Family Cooking Tips

Archive for April, 2008

Easy Meatballs

2 pounds of ground beef
1 tsp of onion powder
1 tsp of garlic powder
1 tsp of basil minced
1 tsp of oregano minced
1 tsp of chives minced
1 tsp of coriander minced
1 tsp of olive oil
? cup of breadcrumbs
2 large eggs

Mix all of the ingredients together and roll into small balls and fry in batches. Can be used in meatball subs, Swedish meatballs, or spaghetti.

Delicious Chicken Wings

12-18 chicken wings
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 teaspooon ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 green onions, minced
1 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Combine all the ingredients to slow cooker. Cook on a low setting for about 6 to 8 hours.

Serves approx. 2 to 4 people

Crock-pot spaghetti

1 16 oz package of spaghetti cooked
1 16 oz container of sour cream
1 package of mozzarella cheese, cheddar cheese, and sharp cheese
Sauce:

1 cup of beef broth
4 cans of whole tomatoes
2 can of tomato paste
4 can of tomato sauce
Chopped basil
Chopped cilantro
Chopped sage
Chopped oregano
Chopped onion
Chopped garlic
2 pounds of ground beef

In a saucepot, combine all of the tomato products and broth and bring to a simmer. Brown the herbs and garlic and onion with ground beef and add to sauce pot.

Put all the ingredients into the crock-pot and cook on low for 4 hours.
It is important that you do not add hot liquids into a cold crock-pot. Doing so could fracture the crock.

This is a great recipe for kids to get involved in. there is no danger of getting hurt, however supervision is needed when children are in the kitchen.

Cooking With Spinach

Perhaps your only memory of spinach comes from watching Popeye as a young child, or worse, you remember being forced to eat spinach that’s been broiled within an inch of its life and retains only an unpleasant texture and a bitter taste. Too many people have a negative view about spinach, when in fact, besides being rich in iron and vitamins, this vegetable can be quite tasty. When you go to purchase your first bundle of spinach as an adult, take some time to really look around for some tasty meal ideas when it comes to spinach.

A lot of people think that salads are boring, but the truth is, salad is only as boring as you let it be. While some people can happily eat raw spinach alone, other people adore the taste of spinach mixed with romaine. In any case, excise iceburg lettuce from your diet, because it has the nutritional value of green water! Mix your spinach greens with walnuts, sweet bell peppers and mushrooms, which will make for a wonderful appetizer or light meal. Spinach doesn’t really need a heavy dressing, so consider a balsamic or raspberry vinaigrette and think about adding some fresh, crisp apples to sweeten the whole salad.

A spinach omelet can use the richness of cheese and eggs to bring out the distinctive taste of this vegetable without letting it become overwhelming. Use a white cheese like Parmesan to complement the taste and don’t go light! This is a fairly healthy dish and it can be a great way to start a day off or end it. While pregnant women or people with weakened immune systems should be cautious about using undercooked eggs, this recipe is quite good when the egg base stays fairly soft. Play with the spices as well; you may or may not know that spinach is greatly enhanced with nutmeg, which complements the taste quite nicely.

Another great recipe that comes from India involves spinach being used as a fun side dish, along with some seasoned potatoes. You start by frying ginger, garlic and various spices for about a minute before you add vegetable stock and coarsely diced potatoes. Then you cover and cook on low heat for about forty minutes, after which, you add the spinach and stir well. After the entire dish has simmered for another five minutes or so, it is ready to eat. This side dish is popular everywhere, and you’ll find that if you’re in the mood for spicy or mild, you can adjust it at need.

If you are looking forward to eating a little better, why not start with spinach? While you might have bad memories of it from childhood, there’s no reason to let those memories stand between you and some wonderfully cooked and seasoned meals.