My Boring Saturday Six

What a thoughtful gift basket! Make sure he labels his coffee pot/mugs/tea pots so you can easily

find them. maybe include some napkins/paper plates. Maybe a bottle of champage / Orange Juice?
Very nice gift idea!

Best,
Barb

 
Erin, have you ever brined your chops first?

I think that really helps prevent them from getting dry and tough. Your gift basket sounds perfect!

 
The sauce is pretty thin - it's only chicken broth, and not a tomatoey one...

But I do love it, so maybe I will try the orecchiette one day smileys/smile.gif

And I'm glad to know that we don't have the highest prices for produce! Although most times, I think we do.

Here's the rec, in case you'd like to try it. I don't make my meatballs quite so tiny - mine are closer to a tablespoon-sized.


Orecchiette with Mini Chicken Meatballs
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis
4 to 6 servings (about 60 mini meatballs)

1 pound orecchiette pasta
1/4 cup plain bread crumbs
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon whole milk
1 tablespoon ketchup
3/4 cup grated Romano
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound ground chicken
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken stock, hot
4 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
8 ounces bocconcini mozzarella, halved
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes.

In a medium bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, parsley, eggs, milk, ketchup, Romano cheese, and the salt and pepper. Add the chicken and gently stir to combine.

Using a melon baller (or a teaspoon measure), form the chicken mixture into 3/4-inch pieces. With damp hands, roll the chicken pieces into mini meatballs.

In a large (14-inch) skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add the meatballs and cook without moving until brown on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Turn the meatballs over and brown the other side, about 2 minutes longer.

Add the chicken stock and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan. Reduce heat to low and simmer until tomatoes are soft and meatballs are cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Drain the pasta, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta water.

Transfer pasta to a large serving bowl and add the Parmesan. Toss to lightly coat orecchiette, adding reserved pasta water, if needed, to loosen the pasta.

Add the meatball mixture, mozzarella cheese, and 1/2 cup of the basil. Gently toss to combine. Garnish with the chopped basil.

 
I usually have to look up a recipe each time I brine...

so usually a different one each time. As long as it has sugar and salt, I think you'll be fine. I know CI had one for chops that I've used...if I can find it, I'll post back!

 
your basket sounds just perfect! I love the cereal addition and the story behind it. it will make

him smile! and, your lunch sounds like perfect comfort food to me. yum. for the basket, if you have room, a couple of small containers of Greek yogurt and some fruit---like a fresh lemon for the tea and a couple of oranges? maybe small mandarines? and a small spray of flowers?

 
My weekend six

* first weight watcher's weigh in with a home group of friends. yikes.
* Saw RED on Saturday and it was quite entertaining. great cast. I thought John Malkovich made the movie.
* bought 2 new down pillows. Ahhhhh.(sorry Florisandy)
* blackened salmon on sauteed spinach and spaghetti with broccoli and red pepper flakes---old Laurie Burroughs Grad recipe for dinner Sat. yum
* NCIS marathon. my new favorite show. David MacCallum. where has he been for so long?
* finally baked up my cookies and a Lake Country Pear cake since my oven is now working again. yay! also stuffed butternut squash for Halloween dinner. Ran out of the Caramel Apple Suckers---over 100 kids. no leftovers for me. good for the next WW weigh in. handed out snack packets of nuts at the end. Our kids and parents must be made of steel---it was 29 degrees out and they were having a blast.

 
so, you would not take your son out trick or treating on our halloween night---29 degrees, and

I ran out of candy---didn't stop our kids.

 
Thanks for the recipe, Sandi. smileys/smile.gif I don't know if I have the patience to make such dainty meatballs,

but I like the concept. (Scratch that; I *know* I don't have the patience.) smileys/wink.gif

 
29 DEGREES???!?! What do the kids dress up as?

I can't imagine going out in 29 degree weather! So are their costumes worn over their coats and jackets? Too crazy!

 
Yeah, I'm sure you can make them bigger. They're quite tasty smileys/smile.gif

What I want to know is, how do you make round meatballs? I brown the first side, then when I try to turn them over, it falls to one side, so them it becomes a little pyramid-like shape.

I've given up trying to make round meatballs, and now make little patties smileys/smile.gif

 
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