Mini Turkey Meatballs

I am not a good cook but, I can cook and my biggest fan is my husband. When it comes to food, it is hard to please him but, when I cook for lunch or dinner for him, he eats it and gave me a perfect commendation. That matters a lot! Where do I get the recipe and inspiration for my cooking? Well, I get it in Food Network Channel. I love watching Food Network channel and one of my favorite celebrity cooks is Giada De Laurentiis:

This is her recipe and it is so yummy. You should try it.

Ingredients for Meatballs:

1 cup bread crumbs
¼ cup whole milk (room temperature)
2 eggs (room temperature)
1 small onion, finely chopped
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup fresh basil leaves (chopped)
¼ cup fresh Italian parsley leaves (chopped)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, minced
¾ tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
1 lb ground turkey meat
1 lb spicy Italian turkey sausage links, casings removed
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling


Ingredients for the Sauce :

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
3 large garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp finely ground fennel seeds
2 cans crushed tomatoes
¾ cup chopped fresh basil leaves
½ cup low-sodium chicken broth


Instructions for the Meatballs:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In a bowl, combine the bread crumbs, milk, eggs, onion, Parmesan cheese, basil, parsley, tomato paste, garlic, salt, and pepper. Stir to blend.
3. Add the ground turkey and sausage meat. Gently mix all the ingredients until thoroughly combined. Use your clean hands.
4. Using an ice cream scoop, form the meat mixture into balls.
5. Place the meatballs on a heavy non-stick baking sheet, spacing apart.
6. Drizzle with olive oil and bake for 15 minutes until cooked through.


Instruction for the Sauce:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add the onions, garlic, salt, and pepper.
3. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes.
4. Add the crushed tomatoes, oregano, fennel, and 1/2 cup basil. Bring to simmer.
5. Cook over medium heat until the sauce thickens slightly. Stir occasionally in about 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup basil.
6. Adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper, if desired.

Add the meatballs to the tomato sauce and simmer until the meatballs are heated through, about 10 minutes. Thin the sauce with chicken stock, 1/4 cup at a time, if needed.

Serve with grated Parmesan cheese alongside.

Food 911 by Tyler Florence

Do you watch Food Network channel? Well, raising my hands coz I watch Food Network most of the time. I turn on my TV while blogging and because I watch food shows a lot, I can't help myself from eating while doing my online tasks. I saw the Food 911 by Tyler Florence (one of my favorite chef) and all I could think was his recipe: Bacon Wrapped Scallops with Spicy Mayo. For now, I have to order but, since I have his recipe, I might make one today. Here's Tyler Florence recipe:

Ingredients
1 1/2 pound large scallops
1/2 pound thin-sliced bacon
Extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup good quality mayonnaise
1/4 cup hot chili paste (recommended: Sriracha Hot Chili Paste)
1 lime, juiced
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish
2 heads Bibb lettuce, washed
3 avocados, sliced

Directions

Heat the broiler. Wrap each scallop in a piece of bacon and secure it with a toothpick. Place the bacon wrapped scallops onto a baking sheet, drizzle them with olive oil, and season them with salt and pepper. Cook them under the broiler for about 10 to 15 minutes until the bacon is cooked through, turning once.

Make the spicy mayo by combining the mayonnaise, chili paste, lime juice, and chopped cilantro. Stir well and refrigerate until ready to use.

To serve, carefully peel away the lettuce leaves and line a large platter with the lettuce cups. Top each with a bacon wrapped shrimp, 2 slices of avocado, and a spoonful of spicy mayonnaise. Garnish with cilantro leaves.

Wallah! That was easy. If you make one, share your photos here okay? Enjoy!

Fried Ice Cream

I was watching the cooking show of Paula Deen at Food Network channel a while ago. She had a charming Mexican guest cook and she gave Paula a souvenir pajama for her blender. It's not every day that you can find that beautiful thing here in the US. In the Philippines, we have pajama for the blender as well as for the oven toaster.

Anyway, I like Paula Deen because she is a happy cook and she's contagious with positive attitude. Though, one chef bashed Paula Deen for her cooking style. Anthony Bourdain despises her sugary, fatty and deep fried Southern recipes. I am not fond of sweets but, her cooking show is very lively and her food presentation is deliciously looking.

I was amazed to see her fry the ice-cream. Yeah! Out of the extra-ordinary recipes right? Are you curious? You can check out the recipe in Food Network Channel.

Here are the Ingredients:
1/2 to 1 gallon vanilla ice cream
4 egg whites
4 cups crushed cubed cereal (recommended: Golden Graham)
Vegetable oil, for frying
Cinnamon, honey, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, optional garnish.

For Fried Ice Cream Direction, check out Food Network Website.

Rachel Ray vs Guy Fieri

I was watching the Food Network Channel and was happy to see my favorite star of the movie La Bamba, Lou Diamond Phillips as the celebrity guest for the show: Rachel vs Guy Celebrity Cook-Off. I was even amazed to know that his group is under the Team Rachel Ray. Lou Diamond Phillips group: Aaron Carter, Summer Sanders and Taylor Dane and they won.On the other hand, Guy Fieri's team: Coolio, Cheech Marin, Alyssa Campanella, and Joey Fatone got the second place and their charity will receive $10,000.

Of course, the charity of the group of Lou Diamond Phillips recieves the amount of $50,000. They chose "Share our Strength", a not-for-profit organizations, mobilizing individuals and industries to fight hunger. This show is very inspiring.