Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Everyone has to have a few go-to recipes to bring to a party, or feed a large crowd. Mine is the old sweet-n-sour meatballs. Or, if you prefer, "sweet 'n sour."



I first fell in love with these at an opening night at a Kankakee Valley Theater show... Someone's mom brought them, and she couldn't believe I'd never had them. They're the sort of thing everyone who grows up in an organized small-town church has at everyone's house at any function. I think I must have had six pounds of the tasty suckers the first time I had them. I'd had Italian meatballs, and Swedish meatballs, but dang. Those protestant ones sure hit the spot.

Any time you need something to bring to a baby shower or a tailgate party, this here's your huckleberry. You can make most of it the night before (raw meat right in the sauce) and put the Crockpot in the fridge, then the next day cook them at your event. Or, you could cook them overnight, then bring them cooked and warm to your destination early in the morning, and even reheat them later in the slow cooker. I've done both. Just be prepared to skim some grease off the top (if you use beef, not really so much with the turkey) before serving.

I think I originally got this recipe on About.com... but I've changed it a bit (and this version reflects that). Despite the Asian-sounding name to the dish, they're nothing of the kind... Just the delightful "meat candy" I'm always on about.

1 cup soft bread crumbs
1 cup milk
a couple shots of Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup finely chopped onion (REALLY fine)
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef, or ground turkey
1/ pound lean ground pork, optional (I generally do just 2 lbs. turkey, or sometimes beef if I'm going cheap. Hey, sometimes you got a whole other party budget to plan out.)
1 egg
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
about 1 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 cup finely diced parsley (if you have it)
2 (12-ounce) bottles of chili sauce -- generic is fine
1/2 cup water (beef stock or beer is also nice, and yes, alcohol evaporates when heated)
1 jar (10 oz.) grape jelly (again, go generic)
hot cooked rice or noodles (when feeding a crowd, I just bring toothpicks, a large serving spoon, and skip the noodles)

Combine the bread crumbs, milk, diced onion, ground meat, egg, salt, pepper, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, and parsley. Mix (don't overmix) the mixture and shape into 1-inch balls. What I do is put the rest of the ingredients (the sauce) into the cool slow cooker and whisk the liquid. Then I just add the meatballs as I form them, right into the sauce. I don't worry about them touching or anything. Now, you can refrigerate them like this, or cook them right away.

I cook them for about 6 hours on low. Don't reach in and stir them for about 3 hours (until the meat has begun to cook). Then you can re-distribute them, and they won't mush up or break apart.

I have never, ever brought these anywhere and not had every single one eaten. And I've been making these for years now... So I always take some out for Chris and I before I go to the party. You can freeze them raw in sauce and cook them later, or just freeze the cooked meatballs and warm them later. Always a hit (except with the vegetarian crowd I guess... But if they say they aren't tempted, they're lying.)

Lemon Braised Artichokes and Turkey Sausage

I know it is a zillion degrees outside, but I think my internal clock knows what time it is. I'm starting to get more into the mood for "autumn-y" recipes: that warm, spiced stuff that makes you just feel cozy.



I made this recipe for Cat Cora's Lemon Braised Artichokes, but of course, I changed it just a little bit. I can't find it up on the FoodTV.com site any more, so here it is reprinted, with my changes in italics:

6 artichoke hearts, cleaned and quartered I used the whole quarter with the leaves on, and just cleaned out the needles with a spoon
1 package Italian turkey sausage
1 cup lemon juice (use the fresh stuff!)
2 Tblesp. kosher salt
1 Tblesp. freshly ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
2 Tblesp. finely chopped thyme (I just used 1 tsp. Nonno's seasoning instead, which doesn't actually contain thyme, but what the hell)
1 Tblesp. minced garlic (yes, I added more, even though I used Nonno's)
4 ounces white wine
2 cups extra-virgin olive oil (now, come on, you know I didn't use that much. I drizzled on maybe a half-cup).
I added enough chicken broth to cover everything -- 2-3 cups
chopped parsely, for garnish (skipped it)

You basically bring the mixture up to a boil on the stovetop, and then cook it at 350 degrees covered with foil for an hour. I don't have a Dutch oven, so I brought it to a boil and then transferred it to a large stoneware pan for the oven.

We weren't really sure how to eat what resulted... Was it a soup? A side? An appetizer? I dunno. But we ended up cooking up some small pasta, chopping the sausage, dusting on a lot of Parmesan cheese and eating it as a soup. We just picked out the leaves of the artichokes by hand, scraped those on our bottom teeth, discarded them, and then ate the hearts in with the rest of the soup.

