A Homemade Life: Doron's Meatballs with Pine Nuts, Cilantro, and Golden Raisins

I feel better, so much better.

If you don't have a toddler, chances are you have no idea who Doc McStuffins is.  Or Doc Stuffins as Thatkid calls her.  Doc is a part of the Disney Jr. lineup.  A little girl who plays "doctor" to toys, who come alive under her watchful eye.

The show itself is ingenious for two reasons, for one, it makes visits to the doctor less scary for kids.  Doctor trips play out in an easily accessible format for kids, as they get to see how Doc diagnoses and treats her friends.  The show also imparts "health" lessons through these diagnoses.  Like how the things we eat, affect the way we function.  Or in the episode we watched yesterday, about Tony the taxi, how if you don't pay attention to what you're doing, you're going to crash.

One of Thatkid's classmates is a huge Doc McStuffin's fan, and therefore her birthday party was themed accordingly.  The party was at a park by their house, which made perfect sense for a July birthday.  Except the morning of the party, the skies opened up.  Thunder. Lightening.  Rain.

We piled into the car, warning Thatkid that there was a good chance the party would be cancelled.  Thatboy was hoping this would be the case as he started brainstorming good places nearby to go for lunch.  But when showed up at the party, there was no sign of cancellation.

Slowly the guests showed up, braving the inclement weather which showed no sign of stopping.  The adults huddled under the shelter, but other than the fact the bounce house was off limits, the kids didn't let the downpour stop their good times.

The only problem was that since these are Southern California kids, none of them were really prepared for the rain.  Both Thatkid and his little blonde friend over there were both so wet, they were freezing cold, and we had very little to help them get warm again.

Eventually we got the kids to come under the shelter for some drier activities like coloring.

And cake.

Look at all these wet, cold, troopers!

The birthday girl's parents had brought in Popeyes for lunch, and I joked with Thatboy that it was worth coming in the rain for that.  Although I was joking, it's true that the food can make or break a party.  I know we've all been to parties where the food was terrible, or more commonly, there just wasn't enough of it. 

There are certain things we fall back on, things that you always have on hand for parties.  Things that are easy, filling, and you can make in mass quantities.  These meatballs are an excellent example of that.  This recipe is undeniably easy, and makes a ton.  I have a gallon size bag of them in my freezer right now, which can be defrosted at a moment's notice to feed an army.  They're different than your standard Italian meatballs, which makes them perfect for an easy appetizer, or a quick lunch on their own. 

Doron's Meatballs with Pine Nuts, Cilantro, and Golden Raisins (From A Homemade Life)

1 cup plain yogurt

3 Tbsp lemon juice

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp cumin, divided

3/4 tsp salt, divided

1/2 cup minced onions

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1/2 cup chopped pine nuts

1/2 cup golden raisins, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup fine bread crumbs

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/8 tsp ground pepper

1 lb ground meat (lamb, turkey, or chicken)

 4 Tbsp olive oil

1. In a small bowl combine the yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, 1/4 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp salt, and whisk to combine.
2. Combine onion, cilantro, pine nuts, raisins, bread crumbs, egg, remaining salt and cumin, and pepper in a large bowl.
3. Add the ground meat and break into small chunks, massaging nd kneading to incorporate all the ingredients.
4. Pinch off hunks and roll into 1 1/2 inch balls and set on a large plate.
5. Warm 2 Tbsp of oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add half of the meatballs, turning as they begin to color.  They're ready when they're evenly browned.
6. Transfer the finished meatballs to a plate lined with a paper towel.  Add the remaining 2 Tbsp oil and cook the remaining meatballs.
7. Serve with the yogurt sauce.

Trail-ing Behind

Do you remember when I said I have a hard time saying no?  I hope so, it was only a day or so ago. 

Well the one time I never regret saying "yes" is when it comes to a race.  A couple months ago L&O asked if I wanted to do a 5k with her, in honor of one of our fallen officers.  (As a side note, last year was a really rough year for the San Diego Police Department).  I had no problem saying yes.

As the date grew closer, L&O confirmed her suspicion that this was going to be a trail race.  Our very first one!  I do most of my running on a trail, but I've never actually done a trail race.  I'd heard that they're typically a little more challenging than a road race, because of the terrain and because they're narrower than a road.

L&O and I were prepared at the start of the race.  Look how ready we look!

L&O had contemplated running with Little LO, since she's an awesome runner who can run while pushing a stroller.  But once we actually got running, we were both glad Little LO had stayed home.  The trail was narrow, and parts of it were pretty rocky and ledgy.  There were times when I had to pick my way around corners so I didn't fall.

While we ran the trail around a lake, Thatboy took Thatbaby up and over the hills so they could watch us run the last mile.  He started taking shots when we were pretty far off.  Luckily my bright blue shirt stood out against our winter foliage.

Right around here is where L&O started saying "Look, there's Thatboy!"  And I turned to see if he was behind us, because I couldn't figure out where she was pointing to.

Obviously I eventually figured it out.  And we ran right past them and on to the finish line!  The last part of the race was definitely the easiest.  We could run side by side again, and there was no picking around the lake, or walking up a ginormous hill.

We had started out with the 10 min. milers, thinking that would be a pretty accurate pace for us, and we almost made it!  We came in at 32 minutes, not bad for our first trail race!

You can tell Thatbaby still isn't feeling 100% by his face in this picture.  Normally you would never see a banana in his hand, because he shoves those things in his mouth faster than a camera flash.  But he ended up holding on to it for a while before eating it.  He was feeling well enough that we were able to get some of the shopping done we'd missed the day before.

