chocolate brownies. I have to give credit where credit is due… I got it out of Thursday’s Taste section in the Star Tribune.

Brownie Ingredients

1 cup pecans, chopped
2/3 cup (10 2/3 Tbsp) butter or margarine
2 (12 oz) bags (4 cups total) semisweet chocolate chips, divided
1 cup minus 2 Tbsp sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cup plus 2 Tbsp flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Chocolate Ganache Topping Ingredients

3/4 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp (1/4 stick) butter
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions (Read it all the way through, be prepared, do it… do it…)

Brownies
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9×13 inch pan.

Toast pecans in a frying pan over low-medium heat, about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they become fragrant and begin to color. Set aside.

In saucepan over low heat, melt together butter and 1 bag (2 cups) of the chocolate chips, stirring constantly. Pour the mixture into a large bowl of an electric mixer. Beat in the sugar, then the eggs (2 at a time), and the vanilla. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt (yeah right) and briefly beat into the batter. Stir in the pecans and the remaining bag (2 cups) of chocolate chips. Bake about 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center (try several places, you might hit a chocolate chip) comes out clean.

Chocolate Ganache
While brownies are baking, combine the cream and butter in a saucepan over medium heat and bring just to a boil, stirring occasionally to melt the butter. Pour into the small bowl of an electric mixer. Stir in the chocolate chips, stirring until they are largely melted. Beat on low speed until the mixture is smooth and uniform. Pour the ganache over the pan of brownies. Cool completely, then cut and chill.

Taco Dip

April 13, 2007

Here is the recipe for my famous taco dip. I think it’s fairly easy to make, but since the same people always ask for instructions, it must be real difficult. Apparently I’m a culinary genious. Just don’t bring this to any function that I’m attending. It’s my recipe, got it? Mine!!

Ingredients

16 oz cream cheese, softened
16 oz sour cream
1/2 – 1 cup salsa
2 cups shredded cheese
Optional Ingredients:
- lettuce
- tomatos
- taco seasoning
- olives (yuck)
- broccoli & cauliflower, finely chopped (sounds odd, but it is yummy, hide it under the cheese, shhhh… don’t tell)

Directions
Using a hand mixer, thoroughly blend cream cheese and sour cream, scraping sides of bowl often. Add salsa until the dip is desired color/consistency. Add optional taco seasoning (to taste). Spread dip evenly in shallow sided pan or other serving dish. Top with cheese and other desired ingredients. Serve with chips and enjoy!!