Thursday, April 16, 2009

Kids' Favorites



Monster Meatballs and Spaghetti

Then Meatball Pizza the next night! 
Sarah d'Evegnee

We like to use the leftovers for Meatball Pizza (one of Eric’s Eastern favorites!)—just slice the meatballs and put them over your favorite pizza crust recipe (mine follows).  The kids LOVE IT when they see me cranking out Monster Meatballs because they know what's coming the next night! Eric is in HEAVEN because he missed the pizza places in Connecticut that sell Meatball Pizza!


3 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 (16 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
3 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup fresh oregano, divided
(or 3 T dried)
1 dried bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
1 pound ground round
1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley ( 2 t dried)
2 t Worsteshire sauce
1/8 cup milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 (16 ounce) package uncooked spaghetti

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, and cook the onion until lightly brown. Mix in 2 cloves garlic, and cook 1 minute. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, water, sugar, 1/2 the oregano, and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer while preparing meatballs.
In a bowl, mix the ground round, bread crumbs, remaining oregano, remaining garlic, parsley, worsteshire sauce, milk, eggs, and cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Roll into 2 inch balls, and drop into the sauce. Cook 40 minutes in the sauce or bake at 350 for 45 minutes covered in the sauce.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil, and stir in the spaghetti. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente, and drain. Serve the meatballs and sauce over the cooked spaghetti.


Italian Breadsticks

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup finely shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1 (1 pound) loaf frozen white bread dough, thawed or one batch of pizza dough recipe that follows
1/4 cup butter or stick margarine, melted

In a shallow bowl, combine the first five ingredients; set aside. Spread dough on cookie sheet and score into breadsticks with pizza cutter or bread-knife.  Let rest for 10 minutes. Brush on butter and then sprinkle cheese mixture over top.  Bake at 400 degrees F for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

Pizza Dough
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
2 cups bread flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons white sugar

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine 2 cups bread flour, olive oil, salt, white sugar and the yeast mixture; stir well to combine. Beat well until a stiff dough has formed. Cover and rise until doubled in volume, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Turn dough out onto a well floured surface. Form dough into a round and roll out into a pizza crust shape. Cover with your favorite sauce and toppings and bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Mini Muffin Madness
Christine Gilbert

3 cups whole wheat pastry flour, spelt or barley flour (substitute half of the flour with ground almonds for more protein)
2 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
2 cups fruit/veggie puree (puree apples, pears, peaches, zucchini, carrots, squash, pumpkin, etc. in a food processor with water until thick but pour-able)
1/2 c maple syrup
1/4 c canola oil
1 T vanilla extract
Added water to liquid to achieve muffin batter consistency
Other optional ingredients: chopped dates, toasted and chopped nuts, lemon or orange zest, poppy seeds, chocolate chips, etc.

Preheat oven to 400˚ and lightly oil a mini muffin tin. Combine dry ingredients. Combine wet ingredients. Mix to just moisten the dry with the wet. Fill muffin tin and bake for about 10-15 minutes.



Broccoli, Ham, Cheese Noodle Casserole (AKA Noodle Casserole)
Nicole Burt

6 oz. uncooked extra wide egg noodles, cooked
2 cups chopped ham
10-16 oz chopped broccoli cooked till crisp tender
1 can cream of mushroom soup thinned with 1/2 cup of milk
grated cheddar cheese

Mix everything together cheese. Salt and pepper to taste.
Top with cheese. Cook in moderate oven (350-375) till hot 30-45 min.
Never met a kid who didn't like this one, even if they don't like broccoli.

Casserole of Rice and Beef
Maija-Liisa N. Adams

1/2 cup dry rice
2 cups tomatoes or tomato sauce
3/4 to 1 lb. ground beef
1/2 green pepper, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
dash of pepper
1 tsp. salt
2 cups water from tomato sauce

Sort rice, but do not wash. (I love these older directions). Melt butter (I still use this even in this Pam or EEOV era) in frying pan. Add dry rice, chopped onion, diced green pepper, salt, pepper and hamburger. Brown to a rich golden brown. Add tomatoes and water. Let simmer in the covered frying pan (I only use cast iron nowadays) for 30 minutes. Watch it so it doesn't dry out. Serve with a dollop of sour cream.

I serve it with corn and a green salad.

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