Alphabet Meatball Soup

Alphabet Meatball Soup serves 8-10 Ingredients: Meatballs: 1/2 cup dried bread crumbs 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated 4 Tablespoons onion, minced 1 clove garlic, minced 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, minced 2 teaspoons dried basil 1/2 teaspoon salt  1/2 teaspoon pepper 1 large egg, lights beaten 1 lb ground beef For Soup: 2 Tablespoons olive oil 1 small onion, finely chopped  1 celery rib, finely chopped 2 clove garlic, minced 8 cups chicken stock 1 cup crushed tomatoes in puree 1 1/2 teaspoon italian seasoning 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon pepper 1 7oz bag of alphabet pasta, dry
First make the meatballs. Combine all ingredients for meatballs except egg and ground beef, mix well. Use a fork to add in egg and then mix in gorund beef, mixing well with your hands. Shape beef mixture into 1-inch balls. (make about 4 dozen meatballs)
Heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil in a large frying pan. Place meatballs in the frying pan and cook them over meduim heat for 8 to 10 minutes, turning them often so they brown evenly, until centers are just slightly pink. Set aside. 
For soup, heat oil in a large soup pot. Add onion, celery, and garlic. Cook veggies until tender, about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chicken stock, crushed tomatoes, and spices. Bring soup to a slow boil over medium heat, then add pasta. 

Keep the soup boiling until pasta is almost cooked about 6-7 minutes.  Add meatballs to the soup and continue to cook for 3 more minutes. Enjoy!

*You can usually find the alphabet pasta in the hispanic section of stores.

Rich & Thick New England Clam Chowder

Rich and Thick New England Clam Chowder makes 8-10 bowls

Ingredients 6 oz bacon, diced 3 (6.5 oz) cans chopped clams, drained reserve juice  3-4 cups chicken broth 1 yellow onion, minced 3 ribs celery, minced 2 carrots, minced 2 sprigs fresh thyme 5-6 red or yellow potatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces  3/4 cup flour 4 cups cream 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar 1 1/2 teaspoons salt  2 teaspoons pepper optional 1/2 fresh parsley, finely chopped
Drain clams in a strainer over a bowl, reserve the clam juice for later. Dice the bacon. Mince all the veggies. In a soup pot, brown bacon, over med high heat. Remove browned bacon with a slotted spoon, place on a paper towel for later. Keep bacon fat in the soup pot, add minced vegetables. Saute until veggies are tender, about 7 minutes. Add flour, mix in well. Add fresh thyme, salt and pepper, mix well. Dice potatoes, add them veggie mixture.

Measure calm juice, add enough chicken broth to make 6 cups of liquid. Add liquid to veggie mixture.  Cook on meduim heat for 40 minutes or until potatoes are tender, stirring every few minutes, so it doesn't stick to bottom.  When potaotes are tender add the clams, bacon, cream, and vinegar. Cook 15 minutes. Optional Add 1/2 cup fresh parsley to garnish. 

I love to serve in sour dough bread bowls! Great Fall meal!

Crockpot Mac N Cheese

Crockpot Mac N Cheese  16 side servings
Ingredients 16 oz  elbow macaroni 4 Tablespoons butter 3 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese 3 eggs 1/2 cup sour cream 1 (10 3/4 oz) can condensed cheddar cheese soup 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1 cup whole milk 1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper

Directions:
Boil pasta in water 1/2 the amount of time on the box or bag. Drain and rinse. Set aside.
In a medium sauce pan, mix butter and cheese. Stir until cheese is melted. Let sit a few minutes so when added to corckpot mixture it doesn't cook egg. 

In a crockpot, combine reamining ingredients. Stir well. Add the cheese mixture, stir well. Add pasta. Stir well.

Cook on low for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. 

Jalapeno Ranch Cheeseburgers

Jalapeno Ranch Cheeseburgers makes 4   1/4lb burgers

Ingredients

• 1 cup cheddar cheese
• 1 jalapeño, finely chopped
• 1 egg
• 1 packet (1 ounce) Ranch Salad Dressing & Seasoning Mix
• 1 pound ground beef
• hamburger buns lightly toasted

Directions

1. 1. Preheat the grill or broiler.

1. 2. In a large bowl, combine seasoning mix with the beef, jalapeno, cheese, egg, and 
2. mix with clean hands until incorporated. Shape the meat into four ¼ pound 
3. burgers about 1-inch thick.

