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Beef, Dinner, Italian, Lactose Free, Pasta, Recipes

Tender Meatballs ~ Lactose Free

February 25, 2020

Tender Meatballs - Lactose Free

These meatballs are moist and tender thanks to the addition of cottage cheese.  I use a lactose free brand of cottage cheese as I am lactose intolerant.  Thankfully, there are many lactose free options available these days, which means dishes that were formally off limits for those of us who cannot tolerate regular dairy products are now on our menus.

Lactose Free Cottage Cheese

Lactaid or Green Valley Creamery offers lactose free cottage cheese.  Of course you may use regular cottage cheese if you do not have lactose intolerance.

Fresh Italian Parsley and Marjoram

Fresh Italian parsley and marjoram add a wonderful flavor to these meatballs.  Marjoram is one of my favorite herbs.  If you are not familiar with it, give it a try!  I’m sure it will become a favorite of yours too.

Tender Meatballs & Spaghetti

The meatballs are fried in a bit of olive oil until they are nicely browned on all sides. I like the texture and flavor the meatballs have when pan fried in a skillet.  Serve them with your favorite sauce and pasta.

Tender Meatballs - Lactose Free

Tender Meatballs & Spaghetti

Tender Meatballs
 
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Serves: 24 meatballs
Ingredients
  • ⅓ cup panko
  • ⅓ cup lactose free milk (or regular milk)
  • ⅓ cup finely minced onion
  • 1 medium garlic clove, minced
  • ¼ cup chopped Italian parsley
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh marjoram (or 1 teaspoon dried marjoram)
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • ½ cup lactose free cottage cheese (drained if very wet, chopped if very large curds)
  • 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 pound lean ground beef (I use ground sirloin)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil for frying
  • Julienned fresh basil (optional)
  • Grated Parmesan (optional)
Preparation
  1. Place the panko in a small bowl and moisten them with enough milk to cover the crumbs. Give them a quick stir, then let them sit for 10 minutes to soften. Gently squeeze out the excess moisture.
  2. Place ground beef in a large bowl. Break it apart gently with two forks. Mix in panko, onion, garlic, herbs, egg, cottage cheese, salt and pepper. Mix gently with two forks until all of the ingredients are evenly incorporated.
  3. Roll meatballs into 24 golf ball sized balls.
  4. Heat oil on medium heat in a wide deep-sided skillet until shimmering. I use my Anolon 12" x 3" skillet. Fry all of the meatballs at once or in batches if your pan is smaller. Turn them to brown on each side, about 7 minutes total. They are done when they reach 165 degrees.
  5. Serve with your favorite pasta and sauce. Top with julienned fresh basil and parmesan cheese (I use lactose free Boar's Head brand).

 

Bread, Dinner, Fruit, Gardening, Italian, Lactose Free, Pasta, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

Summer Tomatoes on Capellini & Sourdough Bread

April 23, 2019

This year we planted two Early Girl tomato seedlings in the garden and were they ever a great surprise.  They produced more than 100 pounds of gorgeous, sweet fruit.  Though the plants are looking rather scraggly after several months, they are still bearing fruit.  These tomatoes are deep red in color, meaty, have very few seeds and a tiny stem that’s not woody when you cut into the fruit. They are the perfect tomato.  Unlike the Big Beef tomatoes that we usually grow, the Early Girls are small in size.  My friend Hano and her sister Charlotte eat them as if they were apples!

With all of these tomatoes ripening faster than we knew what to do with them, I wanted to whip up something delicious that would show off their exceptional flavor.  This was the perfect recipe. It is a raw sauce so there’s no cooking involved and everything goes into one bowl.  This really is the way to showcase your homegrown tomatoes.  The original recipe that I wrote down nearly 10 years ago comes from Deborah Mele. It’s one of my favorite summer meals.

Homegrown Early Girl Tomatoes

This dish requires the best tomatoes you can find.  If you don’t grow your own, check out your local farmer’s markets.  The tomatoes that are sold at supermarket chains in our area just won’t do.  Heirloom tomatoes would work if you can find them.

Kalamata & Castelvetrano Olives

You may use kalamata olives or a mix of olives.  I added a few castelvetrano olives along with the kalamatas.

Summer Tomato Sauce

I love that this recipe can be thrown together in 20 minutes.  All you need is a good, sharp knife to chop up all the ingredients.

Summer Tomatoes on Toasted Sourdough Bread

My favorite way to serve the tomato sauce is on thin capellini noodles or on toasted sourdough bread.

Summer Tomatoes on Toasted Sourdough Bread

Toast the bread until it’s nice and crisp.  Then spoon the tomatoes over the top and let it sit for a minute so that it soaks up all of that delicious sauce.