Initial awkwardness aside, I cannot tell you how heavenly this was. To quote a line from my beloved BBC show Chef!, "I have never had a liquid as good as that in my life." I wanted to swim around in a vat of it, drinking it through a snorkel. The original seems like it might have been a a bit oily (and I mean even without me swimming around in it), but the reduction of the oil, and the addition of the chicken broth and the sausage is a change I'm definitely keeping. It keeps for a very long time in the fridge (Cora says up to 3 weeks), and really, you have to try this one out.

Nonno's Seasoning

Just to have a post to refer to, here is what I put in a comment at one point about Nonno's seasoning mix:

"He takes fresh rosemary, sage, red pepper flakes and garlic cloves and minces them all very, very fine with a mezza luna, or curved two-handled blade. I think it might be done with a food processor, but I haven’t tried it yet… Then he packs it into little tubs, like old margarine or sour cream tubs. You can freeze it, and when you need some, you just flake it onto fish or chicken or whatever with a fork. It’s great on roasted potatoes, too! And one little tub lasts forever."

Nonno dices the mixture until it is just "speckles." That's my word, not his. :) It provides concentrated, fresh herb flavor.

Fredbangers Bowl

A friend of mine has a policeman for a boyfriend... I don't know why it is, but cops and firemen seem to make the best chili in the world. After some begging on my part, he gave me the recipe for his chili (he calls it "Fred's Bangin' Chili.") He is a super-nice guy, and his chili might be the best I've ever tasted. I hope his recipe wasn't a secret. Fred is a really nice guy, but he isn't someone I'd necessarily want to mess with!



This recipe is also the one that introduced me to Adobo seasoning, which comes in handy quite frequently, I find. You can use it to season flour to fry things, or to season any type of meat -- anywhere you would use garlic salt or something like it. You just have to watch it if you're controlling your salt intake (you could substitute garlic powder, or try the low-sodium version). Try it... you'll like it!

Here's the recipe... enjoy, then freeze the leftovers and feed a whole police squad:

Ingredients:
-2 lbs. ground beef (I like to use 80% lean) or ground turkey
-2-28 oz cans Hunt's crushed tomatoes
-2-28 oz cans dark red kidney beans (I did half pinto beans cuz I like them, too)
-1-12 oz bottle of Pilsner beer (your choice)
-6 stalks green onion, chopped
-1 head fresh garlic: minced or pressed
-1 large red bell pepper: diced
-2 jalapeno or serrano peppers: stemmed, seeded, and minced

Chili Spices:
-2 packs McCormick chili spices (powder)

OR (the REAL way)
-6 Tbls chili powder
-2 Tbls ground cumin
-1 tsp paprika
-1/4 tsp red cayenne pepper powder
-1 1/2 Tbls dried oregano
-1 Tbls adobo powder
-1 Tbls freshly ground black pepper
-salt to taste

Preparation:
-In a frying pan, brown 2 lbs ground meat and drain well
-In a large stew pot or Dutch oven, add meat and vegetables and stir over medium heat until onions and peppers wilt (approx 5 minutes)
-Add spices and seasonings, stir
-Add crushed tomatoes
-Add kidney beans that have been drained and rinsed
-Add beer, stir
-Add water (if needed) until desired consistency
-Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low
-Simmer for approximately 1 1/2 hours, stirring every 5 minutes or so

One last note from Fred, "Refrigerate over night in pot before eating. Not essential, but I think it tastes better, as all of the ingredients blend together nicely."

We like ours with light sour cream, shredded cheese, and oyster crackers. Thanks, Fred!

Jaenicke's Drive In

When I was in high-school, I went over to my friend Lori's house. Her older sister was settling in to some take-out food. "Watcha eatin'?" I asked. "Sauce buns" she said. "What's a sauce bun?" I asked. She looked at me mid-bite like I was a frigging lunatic. "You've never had a sauce bun??" to which I replied, "No. Never heard of them." She wolfed down her dinner and hauled me out the door, straight back to Jaenicke's Drive In, where I had my first taste of heaven, sans hot dog.



Jaenicke's (pronounced yah-nick-eez) is right down the road from where I grew up, so I dunno why I'd never tried their food before. But I've had it a lot since. The owner of the place used to come into the animal hospital where I worked, and I first heard about "the feud" from her. There is a Jaenicke's Drive In in Kankakee, and the one near me in Bourbonnais. The Jaenickes, sadly, have apparently split into two warring factions that do not speak to one another. Consequently, everyone in the area swears that either the Bourbonnais branch, or the Kankakee one is far superior. A cross-town rivalry, if you will. Personally, I went to the Kankakee one (also called Jaenicke's on Wall) once or twice (with my friend Carrie, who swore it was the better of the two), and I found the food to be served a bit more sloppily, and I just felt it wasn't as good. I just found out that there is a Jaenicke's in Momence, too, but I don't know anything about that one... Maybe you just like the one closer to where you live, I dunno. The truth of the matter is, all the Jaenicke's joints are pretty awesome -- but I'm loyal to my Bourbonnais peeps. I just love what comes out of that joint. It is always consistent, perfect, and delicious.

