Honey-Chipotle Pork Meatballs

Here is another recipe from my Magazine of the Month, Everyday Food January 2012: The Light Issue.  This time I made the Honey-Chipotle Turkey Meatballs.  I wanted to make this with ground turkey, but when I went to the grocery store to get the ingredients, there was no ground turkey.  I know that sounds crazy, but the last two times I have tried to get ground turkey, it wasn't available.  Maybe there is a shortage or a recall of which I am not aware, but fortunately there was ground pork on sale, so I decided to make the meatballs with that instead.  Granted, they are a bit fattier with turkey, but after making these meatballs, I think any kind of ground meat would work well with this recipe.

I loved these meatballs, they had a great flavor, and the combination of sweet and spicy was spot on.  I did make some changes.  I like my meatballs to be a bit saucier, so I doubled the ingredients of the sauce.  I used a chipotle sauce instead of the straight chilies, because I thought it would add a bit of a richer, more complex favor than the chilies alone.  The original recipe called for shaping the meat into 16 meatballs, but they seemed too big to me.  I wanted bit-sized meatballs, so I shaped mine into 20 meatballs instead.  These would make a great appetizer for a dinner or if you want to take them to a tailgate or potluck, you can easily double or triple the recipe.  

Honey-Chipotle Meatballs

• 1 1/2 lbs. ground turkey or pork
• 1/4 of a yellow onion, minced finely
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced finely
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• 2 Tbsp. flat leaf parsley, chopped finely (optional)

• 2 Tbsp. honey
• 5 Tbsp. chipotle sauce
• 2 tsp. cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a large bowl, add the ground meat, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and parsley.  Mix together until just combined, being careful not to overmix as the meat will become tough when cooked.  

Form into 16-20 meatballs depending on the size of meatball you like.  In a large ovenproof skillet, heat one tablespoon olive oil to medium high.  Add the meatballs and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes.  Transfer skillet to the oven and bake an additional 5 minutes.  Test for doneness by cutting one of the meatballs in half to make sure it is cooked all the way through.  

While the meatballs are cooking, stir together the honey, chipotle sauce, and cider vinegar.  

Remove the oven from the skillet and transfer the meatballs to a serving bowl, draining any fat that has accumulated (if using pork).  Pour the honey-chipotle sauce over the meatballs and toss to combine, serve immediately.


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A Duo of Dips: Edamame Dip and Roasted Red Pepper Dip

 

For a friend's party I wanted to make something that was healthy, but still tasty, and I came across a couple of Ellie Krieger (the same Ellie of Craving Ellie in My Belly fame, of which I am a member) recipes on the Fine Cooking website. One of my friends who was attending the party cannot eat much dairy, so I wanted one of the dips to be dairy free.  I found a great recipe for an Edamame Hummus that was made "creamy" with the addition of silken tofu.  The other dip I made was a Roasted Red Pepper and Feta Dip.  It combines red peppers that you roast yourself (you could use jarred roasted red peppers, but doing it yourself produces sweeter, smokier peppers in my opinion) with feta and dill.  Both were great, and I actually liked the combination of the two together.  If I made the edamame dip again, I would cut back on the garlic because it was a bit overpowering.  They both last for days after you make them, and I used them both as sandwich spreads in the place of mayonnaise.  A great healthy alternative.  

Edamame Dip 

• 2 cups frozen shelled edamame, cooked according to package directions 
• 1 cup silken tofu, drained 
• 1/2 tsp. salt, plus more to taste 
• Pinch of white pepper, plus more to taste 
• 1-1/2 tsp. ground cumin, plus more for garnish 
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 Tbs.) (I would use 2 garlic cloves)
• 1/4 cup olive oil 
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste (I added a few additional tablespoons of lemon juice)

Set 1 Tbs. of the edamame aside for a garnish. Place the rest, along with the tofu, salt, pepper, cumin, garlic, oil and lemon juice, in a food processor and process until very smooth, about 2 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt, pepper, or lemon juice, if desired.

Transfer the hummus to a serving bowl and garnish with the reserved edamame and a sprinkle of cumin

Roasted Red Pepper and Feta Dip

• 3 medium red bell peppers 
• 1 medium clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta (about 3 oz.) 
• 2 Tbs. plain dry breadcrumbs 
• 2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice 
• 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil 
• 3 Tbs. chopped fresh dill 

Position a rack 5 to 6 inches from the broiler element and heat the broiler on high. Put the peppers on a heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet and broil, turning every 5 minutes, until the skin is charred all around and the peppers have softened, about 20 minutes. Put the peppers in a large bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let sit until cool enough to handle. Remove the skins, seeds, and stems. 