After a good run, I have mixed food feelings.  On the one hand, I want something super carb-y and filling.  On the other hand, I'm usually feeling so healthy that I want to keep it up.  This is where Ellie Krieger recipes come in perfectly.  They suit both needs.  I can have something that sounds super unhealthy, like meatball heroes - but Krieger has the same philosophy as me, lightening up favorites and allowing just about anything - in moderation.  A truly satisfying sandwich.

 Meatball Heroes with Tri-Colored Peppers (From Ellie Krieger)

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, sliced
1/2 green pepper, sliced
1/2 red pepper, sliced
1/2 yellow pepper, sliced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 loaf Italian bread

12 meatballs

1 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup grated part-skim mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat the broiler. Heat the oil in a large skillet over a medium heat. Add the onions, peppers, and salt and saute for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Cut the bread into quarters crosswise and cut each quarter in half, being careful not to cut all the way through, so the 2 haves stay connected. Scoop the soft center out of the bread.
3. Put the bread, open-faced, on a baking sheet. Place 3 meatballs and some sauce on 1 side of each piece of bread. 
4. Top with some of the pepper mixture. Moisten the other side of each sandwich with a little sauce and sprinkle with the cheese. Broil until the cheese is melted, about 4 minutes.

More Bites - of Balls

This weekend we had lunch with The Ks. Thatboy ordered a meatball sandwich. I have this fantasy that meatball sandwiches are should be like bites of pure joy. A soft, fragrant meatball covered in sweet tangy tomato sauce and ooey gooey cheesy. All wrapped in nature's favorite carbohydrate - a crusty roll.

This was not that sandwich. The meatballs themselves were nearly completely flavorless and disappointing. Meatballs should never be disappointing. Meatballs should never be boring. As I have oft stated, there is just so much that can be done with those little balls of meat.

And to emphasize my point, everyone go to your fridge and pull out a pound of ground meat. (turkey, chicken, beef, lamb - whatever you have handy) It's okay. I'll wait.

Back? Okay. Now divide that ground meat into two piles. With the first we're going to make your basic Italian meatballs. You know, the kind that go in meatball sandwiches, or on top of spaghetti. This is not the first meatball recipe I've shared, and it definitely won't be the last. I love experimenting and playing around with them. These are a great balance of herbs, garlic, and meat.

Italian Meatballs
1/2 lb ground meat
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 Tbsp parsley, minced
1 Tbsp basil, chiffonade
1 egg white
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 Tbsp oil
2 cups of your favorite tomato sauce

1. Combine the beef, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, basil, egg white, salt and pepper.
2. Mix thoroughly and shape into balls.
3. Heat the oil in a saucepan and brown the meatballs on all sides.
4. Drain the oil and add the tomato sauce. Cover and simmer 40 minutes.
   

Alright, still have that other half pound of meat? Of course you do! Where would it go? It hasn't had legs or a heartbeat in at least a day or two! We're going to use the remaining meat to make Swedish Meatballs. These are fabulous as appetizers, but equally fabulous when served over noodle. They do come in their own delicious sauce, after all.

Swedish Meatballs
1/2 lb ground meat
1 slice of bacon
2 slices of bread
1 egg white
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 Tbsp butter
3/4 cup beef broth
1/4 cup heavy cream

1. Preheat oven to 325. Combine the meat, bacon, and bread in a food processor, pulsing twice.
2. Add egg, sugar, allspice, nutmeg, salt , and pepper with meat mixture. Shape into 1 inch balls.
3. Melt butter in ovenproof skillet and brown meatballs.
4. Add the beef broth, cover, and bake 45 minutes.
5. Add the cream, cover and cook another 15 minutes.
   

With Cheese On Top

Today Thatmom came down to San Diego so we could all go see a show. I love to watch the Tony Awards every year, mostly for the musical numbers from the new shows each year. We usually use this as a basis to determine what shows we want to see.

After the 2009 Tony's Thatboy put in a request of his own. It was the first time he'd done so, and I was certainly not about to argue. What did he want to see? Next to Normal.

The musical number had won us over, so I put it on the calendar as soon as I saw it coming to San Diego. I didn't even bother to look up what it was about. I mean, it didn't really matter, we would have gone no matter what.

Thatmom found out we were going and decided to get us tickets for Chanukkah - and join us! The show itself is fantastic. It's a fascinating look at mental illness - the fear, the pain, the treatment, and of course, how it effects the family. However, the cast was severely lacking. It was painful at times to watch. What's funny, is we actually had the opportunity to see the actress who won the Tony for her role in Next to Normal. And she sounded awful. We winced as she sang - it sounded like she was swallowing, and you couldn't understand a single word she sang. If you haven't played the above video, you can hear her sing there, and she sounds normal. Thatboy thought she must have been sick (or next to normal?).

Whenever Thatmom comes down to San Diego she usually asks about Italian food. Who am I kidding, Thatmom asks about Italian food no matter where she is. We ended up taking her for pizza, which usually serves as an adequate substitute. We went back to Pizza Port, a place we have been on a regular basis since our first visit, the one where Thatboy made us order a cheeseburger pizza. It sounded weird. And I wasn't expecting it to be any good. But it was delicious. And it made me rethink my view on cheeseburgers. They're more than just meat on a bun. I've taken the idea of a cheeseburger pizza, and used it to create a deal that seems like a natural transition - cheeseburger meatballs! Like the cheeseburger pizza, this is a delicious mix of cheese, meat, and sweet tomato sauce. Served over spaghetti, which is Thatboy's favorite noodle, this was a huge hit in Thathouse. Maybe it will be in yours too!

Cheeseburger Meatballs
1/2 lb sausage meat
1/2 lb ground beef
3/4 cup bisquick
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp minced garlic

1. Preheat oven to 375. Combine all ingredients and form into 1 inch balls.
2. Bake for 20 minutes.