Stuffed Meatball Sliders

Stuffed Meatball Sliders

Stuffed Meatball Sliders may seem like a great deal of work. They are. However, they are completely worth it. 2 of these make a meal and your family and guests will be so impressed. This is what you should serve on Independence  Day.

I used King’s Hawaiian Slider Rolls because they are a good size for this dish, they come pre-sliced and they are YUMMY! You can use your favorite brand. Mid’s pizza sauce was perfect for the marinara sauce. It is inexpensive, made with all-natural ingredients, and most importantly, delicious. 

You can make the meatballs and peppers a day before. Remove them from the fridge to give them enough time to come to room temperature and then assemble the sliders as directed. Make an extra batch of meatballs and freeze them for another day.

 

 

 

 

Servings: 9 sliders
Hardware:  Measuring spoons and cups, a mixing bowl, a smaller bowl, a cutting board and knives, a large heavy pan, a smaller skillet, a fork, a silicone spatula, tongs, an 8x11.5 glass baking dish, and foil (maybe a serrated knife)
Time:  Active time 30 minutes; Cook: 75 Minutes, Sandwiches in about 2 hours

 Ingredients:

Mozzarella Middle

• 1 ½ pound ground beef
• ½ cup breadcrumbs
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
• ¼ cup milk
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ⅛ teaspoon pepper
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 12-ounce container of baby mozzarella balls (ciliegine- say ‘chili-ay-JEE-nay”)
• Braising liquid (stock, sauce, wine, whatever strikes your fancy)
• 1-9 pack of King’s Hawaiian Slider Rolls
• 1 red bell pepper (8-10 ounces)-I used different colored baby bells for color
• 1 ½ cups of your favorite marinara sauce (I used Mid’s Pizza Sauce)
• 9 slices of provolone, cut a bit larger than the slider buns
• 6 tablespoons of butter

1.  Remove 10 of the mozzarella balls from the container and set aside. You don’t want to contaminate the rest of the cheese.
2. Combine the first 8 ingredients in the bowl and mix with your hands. Take a pinch of the meat and fry it. Taste and adjust the seasonings.
3. Roll out about  2 ounces of the meat, just as if you were making a regular meatball. Then pat the meat ball out flat. Place one cheese ball in the center and pinch the meat closed around it. Check and make sure that no cracks appear in the meatball were the cheese can escape while it is cooking. Make the meatball a little flat, so it sits nicely on the bun.(See the video below.) Continue to do this until you have 9 meatballs. You will have a little bit of meat left over. Make a test meatball.
4. Heat the oil on medium.  Brown the meatballs on all sides for about 8 minutes.  Turn them ¼ time every 2 minutes. Drain the fat from the pan.
5. Add enough liquid to the pan to cover the meatballs about 2/3 of the way.  Simmer them for about 45 minutes. Check the test meatball to see if it is done.
6. While the  meatballs are cooking, cut the bell pepper into long then strips and cook until desired crispiness. I usually like my pepper still crispy, but for sandwiches I prefer them to be softer.
7. When the meatballs are done, melt the butter in the microwave safe bowl. Preheat the oven to 350˚. Lay a large piece of foil in the bottom of the baking dish.
8. King’s Hawaiian Slider Rolls come pre-sliced. If you are using another brand, use the serrated knife cut the rolls in half horizontally.
9. Place the bottoms of the bread on the foil. Spread the bell peppers evenly over the bread. Top the peppers with the meatballs. Use the spatula to spread the top halves of the bread with marinara sauce. You can spoon a little onto the meatballs if you want. Lay a slice of cheese onto each meatball. Place the top bun onto each sandwich. 
10. Pour the butter evenly over the sliders. Use the pastry brush to make sure all the bread is covered in butter. Seal the foil closed. You may need another sheet of foil. 
11. Bake for 25 minutes. Allow the sliders to rest for 2-3 minutes. You may need a knife to cut the sliders apart. Serve warm. 

 

 

Sheet Pan Beef and Broccoli

Sheet Pan Beef and Broccoli

Since I made my last post, a great deal has changed. A worldwide pandemic has us all locked in our homes practicing social distancing. I have seen many friends on social media commenting on how difficult it is to cook for every meal. Our local grocery store shelves look like the Saturday after Black Friday: no toilet paper, no cleaning supplies, no eggs and very little meat.

Sheet Pan Beef and Broccoli is the perfect quarantine food. You probably have the ingredients on hand. You can also change or omit many of the ingredients and it will turn out fine. I used ribeye (there was a sale.) However, you could use hanger steak, sirloin or flank. You could also substitute chicken or shrimp. You will need to adjust the cooking time to 15-20 minutes for chicken. Sesame seeds and ginger are optional. You can also substitute regular vegetable oil for the sesame oil.

