Meatball Pho

The last time I made Pho was with Salmon and it was great although nothing compares to Pho with meatballs!  I was having a Vietnamese soup craving (weird, I know) and decided to use some of the leftover meatballs I made in this Florentine Mac and Cheese with Meatball recipe.  I wasn't sure if the meatballs would stay together in the soup, but sure enough they did and the dish was just what I wanted!  The recipe below is basically a merge of the two linked above, but with smaller meatballs.  To make things easier you can find the two recipes below.

Ingredients for Meatballs:

-1.5 lb of ground turkey (or chicken)
-2-3 sprigs of fresh rosemary (or about 1 Tbsp dried)
-2 tsp fennel seeds
-3 cloves of garlic, grated
-1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
-1 cup of low-fat ricotta cheese-1 1/2 cups of shredded Parmesan cheese
-1 cup of bread crumbs (maybe more)

-1 egg

Ingredients for Pho:

-1 1/4 thinly sliced white onion

-1 Tbsp minced ginger

-1 Tbsp minced garlic

-1 Tbsp vegetable oil

-2 cups water

-4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

-2 Tbsp fish sauce

-1 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

-3 whole cloves

-1 Tbsp sugar

-1 bunch fresh cilantro

-Fresh or dried Shiitake mushrooms

-1/2 cup shredded carrots

-1/4 cup chopped green onions

-1 cup cooked rice-stick noodles

Optional for garnish:

-fresh bean sprouts

-additional chopped green onions

-torn fresh mint leaves

-torn fresh basil leaves

-sliced jalapeño pepper

-lime wedges

-Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce aka "Cock" Sauce

-Hoisin Sauce

Deviled Eggs with Basil Aioli and Crispy Capers

Those who follow the food blogs surely know of Molly Wizenberg of Orangette. If you don't you really should check her out.  Not only are her recipes fab, but her pictures are just as scrumptious. The deviled eggs themselves are fairly standard, but what makes them so irresistible are the lovely garnishes. The creamy sweet basil aioli is a great balance with the crunch of salty capers. Basically, these became a few continuous meals for me the other week.  You better believe this will be the next appetizer I bring to a party!

Ingredients for Eggs:

-12 eggs

-1 Tbsp olive oil

-2 Tbsp small jarred capers

-6 Tbsp light mayo

-2 Tbsp Dijon mustard

-1 lemon juice

-1/4 tsp salt

Ingredients for Basil Aioli:

-1/4 packed fresh basil leaves

-1 garlic clove

-1/2 tsp lemon juice

-2 Tbsp olive oil

-1/2 cup light mayo

-salt to taste

Apricot Glazed Pork Tenderloin with an Herb and Mustard Seed Crust

So I was house hunting this past weekend in Denver and had the pleasure to use Blake's urban vegetable and herb garden at my disposal! Basically, I was in heaven.  He knows the way to a girl's heart (or at least mine).  This recipe is quite easy and can be substituted for dry herbs if you don't have fresh ones.  I've even used a mixture of dried and fresh before.  The presentation is fairly impressive for the level of work involved so it's great for entertaining guests! 

Ingredients: 


-1 lemon and herb marinated pork tenderloin (Hormel is my favorite)
-2 Tbsp apricot preserves or orange marmalade, I've used both before
-2-3 Tbsp chopped fresh sage
-2-3 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
-2-3 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano
-2 Tbsp mustard seeds
-1 tsp garlic powder
-salt and pepper to taste

Tuscan Panzanella

This is to die for.  I know that doesn't sound too humble, but it wasn't my recipe....so I guess I can say that.  I stumbled upon this in an old cookbook, Easy Summer Food, and happened to have every ingredient on hand.  I keep a well stocked pantry, but that doesn't usually happen! 

Panzanella is a Tuscan dish, hence the title.  It's a salad with crusty bread, roasted tomatoes and other fresh veggies with an olive oil and vinegar dressing. Yum. 

Ingredients:

-6 very ripe tomatoes (you'll notice I was a few short)

-3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

-5-6 slices of Italian bread, preferably a few days old

-1/2 cucumber, seeded and chopped

-1/4 red onion, chopped

-1 Tbsp chopped Italian/flat leaf parsley

-1/2 cup oliv oil

-2 Tbsp white wine vinegar

-handful of basil, roughly torn

-3 Tbsp capers, rinsed and drained

-1 tsp balsamic vinegar (optional)

-sea salt and freshly ground pepper