Put the peppers, feta, breadcrumbs, lemon juice, chopped garlic and olive oil in a food processor and process until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the dill. Season to taste with salt and serve.

Serve the dips with mini pita breads, fresh vegetables, or crostini. 

Easy Beef and Scallion Cheese Ball

One of our family's favorite appetizers that we always make around the holidays is this Easy Beef and Scallion Cheese Ball. It only has three ingredients, but it tastes great, and it practically disappears as soon as it is put out. It goes great with crackers and vegetables, and I can't wait to make it again for Christmas. It's by no means low fat, but hey, it's Thanksgiving. :)


Easy Beef and Scallion Cheese Ball

2-8 oz blocks of cream cheese
2-2 0z packages of chipped beef (I used Buddig Beef), chopped, 2 tablespoons reserved
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sliced scallions, divided


Combine the cream cheese, the chipped beef, and 1/4 cup of the scallions in a medium bowl. Using a hand mixer beat the mixture until it is well combined the and beef has been minced into smaller pieces. Place in plastic wrap or a covered bowl until ready to be served.

For serving, place the cheese ball on the serving platter and shape into ball. I usually place plastic wrap over the cheese ball while doing this, so my hands don't get covered in cream cheese (and the guests probably appreciate that as well). Take the reserved chipped beef and scallions and sprinkle over the cheese ball, pressing gently into the cheese ball, so they adhere properly.

Serve with crackers (Wheat Thins are the best in my opinion), as well as vegetables such as baby carrots and celery. Enjoy!


A few other pictures from Thanksgiving:

My niece Julia with her Great Grandmother (my Grandmother) and her dad (my brother) enjoying her first Thanksgiving.



And our beautifully decorated Thanksgiving table (my Mom always does such a wonderful job).

Crab Salad in Phyllo Cups

For my cousin's bridal shower, I decided to make a simple crab salad. To dress it up a bit, I served it in these miniature phyllo cups. I used a mixture of real crab meat and imitation crab meat, just because real crab meat is so expensive where I am from. This was easy to put together, and was a big hit at the party.


Crab Salad in Phyllo Dough Tartlettes
makes about 65-70 appetizers

Ingredients

• 8 oz crab meat (I used back fin meat)
• 16 oz imitation crab meat, chopped
• 1 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 stalk of celery, minced
• 2 green onions, minced
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons (or more if you like) Old Bay Seasoning
• 3 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
• salt and pepper
• Approximately 70 miniature phyllo dough cups
  

Directions

• In one bowl, combine the crab meat and the imitation crab meat.
• In a separate bowl, combine the mayonnaise, celery, green onions, lemon juice, milk, Old Bay, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
  
• Pour the sauce over the crab meat, and gently mix. Try and fold the sauce into the crab meat as to not break up the pieces of crab meat. Overmixing can result in a "pasty" salad.
  
• Spoon the salad into the phyllo cups and serve immediately. I probably fit about 2 teaspoons into each cup.
  

Daring Bakers Challenge: Lavash Crackers with Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

This month's Daring Bakers Challenge was chosen by Natalie from Gluten A Go Go and Shel of Musings From the Fishbowl. This challenge was a first for the Daring Bakers. This challenge was vegan, and the bakers also had the option of making the dish gluten free. Our challenge was to make lavash crackers, a crisp Armenian-style cracker, and a vegan accompaniment. That's it. We were given a lot of freedom to make whatever dip/topping/salsa/relish that we wanted, just as long as it was vegan. I liked the idea of this challenge a lot. I had never made crackers before, and I had been meaning to make some homemade hummus for a while. The recipe for the lavash is courtesy of Peter Reinhart's The Bread Baker's Apprentice. The hummus I chose to make was a Roasted Red Pepper Hummus. I adapted the recipe from descent into dessert. I had some red peppers from my garden, so it was a perfect choice, and it goes great with the crackers. Also, be sure to check out The Daring Bakers Blogroll to see what other Daring Bakers did with this recipe.



For the crackers:
-Makes 1 sheet pan of crackers
-This recipe provides directions for making both traditional (with all-purpose flour) and gluten-free crackers, so pay close attention to the directions. I made the traditional crackers.

• 1 1/2 cups (6.75 oz) unbleached bread flour or gluten free flour blend (If you use a blend without xanthan gum, add 1 tsp xanthan or guar gum to the recipe)
• 1/2 tsp (.13 oz) salt
• 1/2 tsp (.055 oz) instant yeast
• 1 Tb (.75 oz) agave syrup or sugar
• 1 Tb (.5 oz) vegetable oil
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup + 2 Tb (3 to 4 oz) water, at room temperature
• Poppy seeds, sesame seeds, paprika, cumin seeds, caraway seeds, or kosher salt for toppings

1. In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, salt yeast, agave, oil, and just enough water to bring everything together into a ball. You may not need the full 1/2 cup + 2 Tb of water, but be prepared to use it all if needed. (I needed all of the water to bring my dough together.)