We went to Jaenicke's on a pretty gray, unusually cold summer day. But you know what? Sauce buns on sale? That brings a summer day right into my mouf.



So what is a sauce bun, you might ask? It is a soft white hot dog bun, filled with Jaenicke's amazing hot dog chili. Of course they have hot dogs available if you like, but I like the warm, uninterrupted softness of the sauce bun. The chili at Jaenicke's is very sweet and mild -- more like barbecue sauce than chili. Cheese is optional, but trust me, you want that option. It's just plain old nacho sauce right out the jar, like Cheez Whiz. To me, the cheese and chopped onions are a necessity, as is a good old Green River to go along with it (to this day, Jaenicke's is the only place I've ever had Green River soda. It is available in other places, but it just doesn't seem right for me to drink it anywhere else).



Chris got a chili dog, and some corn dog nuggets. Hot and dee-licious.



I got my beloved sauce buns, tucked into the box with stapled wax paper, as usual. Which is great, because it facilitates me licking the cheese sauce off the top.



Jaenicke's is closed in the winter months, starting in October I believe, and re-opening in spring. I usually only get back to eat there once a year, but nothing says springtime quite like opening day baseball, and that first bite of Jaenicke's.

My First Hollandaise Sauce, and Chicken Cordon Bleu Roll-Ups

And it was good!



I was inspired by this post on the Home Cook's blog to do another chicken roll-up with a creamy, lemony sauce. Theirs looked awesome, but I wanted just a straight hollandaise on this particular day. So I went hunting of the FoodTV site, and I found one by Tyler Florence that calls for a whole stick of butter. Ah, no. I figured there would be some way to lighten up what is basically warm mayonnaise once I found a feasible recipe... And this one by Paula Deen did the trick. Here it is reprinted, with my changes added in italics:

2 egg yolks
4 tablespoons cream (I used 4 tablespoons nonfat yogurt)
2 large tablespoons butter (I used light butter)
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon ground mustard
pinch cayenne
Pinch salt
Pinch sugar
Chicken broth, optional
1 tablespoon white vinegar

The instructions were, "Combine all ingredients in the top of a double boiler, over boiling water. Stir until thick, approximately 3 minutes; set aside until ready to use. Do not reheat or cover the pot. Thin, if needed with a little chicken broth. Stir in the vinegar." I did the heating part, and it wasn't coming together or thickening... So I quickly added a dissolved teaspoon of corn starch, and added a tablespoon of Just Too Good! light mayo and whisked those in. Then it came together perfectly. I don't know if I needed the additions, or if I was just impatient and it would have thickened anyway... But it worked!

For the chicken cordon bleu, I flattened two chicken breasts, and then covered them with some prosciutto I had bought for Chris' lunches (hey, it was in the house, anyway). Then I just put in a half-stick of string cheese in each, and some smoked Monterey jack cheese. I tied them with string, and just lightly grilled the sides of them.



I then put the chicken in a covered dish and baked them for 20-25 minutes more on 375. Then I grilled some asparagus, because you know, it is the dream of all young asparaguses to one day be bathed in hollandaise sauce. And who am I to dash the hopes of any young asparagi? Guses?



When all was done, I sliced the chicken and laid it out attractively on the plate for its close-up.



I have to say, it was just right. It had a lovely tang to it, and just the right lemony taste with a little vinegar in at the end. I ended up spreading it on not only the asparagus, but the chicken, and a dinner roll as well.

Loose Meat Sandwiches

I never heard of a "loose meat" sandwich until they appeared on Roseanne I dunno how many years ago, when the main character based the restaurant she opened, the Lunch Box, around her famous recipe for loose meat sandwiches. Not long afterwards, being a new resident to central Illinois, I visited my first Maid-Rite. The sandwiches there were pretty good -- though I think they tasted better if you have a nostalgic attachment to them.

Then last year, I had one of my sister-in-law's loose meat sandwiches. I'm not even sure if that's what she called them, but they were ground meat sandwiches, the filling for which she had warmed in the Crockpot. It was her grandmother's simple recipe, and I'm telling you, I could have eaten fifty of them. In reality, I think I may have eaten just over twenty.