1. 
   
2. Grill the burgers about 5 minutes on each side 
3. for a medium-well burger.
4. 3. Serve immediately on the hamburger buns.

One of the meals that everyone in the family loves!! We serve this with lots of 

fun toppings.  I usually make potato salad to go with it. Here is link for potato 

salad Dave's Favorite Potato Salad

Best Banana Nut Bread Pudding with Buttery Cream Sauce

Best Banana Nut Bread Pudding with Buttery Cream Sauce

Serves 12

Ingredients

5 tablespoons butter

8 cups day-old white bread, such as French or Italian, cut into 1-inch cubes (toast if fresh)

2 cups heavy cream

1 1/2 cups milk

4 large eggs

1 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Pinch nutmeg

Pinch salt

5 tablespoons banana liqueur, optional

2 cups mashed ripe bananas, about 4 small

3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted

Buttery Rum Sauce, recipe follows

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Lightly grease a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the butter and set aside.

Place the cubed bread in a large mixing bowl. In a small saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat and pour the butter over the bread cubes. Using a rubber spatula, toss to evenly distribute the butter.

Combine the cream, milk, eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and banana liqueur in a medium mixing bowl, whisking to combine. Pour the cream mixture over the bread cubes and stir to combine. 

Let sit for 30 for 45 minutes, or until the bread is soft and has absorbed most of the liquid.

Stir in the mashed bananas and nuts. 

Pour the mixture into prepared dish and bake, uncovered, for 45 to 50 minutes, until the top is golden brown and crispy and the pudding is firm in the center. Prepare the Buttery Rum Sauce while the pudding is baking.

Remove the pudding from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before serving. Serve warm with Buttery Rum Sauce and vanilla ice cream,  if desired.

Buttery Cream Sauce:

8 tablespoons butter,melted

3/4 cup heavy cream

1 cup sugar

2 egg yolks, beaten lightly

1 T of vanilla or 1/4 to 1/ cup rum, to taste 

In a medium saucepan combine all ingredients except the vanilla or rum and cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until the sauce is thickened and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat immediately; do not allow the sauce to boil. Add the rum or vanilla extract, stir to combine, and allow to cool slightly. Serve warm with Banana Walnut Bread Pudding. (The sauce can be made up to 1 week in advance and stored, refrigerated, in an airtight container. Warm before serving, do not let boil.)

Best Ever Brisket with Jalapeño Horseradish Sauce

Best Ever Brisket with Jalapeño Horseradish sauce serves 6-8

brisket ingredients  8 Cloves Garlic, minced 1 Tbsp kosher salt 1 Tbsp freshly gorund pepper 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper 2 Tbsp Molasses 2 Tbsp yellow mustard  4-5 lbs Flat cut Brisket

1 onion, thinly sliced
1Tbsp olive oil 1 cup beef broth
Jalapeno Horseradish sauce 2 tsp Horseradish  1 cup sour cream 1 clove garlic, minced 1-2 Tbsp pickled jalapeno, finely chopped  1/2 teaspoon pepper salt to taste

Directions: To make the brisket, mince garlic, and combine 2 cloves worth of garlic with salt, pepper, cayenne, molasses, and mustard into a small bowl and stir to form a paste. Rub all over the brisket, and allow the brisket to rest on a plate, unrefrigerated for 1 hour.

Cut onion into thin slices, I use a mandolin.

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. or can be prepared and placed in a slow cooker for 8 hrs on low. 

In a oven proof pot, or Dutch oven, head oil over medium high heat, add in the onions, and cook until they begin to just brown at the tips. Add in the remaining garlic, and beef broth and scrape the bottom of the pan of any stuck bits.

If using a crockpot follow above directions but use a large frying pan,instead of dutch oven for onion mixture. Place brisket in crockpot fat side up then add onion mixture on top. Cook on low for 8 hours. 

Add in the brisket, fat side up, and spoon onions on top of the brisket. Cover the pot, and place in the oven for 5-6 hours, until the brisket falls apart with a fork.

To serve, uncover the pot, and allow the brisket to rest for 20-30 minutes before serving.

FOR HORSERADISH SAUCE:

Stir to combine all ingredients. Add salt to taste. Refrigerate until needed.