Summer Tomatoes on Capellini

Summer Tomatoes on Capellini & Sourdough Bread
 
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Adapted from Deborah Mele's recipe
Author:
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 2 pounds ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons finely diced sweet onion
  • 12 seedless kalamata olives, or a mix of olives, diced
  • 1½ tablespoons drained capers
  • 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley
  • ½ teaspoon finely chopped oregano
  • ¼ cup finely chopped fresh basil
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste
  • capellini or sourdough bread
  • grated parmesan (optional)
Preparation
  1. Combine tomatoes, onion, olives, capers, garlic, parsley, oregano, basil and red pepper flakes if using. Stir in red wine vinegar and olive oil. I normally don't add any salt since the olives and capers are salty. Add a few grinds of black pepper and salt to taste.
  2. Mix well, cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for a few hours. Serve over capellini pasta or thinly sliced and toasted sourdough bread. Scatter grated parmesan cheese over the top. Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for another day.

 

Beef, Dinner, Italian, Pasta, Recipes

Cheesy Beef Stuffed Shells

April 12, 2017

Cheesy Beef Stuffed Shells

These stuffed shells are my new favorite pasta dish.  It has many flavors in common with lasagne bolognese.  Yet unlike bolognese sauce that simmers for a several hours, this meat sauce is ready in less than 30 minutes and is equally delicious.  Another time saver is to use a good store-bought pasta sauce such as Rao’s Basil Tomato Sauce. Because it is particularly tasty, I stock up when it is on sale.

Barilla Jumbo Pasta Shells

Barilla makes beautiful pasta shells that are just the right size for this recipe.  Check the box for broken pieces before purchasing it.  If the box shows signs of being damaged, the shells may be fractured and once cooked can fall apart and be unusable.

Meat Sauce for Shells

Ground sirloin is the perfect choice for the meat sauce.  It is flavorful yet lean.  However if you are unable to find ground sirloin, lean ground beef is a fine substitute.

Cheesy Beef Stuffed Shells

Cheesy Beef Stuffed Shells

I use cottage cheese in the recipe however you may substitute ricotta.  The cottage cheese is light and mild in flavor but adds a creaminess without adding too many calories. I love how it melds together with the meat sauce and becomes a luxurious filling.

Cheesy Beef Stuffed Shells

Cheesy Beef Stuffed Shells
 
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Author:
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • Meat Sauce:
  • 1½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup finely chopped onion
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 pound ground sirloin (or other lean ground beef)
  • kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon dried marjoram
  • 1 24 ounce jar Rao's Tomato Basil Sauce, divided
  • Pasta Shells:
  • 24 jumbo pasta shells (Barilla Jumbo Shells 12 oz. box)
  • Cheese Mixture:
  • 16 ounces cottage cheese (I use Lactose Free)
  • 6 ounces (2 cups) coarsely shredded yogurt cheese (or mozzarella), divided
  • 3 ounces (1 cup) coarsely shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1 large egg lightly beaten
Preparation
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 9x13" casserole dish.
  2. In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté onion in olive oil until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for another minute. Add the ground sirloin and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until meat is no longer pink. Season with ¾ teaspoons kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add fresh parsley, dried oregano and marjoram. Stir to combine. Remove from the heat and mix in 1¼ cups of Rao's sauce. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until ready to use. Spread the remaining Rao's sauce in the casserole dish.
  3. Cook shells in boiling, salted water for 10 minutes or until al dente. Rinse under cold water to stop the cooking, drain on paper towels.
  4. Combine cottage cheese, ¾ cup yogurt cheese, and all of the cheddar cheese in a large bowl. Mix in beaten egg. Add beef mixture to the bowl, stir to combine well. Spoon the filling into the pasta shells and arrange over the sauce. Sprinkle the remaining 1¼ cups yogurt cheese over the shells. Bake for 30 minutes or until the filling is thoroughly heated and the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Dinner, Korean, Lactose Free, Pasta, Recipes, Salad, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian, Veggies

Chilled Somen with Spicy Cucumbers

December 7, 2016

Chilled Somen with Spicy Cucumbers

Cold noodles tossed with crisp vegetables are one of my favorite lunch dishes.  I often make a big bowl of Aunty Ruby’s Somen Salad and take it to work to share with my friends.  This recipe calls for perciatelli or bucatini pasta but I couldn’t resist using delicate somen noodles.  They cook up in 3 minutes and are the perfect partner for the spicy cucumbers.  I found this delightful recipe in Martha Stewart Living magazine. The subject of this particular article was Korean Barbecue and a talented Korean cook, Mrs. Pai.  This is one of her original side dishes.

Somen Noodles

Keiki Cukes

These beautiful “Keiki Cukes” are grown on the Big Island of Hawaii.  Big Island Produce is a hydroponic farm that produces cucumbers all year long.  They are super crunchy and don’t have any seeds.  We use them to make dill pickles, bread & butter pickles, and add them to all types of salads.