I recently made up my own recipe based on what she told me was in those (I'm sure she would have given me the recipe over the phone, but if I'm often too lazy to look at a recipe, I'm definitely too lazy to pick up the phone). I think I got really close, although I think she may have used meat with a higher fat content. I had very lean ground beef, which as usual, had only made it into our house because I had to buy some to make something else to bring to a crowd of people.



The difference between these and say, a Manwich or a Sloppy Joe is that basically they aren't as tomato sauce-y, and there aren't any green peppers in them. The ingredients that you add cook down enough so that all that is left is their enhancement of the meat itself.

First, I added the following ingredients to the food processor:

1 cup celery
1 cup onions
1 cup carrots
3 cloves garlic

Pulse those until everything is very finely chopped, but not puréed. Then add the vegetables to a large sauce pan or skillet, and wilt the vegetables with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper. Then add about 1.5 pounds of ground meat, and brown it (drain if you wish, which will yield a leaner end product). Add about 1 cup ketchup, 1/2 cup mustard, and a little brown sugar. Season it again.

I simmered mine together right there in the pan for about 45 minutes, or until the meat is crumbly, and the other ingredients are no longer recognizable as separate entities, so to speak. It should just look like ground meat. You could also transfer it to a slow cooker immediately after the browning phase, and place it on "low," and let it simmer in there until you achieve the same result. (Couple hours, probably).

I served the sandwiches with Trader Joe's greens, cooked with broth, onions, garlic, and their thick-cut turkey bacon... There reheated very well, were delish with a little cheddar on them, and tasted very, very good. You can double or triple the recipe to feed a crowd, too!

Fried Okra

Mom came for a visit recently, and she brought lots of goodies from her garden. She brought fresh tomatoes, and a ton -- and I mean a ton -- of okra.



Okra, she said, is not something she ever grew up with on my Grandpa Ray's farm in southern Illinois. When she and my stepfather Bill got married, it was something she quickly learned to cook, however, as he did grow up with it in Oklahoma. Bill likes his super, super well-done (blackened and crispy).

I made this batch under Ma's supervision, if you will, and it couldn't have been any simpler. You just slice it, dip it in flour (which I seasoned with Adobo and pepper, and a little cayenne), and then fry it.



There is no need for egg or anything like that, as the okra is a bit "slimy" all on its own, and the flour just sticks to it. I didn't put the literal "burn" on this batch that Bill likes, but I liked the little touch of spice that was present due to the cayenne. It is crunchy and fun to eat -- like popcorn.



Still got lots of okra left... I have sliced it up, and stuck it in the freezer for the next time the mood for fried okra strikes me, or perhaps I will make some gumbo with it for Christopher.

Smoky Portobello Pizza

A recent trip to Trader Joe's yielded a veggie assortment, and some lovely smoked Jack cheese. The cheese was milder than some of the smoked cheeses I've bought in recent years (some of the goudas out there will make you feel that you need treatment for smoke inhalation), and I really liked it. We decided to make a pizza. Okay, I decided. I don't consult Chris on these matters, as asking him what he wants for dinner always yields a simple, "Whatever you think, babe." I just go.



I used a whole-wheat crust, brushed with minced garlic and a little olive oil. I used tomato sauce, spread thinly, then drizzled generously with Famous Dave's Texas Pit sauce (any BBQ sauce would do, but seriously, you should try that one.) Then I topped with just a tiny bit of grilled veggies (about a quarter of a veggie of each): zucchini, red onion, and yellow squash. I grilled a whole package of sliced portobello mushrooms, because I wanted them to be the predominant flavor. Then I topped it with smoked jack cheese, and a bit of regular shredded cheese mix after that.



You could use any smoked cheese, just taste a bit and you'll be able to estimate how much to use, and how much to moderate with the non-smoked cheese. It would have been even better with shredded Swiss added (just trust me on this -- this pizza is based on an individual-bite appetizer I like). I think it would also be great made on the grill, if you have the means.

Some time ago, Chris and I attended the First Annual Chicago Alefest, as you may or may not remember. (I know I remember very little of it. Ahem.) Anyhoo, after we had sat on the steps for a bit and sobered up a mite (he more so than me), we realized that what would make the day perfect was German food. Rather than incur any fees in using the browser on my phone (which I don't really know how to do on a sober day, anyway) I phoned my brother, who lives in California. I had him enter our location on Yahoo! yellow pages, and tell us of the closest German restaurant. See? S-m-r-t.

That restaurant was Christl's German Inn in Palatine, IL, which is, as they say in Jamaican, "raat neeah dee trey-un trox, mon."



