Meatball Soup

This is totally not my recipe, but one I want to be able to access wherever I am, so onto the internet it goes. While it may look like a bunch of ingredients it really isn't. I was surprised at how quick it was to prepare, and while one part is cooking you are working on the other. It is also a great way to sneak in some veggies. Oh, and did I mention that we love soup around here?

Broth:

• 5 cans chicken broth (watch for msg if you are into that!)
• 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 2 carrots shredded
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 2 c spinach, thinly sliced
• 1/2 c orzo pasta
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Heat oil in large pot. Saute onion and garlic until tender. Add broth, tomatoes and Italian seasoning. Heat to boiling. Add meatballs.

Meatballs:

• 1/2 lb. ground turkey
• 1/2 lb. ground beef
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 c. bread crumbs (I used seasoned)
• 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp. basil
• 1/2 tsp parsley
• 1/2 c. grated onion
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp salt

Combine all ingredients. Form into tiny meatballs and drop into broth to cook. When cooked, add carrots, spinach, and pasta. Cover and simmer 10-20 minutes.

**I had enough leftovers from the 1 lb of turkey I bought, so I made a mixture of extra meatball ingredients that I'm going to put in the freezer so that all I have to do is unthaw the next time I'm ready to make this as the rest of the ingredients are things I would have on hand anyway. A quick weeknight meal!**

And, We're Back - with BBQ Beef Cups

Long time, no blog. Sorry. It's life. It happens to the best of us.

Here is what we're having tonight (assuming I ever manage to wrestle the munchkins to the dinner table - right now they are playing somewhat nicely together, David is stuck in an airport somewhere, and I'm enjoying the closest to quiet it gets around here. Dinner can wait.)



Not the prettiest dish ever, but tasty, quick and most importantly, made from leftovers. This used to be a roast and a hamburger, but not anymore! Nope, now it is all fancy-like and goes by "BBQ Beef Cup."

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

So, for the biscuit cups, grab:

• 2 cups of Bisquick Mix
• 1/2 c. cold water (I usually have to add a tad more)

Mix together just until a soft dough forms. As with all biscuit dough, mix as little as possible or it will get tough. Press into 12 greased muffin cups so that a little cup shape forms.

For the filling:

• 1/4 cup diced onion
• 1 clove of garlic
• leftover beef (I used roast and hamburger) or just 1 lb of ground beef
• 1/2 c. BBQ sauce
• 1/2 c. cheddar cheese (for sprinkling)

Cook onion and garlic until soft, heat beef until warm (or cook it all the way if you are starting with fresh beef.) Stir in the BBQ sauce and cook until warm. Spoon into cups and sprinkle with cheese. Cook 7-9 minutes or until biscuits are done. Dinner is ready! Yee-haw!

Baked Egg Rolls

I love egg rolls, but not all of the calories that can go with them. I mean, you think about what is in an egg roll and it shouldn't be all that unhealthy - it is stuffed with vegetables for Pete's sake! This week we decided to try baked, yes BAKED egg rolls. Even my artery-clogging food-loving husband enjoyed them. The kids ate them pretty well, too (especially considering they aren't really a kid food.)

• 1/2 lb lean ground beef
• 1/2 head of cabbage, finely chopped
• 2 carrots shredded (or you could buy the pre-shredded)
• 3 green onions, finely chopped
• 1 bag of bean sprouts
• 2 or 3 mushrooms (optional) I just like 'em
  
• 1 tsp minced ginger*
• egg roll wrappers
• cooking spray
  

Brown the beef, drain it and rinse it (get rid of as much of the fat as you can!) Then, using the same skillet, throw all of the veggies in along with the ginger and cook 3-5 minutes (just until they are beginning to get tender.) Remove from heat, and add the ground beef back in. Let the mixture cool enough to handle. Then, get your wrappers and roll, baby, roll. Once everything is rolled away, spray both sides with cooking spray, place on a cooking sheet and bake at 450 7 minutes. Flip, then bake on the other side for 7 minutes. You be the judge - if it still looks doughy and not crispy, keep baking. It won't look like a deep fried one, but it shouldn't look raw either. These will be crunchy. If they are chewy, back in the oven they go!

*a note on ginger - yes, you can buy the root and grate it yourself. But, this is expensive, and do you really need that much ginger? If you do, go for it. I, however, would never use that much, so instead buy it in the jar. Wal-Mart used to carry it before they jumped aboard the product downsizing train. That is a rant for another day, so I will just say that I have found it at Ozark Natural Food in a jar. Expect to pay about $5 a jar, but it lasts forever and you use relatively small amounts of it. If you can't find it in a jar, you can just buy it in the powder form in the spice aisle at Wal-Mart. The flavor is close to the same.