Chopped Scallions

Korean Chili Flakes

Korean chili flakes or gochugaru (not to be confused with red pepper powder), has a unique balance of sweet and smoky flavors with medium heat.  I have heard that hotter varieties are available but the one I buy from Whole Spice tends to be just the right heat for me.

Spicy Cucumbers

The cucumbers are mixed with Korean chili flakes, scallions, garlic, and sesame oil before being tossed with cold noodles.

somen-1-2

Chilled Somen with Spicy Cucumbers

Chilled Somen with Spicy Cucumbers
 
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Adapted from Martha Stewart Living Magazine
Author:
Serves: 2 as a main dish, 4 as a side dish
Ingredients
  • 10 ounces thinly sliced small cucumbers (Keiki, Japanese, Persian)
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1½ tablespoons Korean chili flakes
  • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions
  • 1 small clove garlic, crushed in a garlic press
  • 4 tablespoons roasted sesame oil, divided (Kadoya brand recommended)
  • 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
  • 1 package (3 bundles - 8 oz.) somen noodles
  • 4 teaspoons soy sauce
  • salt for seasoning
Preparation
  1. Toss cucumbers with ½ teaspoon salt, and let sit for 30 minutes. Transfer cucumbers to a clean dish towel and wring to remove excess liquid from cucumbers. Transfer to a large bowl. Add Korean chili flakes, sugar, scallions, garlic, 2 tablespoons sesame oil, and the vinegar. Mix seasonings into cucumbers; let sit for 10 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, cook somen noodles according to package instructions. Shirakiku brand cooks for just 3 minutes. Immediately drain, rinse under cold water and place noodles in an ice bath until well chilled. Drain noodles well and add to cucumbers, tossing to combine. Add remaining 2 tablespoons of sesame oil and the soy sauce. Season with salt and additional Korean chili flakes before serving. Leftovers are delicious the following day.

 

Dinner, Lactose Free, Pasta, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

Avocado Pesto

October 21, 2015

Avocado PestoOur poor Sharwil avocado tree has dropped most of its fruit before their usual December season due date.  We attribute this to the extremely hot and humid weather we experienced this summer.  It was quite unbearable for us humans, and so we expect the poor plants were suffering as well.  In any case, we had to throw many away but the most recent ones that have fallen off the tree have been ripening nicely and are quite good.  I’m always searching for new ways to use our homegrown fruit.  This avocado pesto recipe from Eating Well magazine sounded delicious so I whipped up a batch for lunch.

Fresh BasilThe one plant that never suffers from too much heat is basil.  It just thrives in our garden.

Sharwil Avocado

Hemp SeedsHemp seeds are quite delicious. I sprinkle them on salads and now use them in place of pine nuts for pesto.

Avocado Pesto

Avocado Pesto
 
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Serves: 4 about 1⅔ cups
Ingredients
  • 1 large bunch fresh basil (about 2 cups lightly packed)
  • 2 medium-sized ripe avocados
  • ⅓ cup hemp seeds (or walnuts)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 large garlic clove, minced
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
  1. Place basil leaves, avocados, hemp seeds, lemon juice, garlic and salt in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped, scraping down the sides as necessary. Add oil and process to form a thick paste. Season with pepper and additional salt if needed.
  2. Toss the pesto with your favorite pasta. I love the way the pesto coats the long, flat strands of linguine.
  3. Pesto is best eaten the day you make it as the avocado pesto will brown slightly if made in advance.

 

Dinner, Italian, Lactose Free, Pasta, Recipes, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian

Cherry Tomato Vinaigrette

October 12, 2014

Cherry Tomato VinaigretteSummer is officially over yet this record hot weather will be with us for at least another month.  Nevertheless, it hasn’t deterred me from baking brownies or simmering short ribs for 2 1/2 hours in the oven, but it does bring to mind meals that can be prepared in a jiffy, like this simple tomato sauce.

Cherry Tomatoes

Pan Fried Cherry TomatoesThough the recipe refers to this as a vinaigrette,  it is also referred to as a condiment and as such, is equally delicious on grilled sourdough bread, or grilled chicken, pork or fish.  It adds beautiful color to all these dishes. I love serving the tomatoes on thin capellini noodles for a summery lunch or dinner.

Cherry Tomato Vinaigrette on Capellini

Cherry Tomato Vinaigrette on Capellini

Cherry Tomato Vinaigrette

Bon Appetit Magazine

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 pint cherry tomatoes

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons finely chopped chives

crumbled feta (optional)

Preparation

Cut half of the cherry tomatoes in half.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add the shallot, and cook, stirring often until softened, about 4 minutes.

Add halved and whole tomatoes to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to release juices, about 4 – 6 minutes.  Crush some of the tomatoes with the back of spoon.

Add 1 tablespoon vinegar and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil; season with kosher salt and pepper.  Serve warm or at room temperature; add chives just before serving and sprinkle with feta cheese.

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