As you can see, the place has the look of your Grandma's rec room, with a slightly more enticing aroma. I sat down, and promptly perused the beer menu, because I hadn't already had enough to drink, and I like hangovers so much. I was disappointed by the selection... It seems to me that any great German restaurant ought to have more of a bevy of brews. Still, I ordered a Weiss beer with a lemon, and when it arrived it was like a Christmas Carol goose ("Whut, the wun as big as me?"), and had a lemon in it. I was happy, and Chris resigned himself to being my designated driver. For the next 40 years.

Next up, I was in the mood for liver. I know, many normal people live their whole lives without ever slipping into "the liver mood," but I love it. Particularly in paté form, when it comes with boiled eggs, an array of crackers, and onions. Yum.



Next up was the soup course. This took some time, as it seemed that Christl's was having some type of server crisis. Our waiter resembled Harry Potter, and was just as adept at vanishing. He told us, "I don't usually wait tables. I don't know what I'm doing. Someone called in sick today." Looked like the whole dining area was up to him and another server. Still, we had our light buzz and our liver, so we were taking our time, anyway.

Chris got the soup-du-jour, which was... well, I don't remember what it was. I want to say "goulash soup?" But I did not like it. It was incredibly salty. WAY too salty. Chris didn't mind.



I got the liver dumpling. And you know that liver I had before? Turns out -- not enough. It was delish. And I know my soup looks scarier than his, but I really enjoyed it.



And look... Salad too! Though each course was about ten to fifteen minutes in coming, I was chatting away and when something else did arrive, it was sort of like, "Oooh! More stuff! Goody." The bleu cheese dressing was a bit mayonnaise-y for my taste, but it was just a true, old-school salad.



Now we were awaiting the main course. Chris and I usually get different things and share... But we both really wanted the Schlacht Platte, which has a "kassler rib, thueringer & bratwurst served with boiled potato and sauerkraut." And we didn't even know what a thueringer was. But it seemed right.

And boy did we wait. And wait. And wait. While waiting, we had more time to take in the decor:



Finally, the poor frantic manager noticed me glaring at him, and ran to the kitchen and personally delivered our food. And oh man. Was it ever worth the wait.



Thueringer, as it turns out, is German for "sausage I think I could eat seven of with no problem." It was fully apparent that the sausages were well-crafted and authentic. The ham melted in your mouth. The meal had a simple, perfect flavor. Afterwards, the manager apologized again for the lapse in service, and gave Chris a free beer to try: the BBK from Germany. It was a pale ale-type blonde brew, which neither Chris nor I are very fond of... It tasted a bit like Beck's. Still, it was very nice of him to let us try it.

Overall, I think I will assume that the service fiasco was a one-time thing and try the place again. Anyway, it is not the type of place you go in a rush, but one in which you enjoy several courses, a huge beer, and some conversation. It had a lot of value, down-home atmosphere, and great flavor. I don't think everything we were served was authentic German, but sort of a mix of an American eatery with some real authenticity. Whatever it was, it was tasty to me.

And the leftover potatoes, sausages and ham made a great mix with scrambled eggs the next day.

Summer and a Cup of Cheese Sauce

Been a busy few days with no time to post... Ended a run of "Oliver!" and had mom here for the weekend. Took a lot of pictures, though! I have quite a bit in the hopper, and there will be more posts to come in the next couple of days.

For today, I am still a bit short on time, so I have a photo of the last time I visited the Imax theatre in Lincolnshire to see the movie, 300. While renting movies last night, I was trying to explain to Ma why this movie was so great, but I may have used the phrase, "Shirtless men, fighting a lot" to get my point across one too many times. Wouldn't that be enough for anyone?

Well, it was enough for my friend Jen S. and I, who attended with some other friends with much anticipation. The movie did not disappoint. She and I both ordered a soft pretzel, with a side of cheese sauce at the theatre. Along with the drink, a single pretzel and the cheese came to nearly nine breathtaking dollars, which is I guess why they try to give you your money's worth in a sort of misplaced way... What we received for our dough was a small beverage cup, filled with liquid cheese along with our pretzels. Each. One of which I then attempted to photograph in the near-complete darkness.



About sixteen ounces of liquid cheese... Much like the movie, it was sort of repulsive and thrilling, all at once.

Mediterranean-Style Grilled Chicken

We made this chicken again (oh, a hundred times since, I'd say), and I've posted it before... But I thought the picture in this instance really showcased the improvement in my photography skills, so I'm posting it again. Enjoy.



Served with hummus and whole-wheat pitas, which on their own are becoming my favorite snack...