Meatballs a la Pizzaiola

(From Giada at Home)

Ingredients

• Vegetable oil cooking spray
• 2 large shallots, peeled and chopped
• 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained (5 or 6)
• 1/3 cup packed fresh basil leaves
• 1/3 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 1/2 pounds 20-percent fat ground beef
• 1 pound ground pork
• 6 ounces smoked mozzarella, cut into 36 (1/2-inch) cubes (I used regular mozzarella)
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 3 cups marinara sauce, warmed

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with vegetable oil cooking spray. Set aside.

In a food processor, pulse together the shallots, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, shredded mozzarella, Parmesan, tomato paste, red pepper flakes, and salt. Process until blended. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Add the beef and pork and, using a wooden spoon or clean hands, stir until well combined. Form the mixture into 36 equal-size meatballs (about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter).

Insert 1 cube smoked mozzarella cheese into the center of each meatball and form the meat around it, completely enclosing the cheese.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat half the oil over medium heat. Add half of the meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, until well browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining oil and meatballs.

Place the browned meatballs onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes for medium doneness. Set aside to cool slightly, and serve with warm marinara sauce

Slow Cooker Pork Tacos

3 lbs pork shoulder (or any pork loin that is well marbled with fat)

1 large onion, chopped

1 7 oz. can chili verde

1 7 oz. can chipotle peppers in adobe sauce, chopped up

1 tsp. oregano

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 Tbs. lime juice

Salt and Pepper

Corn/flour Tortillas

Cilantro

Chopped tomatoes

Put pork in crock-pot, salt and pepper. Add chili verde, peppers, cloves, oregano, half of the onion and lime juice. Cook on high for 5 hours or low for 8-10. Meanwhile, in a bowl add rest of chopped onion and some chopped up cilantro, cover and put in fridge. Take pork out with one hour left of cooking time, shred, and add it back to the pot along with a handful of chopped cilantro.

If using corn tortillas, warm them up in a saute pan on both sides. Top tacos with onion/cilantro mix and tomatoes and enjoy.

Beef Brisket

Liquid Smoke

Worschestershire sauce

kosher salt and pepper

garlic-chopped

heavy duty foil

beef brisket

This is a recipe that I really don't have any measurements for.  I just usually get any size beef brisket that I think will feed my family and of course more if needs be.  My sister told me a long time ago that you should plan on about 1/4 lb. per person.  

I usually use a jelly roll pan for this.  I put tin foil down on the pan with lots of excess hanging over.  Now you can choose to cut some of the fat off the meat or you can just leave it on for more flavor.  Place the meat on the pan.  Next generously salt and pepper this, chop up some garlic and spread all over, pour some Worchestershire sauce over as well as some liquid smoke. You don't need a lot of the liquid smoke.  A lot goes a long way.

Next you want to wrap the meat up in tin foil so no heat or steam leaks out.  Cook this on 200 degrees for 10 hours or 250 degrees for 8 hours.  Take it out of the oven, cut some slits in the foil and let it cool down for awhile.

Now at this point you can do what ever you want with the meat.  French dip, nachos, or just the way it came out of the oven.  We usually make BBQ Beef Sandwiches.  I shred up the meat into a dish, add a little of the reserved liquid and pour on our favorite BBQ sauce.  Then you can have a little heaven on a bun!

Emeril's Ka-Bam Kabobs

8 ounce button mushrooms, cleaned

1 large yellow onion, peeled

1 large green or red bell pepper

1 1/2 pounds beef sirloin, fat trimmed

1 Tbs. Baby Bam, recipe follows

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar

2 Tbs. vegetable oil

1 Tbs. chopped garlic

wood or metal skewers

1.  Cut the onion in half.  Cut each half into quarters, keeping the pieces together as much as possible.  Remove the upper forth of the bell pepper,  Remove the stem end, inside ribs, and seeds.  Cut the pepper into quarters crosswise, then into 1-inch pieces.

2.  Cut the meant into 1-inch pieces and place in a large glass bowl.  AD the baby Bam and toss to coat.  Combine the worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, vegetable oil, and garlic and pour over meat.  Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 4 hours.

3.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and place the oven rack in the top position.  Line the baking sheet with aluminum foil.

4.  Remove the meat from the refrigerator.  Thread 1 meat cube onto a skewer, followed by a mushroom, bell pepper, and onion.  Continue threading alternating ingredients onto skewer until the skewer is full.  Place the filled skewers on the baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes for medium.

5.  Remove from the oven.  Remove the meat and vegetables from the skewer onto a plate.  Serve hot.

Baby Bam

3 Tbs. paprika

2 Tbs. salt

2 Tbs. dried parsley

2 tsp. onion powder

2 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. ground black pepper

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. dried thyme

1/2 tsp. celery salt

Combine all ingredients and store in a tight container up to 3 months.

I use this marinade on any type of steak I cook or grill.

Pork Milanes

1 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

1/2 cup finely grated parmesan

2 large eggs

6 boneless pork loin chops, pounded thin to 1/3 inch-thick (1 1/2 pounds total)

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup plus 3 Tbs. olive oil

6 lemon wedges

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.

Coarsely crush the panko into a large shallow bowl. Stir the cheese into the panko. Lightly beat the eggs in another large shallow bowl. Sprinkle the pork generously with salt and pepper. Dip the pork, 1 piece at a time, in the egg, allowing the excess to drip off, then dredge the pork in the crumb mixture, patting to coat completely. Place the pork on a small baking sheet.

Heat 1/4 cup of oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the pork to the hot oil and cook until golden brown and just cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towels to drain, then transfer them to a clean baking sheet and keep them warm in the oven. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil to the skillet and fry the remaining pork.

Transfer the pork to plates and serve with lemon wedges.

These were great!  And the kids loved them too.  I literally cooked for three minutes on each side.  Put them in, set the timer, turned them and set it again.  Make sure you squeeze the lemon on them!