Meatless Monday

This is what we are dining on this Meatless Monday in the arctic wonderland of South Jersey.....

                                     MEATBALLS!!!!!!!




This recipe is from my sister's mother-in-law, Addie and is your basic go-to meatball but I will add the recipe here, anyway for some of the 20-somethings who have never made a meatball - just remember this is coming from me, of 100% Irish descent and one who didn't learn from an Italian mom.  I just think these are easy and tasty and if it wasn't Meatless Monday - you could be making them right now!

1 1/2 pound meatloaf mix or ground beef
1 cup bread crumbs (I use fresh crumbs from leftover bread that I grind in cuisinart and keep in freezer in freezer bags - always have that way!)
2 beaten eggs
1 t parsley
1 t salt and 1/2 t pepper
1/2 cup of Parmesan (I used Asiago because that's all I had)
1/2 t garlic powder
a little milk if you need it to keep meat together

Combine all with hands and make into meatballs - Bake 450' 25 minutes.

But because it IS Meatless Monday and I know my son, Mike will be looking for a meatless night (he adheres to these things because he is living in Portland and they are serious about their bodies AND the environment)..........Anyone seen PORTLANDIA yet? IFX channel on Fridays - it is a riot!

What you can do is broil a nice piece of fish with a little olive oil, lemon, salt and pepper for 8 minutes or until it is flaky.  You can lay this on a bed of Herbed White Puree - I was emailed this recipe today and I plan to make it this week - looks so easy - you should have all the ingredients - healthy and tasty - don't worry if you don't have a cuisinart - just mash  with fork!  Here is the link......

http://www.realage.com/recipefinder/herbed-white-bean-puree-recipe-2158?kw=ist

If you like this recipe and try to make Meatless Monday part of your life  (which, in my opinion, sounds a lot like Fridays in Lent, but not as cool??) - maybe you'll have enough energy to go on a hike in the great Pacific Norhtwest like Mike!!!!!!!

Soup Au Pistou

Well it's a bit frigid out there and we all need something to warm us up!  In addition - soup is a great thing to have for leftovers.  Put some in your tupperware to heat the next day for lunch AND the next day.  You have to purchase lots of ingredients up front but it pays off all week and it's delish.  I tore this recipe out of some magazine that I have forgotten by now but I've also seen a similar one in one of the Barefoot Contessa's books.  It's a staple of the French and the Italians.  The first time I made it the recipe called for Parmesan to be sprinkled on top but this recipe claims aged Gouda is preferred - both work well plus the pesto/pistou to be swirled in - A MUST!  I purchased the pesto at our local Wegmans but the recipe here is a French version of pesto and more garlicky and well worth it to make IF YOU ARE SO INCLINED!

Soup Au Pistou


Heat 3 T of olive oil in a large pot.  Add 1 chopped onion, 1 small fennel bulb chopped and 2 chopped zucchini and cook over medium heat for about 10 min till browned.  Add 8 oz. chopped new potatoes, 2 chopped tomatoes (because there are no decent tomatoes to be found on the East Coast in January - I used a 28 oz. can of whole tomatoes), 2 quarts of chicken stock and 1 sprig of thyme.  Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 15 minutes.


Add 2 cups canned cannellini beans, drained and 2 cups canned kidney beans, drained - simmer, covered for another 15 minutes.  Add 6 oz. green beans, cut into 1 inch pieces and 1 oz. spaghetti, broken into pieces and cook for 10 more minutes.  Cover and let stand.


To make the pistou, put 6 garlic cloves, small bunch of basil leaves and 6 T olive oil in food processor and blend until well chopped.


To serve, heat the soup and pass round the pistou or pesto and shredded Gouda or Parmesan to be stirred in to taste - mmmmm


I served this to Harry and our latest house guest, niece, Mary.  They SAID they liked it - they ate it all week, I'll tell ya that...