Ina Garten's Meatballs and Pasta

Barefoot Contessa's Recipe

Meatballs and Pasta

INGREDIENTS:

For the meatballs:

• 1/2 pound ground veal
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 cup fresh white bread crumbs (4 slices, crusts removed)
• 1/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 extra-large egg, beaten
• Vegetable oil
• Olive oil

For the sauce:

• 1 tablespoon good olive oil
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 onion)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1/2 cup good red wine, such as Chianti
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, or plum tomatoes in puree, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For serving:

• 1 1/2 pounds spaghetti, cooked according to package directions
• Freshly grated Parmesan

DIRECTIONS

1. Place the ground meats, both bread crumbs, parsley, Parmesan, salt, pepper, nutmeg, egg, and 3/4 cup warm water in a bowl. Combine very lightly with a fork. Using your hands, lightly form the mixture into 2-inch meatballs. You will have 14 to 16 meatballs.
2. Pour equal amounts of vegetable oil and olive oil into a large (12-inch) skillet to a depth of 1/4-inch. Heat the oil. Very carefully, in batches, place the meatballs in the oil and brown them well on all sides over medium-low heat, turning carefully with a spatula or a fork. This should take about 10 minutes for each batch. Don't crowd the meatballs. Remove the meatballs to a plate covered with paper towels. Discard the oil but don't clean the pan.
3. For the sauce, heat the olive oil in the same pan. Add the onion and saute over medium heat until translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the wine and cook on high heat, scraping up all the brown bits in the pan, until almost all the liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, parsley, salt, and pepper.
4. Return the meatballs to the sauce, cover, and simmer on the lowest heat for 25 to 30 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through. Serve hot on cooked spaghetti and pass the grated Parmesan.

-Alyssa

Pioneer Woman's Mac and Cheese

Ree Drummond's Macaroni & Cheese recipe

-Alyssa

Carnitas Tacos

Pioneer Woman's Spicy Shredded Pork recipe

-Derek

Giada's Turkey Meatloaf

Turkey Meatloaf
with Feta and Sun-dried Tomatoes

INGREDIENTS:

• Vegetable cooking spray
• 1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped garlic and herb-marinated sun-dried tomatoes
• 2 cloves garlic, minced, optional
• 2 eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons whole milk
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound ground turkey, preferably dark meat

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Spray a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
3. In a large bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, parsley, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, if using, eggs, milk, feta, salt, and pepper. Add the turkey and gently stir to combine, being careful not to overwork the meat.
4. Carefully pack the meat mixture into the prepared pan and bake until the internal temperature registers 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 40-45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and slice. Put on a serving platter and serve.

-Alyssa

Spicy Fall-Apart Ribs

Spicy Barbecue Ribs

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 lbs. pork baby back ribs
• 5 tablespoons of balsamic vinaigrette dressing
• 1 1/2 ketchup
• 1/2 cup Frank's Red Hot Sauce
• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons crushed oregano flakes
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Wash the ribs and trim as much fat off as possible.  Season ribs with salt and pepper.  Place in a shallow baking pan. Brown in oven for 13-14 minutes.  Then, turn over and brown the other side for another 13-14 minutes.   Separate ribs in single-boned pieces or pairs. Place pieces into the slow cooker or crock pot.
3. In a medium bowl, mix together all the other ingredients.  Pour sauce over the ribs in the crock pot and toss ribs until all pieces are coated with sauce. 
4. **In a slow cooker: cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours.  Carefully toss the ribs occasionally, every 2 hours.
5. **In a dutch oven: cover and cook at 325 degrees F for 1 hour 30 minutes.

-Alyssa

Easy Chicken Pot Pie

before

after

-Derek

Roast Chicken

-Derek