Servings: 4-6

Time: Prep: 10 minutes: Marinate: 10 minutes Cooking: 10 minutes-dinner in 30 minutes

Hardware: A cutting board and knife, a measuring spoons and cups, a large mixing bowl, a colander, a microwave safe bowl, a fork or whisk, a baking sheet, foil, tongs

Ingredients:

• 1.5 pounds steak
• 10-ounce steam-in-the-bag broccoli
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1 medium onion
• ⅔ cups soy sauce
• ½ + ⅓ cups COLD water
• ¼ cup dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon + 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
• ½ teaspoon pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• Cooking spray
• Salt & pepper
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 3 cups cooked white rice

 

Before

After

1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Cover the baking sheet in foil and generously spray with cooking spray.
2. Cut the steak into ¼ inch thick, bite size pieces. Slice the garlic and onion. Set aside.
3. Mix the soy sauce, ½ cup water, dark brown sugar, oil, 1 teaspoon of ginger, and the pepper flakes together in the large bowl. Set aside ⅓ cup of the marinade in the microwave safe bowl. Place the steak into the large bowl and make sure it is covered in the marinade. Allow it to sit for 10 minutes.
4. While the meat is marinating, open the bag of broccoli and place it in the colander. Rinse it under very hot water and allow it to drain.
5. Spread the broccoli, sliced garlic and onion in a single layer on the prepared sheet pan. Sprinkle it with salt and pepper and the rest of the ginger. Drain the steak, discarding the marinade. Spread the steak out on the broccoli. Make sure everything is in a single layer. Roast for 10 minutes or until the desired temperature.
6. While the food is cooking, mix the remaining ⅓ cup of COLD water and the cornstarch into the reserved marinade. Place in the microwave on high for 60 seconds. Stir and microwave for an additional 90 seconds. This will make a sauce.
7. Remove the Beef and Broccoli from the oven and sprinkle with sesame seeds if you are using them. Serve over rice and top with the sauce.

Cheesy Beef Dip in a Bread Bowl

Cheesy Beef  Dip in a  Bread Bowl

More food for the Super Bowl. This doesn’t follow my food philosophy; I mean I am suggesting you buy meat in a jar. HOWEVER, this is so good. I kept the leftover bread bowl and wrapped it in foil then heat it, sliced it up and ate the bowl!

Chipped beef is a dried, pressed, salted meat that is sliced very thin. It was a common dish in the US Army during World War II. The fact that it was inexpensive and did not need refrigeration made it a popular depression era food. It is still served in diners thought out the United States. You can find chipped beef on the aisle with canned tuna. I prefer Amour.

Chipped beef is insanely salty. Salt lick salty. To make it more palatable, I pour boiling water over the beef in a bowl. After allowing the beef to soak for 10 minutes, I discard that water and repeat the process. If you don’t mind very salty snacks, you can skip this step.

Time:  Active time: 15 minutes; cooking:  25 minutes, crunchy goodness in 45 minutes (an hour if you are removing the saltiness)

Hardware: Knives and a cutting board, a saucepan, measuring spoons and cups, a mixer, a mixing bowl, a silicone spatula, a large serrated knife, parchment paper or foil, and a baking sheet

Ingredients:

• Large (1 pound) round sourdough loaf
• 2-2ounce jars chipped beef
• 8 ounces of softened cream cheese
• 8 ounces of shredded cheddar
• ¼ cup sour cream
• ¼ cup mayo
• 2 green onions
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1.  Preheat the oven to 350°F. To make clean up easier, line the cooking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
2. If you desalted the beef (and you should) dry it. Roughly chop the beef. This is easiest to do, if you roll it up. Slice the green onions into thin rings. Use the white and the green parts. Set aside.
3. Mix the remaining ingredients with the mixer. Then fold in the beef and onions.
4. Use the serrated knife to make a bread bowl. Cut down into the bowl at an angle. Make sure to not cut down too far. Save the top of the bowl for dipping. You can scoop out more bread if needed. See the illustration below.
5. Fill the space that you created with the beef mixture. Place the bowl onto the baking sheet.
6. Bake for 25 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and the bread is crunchy. Serve right away with the reserved pieces of bread, crackers or soft pretzels.

Southwest Meatballs

My husband loves all the foods that go into the Southwestern flavor profile: cilantro, Mexican oregano, cumin ground chilis, fresh chilis, onions, garlic, tomatoes, salsa, sour cream, lemons, limes and oranges. I often make a dish using a flavor profile rather than an actual recipe. So, it was with these Southwestern Meatballs. I grabbed the Southwestern ingredients I had on hand and went for it! Success!

I did write down every ingredient I used. I timed everything. Then I made them again following my recipe so that you could replicate it.

You can serve the Southwestern Meatballs alone as an appetizer or over rice as a meal. I served them on a toasted baguette with Pepper Jack Cheese, grilled peppers, and pickled jalapeños.

 

Southwest Meatballs

Servings: 25 meatballs

Hardware:  Measuring spoons and cups, a knife and chopping board, a mixing bowl, un-powdered latex gloves, a cooking sheet, tongs, foil, a deep skillet

Time:  Active time 10 minutes; Cook: 30 minutes, meatballs 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds ground beef
• ½ cup breadcrumbs
• ¼ cup milk
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 2 packages of taco seasoning mix (or 2 tablespoons of your own)
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• Cooking spray

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• 2½  cups of your favorite salsa (I use Frontera Jalapeño Cilantro)
• ½ cup tomato sauce
• Hot sauce to taste (Tabasco Chipotle is my favorite)

1. Line the cooking sheet with foil. Spray the foil with cooking spray. Wash and chop the cilantro. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 375˚.
2. Put on the gloves. Combine the beef, breadcrumbs, milk, herbs and spices in the bowl and mix with your hands. Do not over mix the meat as it makes the meatballs chewy. Shape the mixture into meatballs. I use a ¼ cup measuring cup to ensure that my meatballs are all the same size. Place each meatball onto the foil lined sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes. At the 20-minute mark, check the largest meatball to make sure they are cooked through.
3. Place the salsa, tomato sauce and hot sauce in the skillet. Bring to a boil. Add the meatballs. Simmer for a few minutes and remove from the heat.