2. For Non Gluten Free Cracker Dough: Sprinkle some flour on the counter and transfer the dough to the counter. Knead for about 10 minutes, or until the ingredients are evenly distributed. The dough should pass the windowpane test (see How to Determine if Bread Dough Has Been Mixed Long Enough for a description of this) and register 77 degrees to 81 degrees Fahrenheit. The dough should be firmer than French bread dough, but not quite as firm as bagel dough (what I call medium-firm dough), satiny to the touch, not tacky, and supple enough to stretch when pulled. Lightly oil a bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it around to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

or

2. For Gluten Free Cracker Dough: The dough should be firmer than French bread dough, but not quite as firm as bagel dough (what I call medium-firm dough), and slightly tacky. Lightly oil a bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it around to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

3. Ferment at room temperature for 90 minutes, or until the dough doubles in size. (You can also retard the dough overnight in the refrigerator immediately after kneading or mixing). (My dough took about 2 hours to double in size.)

4. For Non Gluten Free Cracker Dough: Mist the counter lightly with spray oil and transfer the dough to the counter. Press the dough into a square with your hand and dust the top of the dough lightly with flour. Roll it out with a rolling pin into a paper thin sheet about 15 inches by 12 inches. You may have to stop from time to time so that the gluten can relax. At these times, lift the dough from the counter and wave it a little, and then lay it back down. Cover it with a towel or plastic wrap while it relaxes. When it is the desired thinness, let the dough relax for 5 minutes. Line a sheet pan with baking parchment. Carefully lift the sheet of dough and lay it on the parchment. If it overlaps the edge of the pan, snip off the excess with scissors.

or

4. For Gluten Free Cracker Dough: Lay out two sheets of parchment paper. Divide the cracker dough in half and then sandwich the dough between the two sheets of parchment. Roll out the dough until it is a paper thin sheet about 15 inches by 12 inches. Slowly peel away the top layer of parchment paper. Then set the bottom layer of parchment paper with the cracker dough on it onto a baking sheet.

5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit with the oven rack on the middle shelf. Mist the top of the dough with water and sprinkle a covering of seeds or spices on the dough (such as alternating rows of poppy seeds, sesame seeds, paprika, cumin seeds, caraway seeds, kosher or pretzel salt, etc.) Be careful with spices and salt - a little goes a long way. If you want to precut the cracker, use a pizza cutter (rolling blade) and cut diamonds or rectangles in the dough. You do not need to separate the pieces, as they will snap apart after baking. If you want to make shards, bake the sheet of dough without cutting it first.

5. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the crackers begin to brown evenly across the top (the time will depend on how thinly and evenly you rolled the dough).

6. When the crackers are baked, remove the pan from the oven and let them cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. You can then snap them apart or snap off shards and serve.


For the hummus:
-makes about 2 cups

• 2 red peppers stemmed, halved, seeded, and deveined
• 1 15 ounce can of chickpeas, rinsed an drained
• 3 garlic cloves
• juice from a lemon
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 2 teaspoons chili-garlic paste, or sambal olek
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon chives, snipped

First, roast the peppers. Preheat the broiler. Place the pepper halves, cut side down on a baking sheet. Roast the peppers until the skin is charred, remove from the oven and place in a bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let the peppers steam at least 10 minutes. Remove the chard skins from the peppers.

Place the roasted red peppers and the next 8 ingredients in a food processor and blend until the desired consistency is reached. Place in a serving bowl and sprinkle the snipped chives on top. (Can be made the day ahead, and placed in the refrigerator to allow the flavors to blend).


Final thoughts:
I really liked the crackers. The dough was very easy to make, and the instructions were easy to follow. I seasoned my crackers with a mixture of cumin, kosher salt, and paprika. I think it is important to roll the dough very thinly or you will not get the desired crispiness for a cracker. Alternatively, I think this recipe would be good for a flat bread if the dough was rolled out thicker. Make sure that you pay close attention to the baking time. At 15 minutes the crackers were still very light in color, but by 20 minutes, the they were beginning to burn. I had pre-cut my crackers into long triangles, and the shorter ends were turning dark brown. The crackers were thin and crispy and had a really nice flavor. I would definitely make them again because they are a easy to make, and a nice change to store bought crackers.

I liked the hummus also. It had a really nice flavor. However, the consistency was a little off, and I just couldn't get the hummus to be as smooth as I wanted it to be. The hummus appeared to still have bits of chickpea and garlic in it. I think next time I make hummus I will roast the garlic first to mellow out the flavor. My food processer is very old, so I think that might have been a factor as well.