Guest Blogger: Kludgymom's Fast Spaghetti Sauce and Kick Ass Meatballs!

I have posted my mother's fast spaghetti sauce recipe on my blog before, but didn't have nearly the food photography skills I do now. So I really felt it was time to post it again and give it the homage it deserves.

On the meatball...I have been working on perfecting my meatball for a few years now. I think I finally have a kick ass version that I dream about, so it's time to share that too. I like really flavored, crusty-on-the-outside meatballs, and the heavy amount of mozzarella cheese in this recipe really gives it the texture I love.

The spaghetti sauce takes less than 20 minutes from start to finish. It is a highly flavorful marinara (but not as runny as most marinaras) that has very few ingredients, but feel free to take liberties with it and add or take away things as you like. I've added sausage, mushrooms, fresh tomatoes and more. This sauce IS my childhood, it is my comfort food, it is the food I know best in the world and the one thing I'd be heartbroken to have to ever stop eating. I hope you enjoy it, and the meatballs!



Fast Spaghetti Sauce (Beverly's recipe)


1 onion, thinly sliced

3 cloves minced garlic

2 tbsp olive oil

2 14.5 oz cans of tomato sauce

1 6 oz (small) can of tomato paste

1/2 cup water

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp garlic powder

2 tbsp Italian or pizza seasoning

1 tsp sugar

1/2 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced


In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until soft. Add garlic, cook for 1 minute. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste and water. Stir until well combined. Lower heat to a simmer. Add all of the seasonings and stir well. Continue to simmer until sauce and seasonings are well blended. Serve over 1/2 to 1 pound of pasta. Top with fresh basil.



Kick Ass Meatballs


1.25# ground beef (good quality)

3/4 cup Italian bread crumbs

3 cloves minced garlic

1/2 cup milk

2 eggs

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 cups grated or shredded mozzarella

1/2 cup diced onion

2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. garlic powder

2 tbsp. Italian or pizza seasoning (or 1 tbsp each dried oregano and dried basil)


Preheat oven to 375. Spray a baking sheet lightly with cooking spray. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Using your hands mix well so that all ingredients are incorporated through, but do not overmix. Shape mixture into golf ball-sized balls and place on baking sheets. Bake for 30-45 minutes or to desired level of doneness. You may want to turn heat up to 425 after 30 minutes if you want a crustier outside on the meatball. Makes 25-30 meatballs.

About the Author:

Gigi is a recovering lawyer, retired internet marketer, and former Chicagoan, San Franciscan and Phoenician. She's a current SAHM of 2, fumbling foodie and blogger. you can read her blog at http://www.kludgymom.com/, where she'll regale you with stories of haphazard parenting.

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Guest Blogger: Mediterranean Fish with Broccoli and Quinoa

Thanks so much to Karen for this opportunity! After having my son in 2008, I finally returned to work last September. Being a mom, a blogger, a 9-to-5-er, and a nutritionist, means that I am busy!I am sure moms everywhere can relate.

It is important to me that a good healthy meal is on the table most nights, but I would never say that it’s easy.Planning, being organized, planning some more and counting on my husband, all contribute to having nutritious meals most nights.

My criteria for a healthy mid-week meal are 1) It’s quick 2) It’s healthy 3) Leftovers will be good for my lunch the next day.If I can hit these three points, dinner (& lunch the next day) is a success!

Fish is high in omega fats and is a lean source of protein. Quinoa a grain from Peru; is rich in protein, a good source of iron and zinc, magnesium, vitamin E and fiber. It is also a welcome change from brown rice or pasta.Broccoli is a standard ‘good vegetable’; it is a dark green vegetable that fights cancer and is rich in vitamins C, K and A among many other vitamins and minerals.

For this meal there are three key components; the seasoning, the fish and the broccoli & quinoa side dish. It may seem like a lot of work, but it really takes about 20 minutes to get this meal on the table

Make the seasoning a day before to save time, although you can easily whip it that day. If your fish is in the freezer, remember to put it into the fridge to thaw during the day.

Mediterranean Seasoning

This recipe makes a large amount.It is a cheap alternative to the prepared seasonings you find on the shelf at the grocery store and it is much healthier because it does not contain MSG or other preservatives.You can use it to season rice, fish, chicken and vegetables.

Add 1 Tbsp to 1/3 C of olive oil and ¼ C lemon juice to make a simple salad dressing.

3 Tbsp dried oregano
1 ½ Tbsp dried basil
1 ½ Tbsp dried marjoram
1 Tbsp dried thyme
½ Tbsp dried garlic
1 tsp sea salt

Combine the herbs and store in an airtight container.

Mediterranean Fish with Broccoli & Quinoa

You need a medium saucepan, a metal steamer, a frying pan that can go from stove top to oven

1 C quinoa (rinsed twice in clean water)
2 C water
1 + 1/2 Tbsp seasoning (divided)
1 bunch broccoli
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
4 fillets of Tilapia

I cook my broccoli and quinoa together, not only does this reduce the amount of dishes to wash up, but the vitamins that come out of the broccoli during steaming get absorbed into the quinoa. A nutritional bonus!

In a large pot combine quinoa with water and ½ Tbsp of the seasoning.Cover with a lid and bring to a boil at medium high heat.

While the quinoa comes to a boil, clean and chop the broccoli, don’t forget to peel the stem and cut it up; it’s good too! Place the broccoli in a metal steamer basket.



When the quinoa comes to a boil, stir and reduce the heat to medium low to simmer.Put the steamer with the broccoli on top of the quinoa.Cover with the lid. Check at 10 minutes; if the broccoli is at the consistency you like, remove it from the pot and set aside.If not, keep steaming and check every five minutes until the quinoa is done.It should take 15 – 20 minutes.You know the quinoa is done when it is no longer white in the center and if you have a little bite there is no crunch.While the broccoli and quinoa are steaming, prepare the fish.

In a small bowl, mix together the lemon juice, olive oil and 1 Tbsp of seasoning.Take the fish and cut it into smaller pieces.Don’t worry if the fish isn’t completely thawed, I actually find it easier to work with when it’s a little frozen and it will still cook quickly. Spoon the seasoning, oil and lemon juice mix on one side of each piece of fish.Turn the oven to 350 deg. F and heat a frying pan over medium high heat.Do not put any oil in it.Place each piece of fish, seasoning side up, in the pan.Cook for approximately 3 minutes.Using a spatula or tongs, turn over each piece of fish and move the frying pan with the fish into the oven.Bake for 5 minutes.The fish is done when it flakes easily.That’s it!Put the fish, quinoa and broccoli on a plate.You can also make up a salad on the side if you want.



What about leftovers? Fill your lunch container with lettuce, chopped cucumbers, cherry tomatoes and chopped peppers.Flake the leftover fish on the lettuce; add some of the broccoli and ½ cup of quinoa.Topped with salad dressing, this makes a terrific lunch for Mom or Dad.

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About the Blogger:

My name is Laurie K. Meher. I am a Registered Holistic Nutritionist (R.H.N.) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. I have a passion for family planning. I help couples with supportive nutrition as they plan for a family, after baby arrives and into the school years. On my blog I share information on baby and toddler food and recipes I have developed and found. My husband and I live in Roncesvalles, a community in the West-End of Toronto,Ontario. We have a son who was born late February 2008. I have made his baby food from the start. Some people think it’s a little over the top that I make my own Goldfish Cookies and feed my son rapini, spelt bread and blueberries. I am hoping that by giving my son a large variety of foods from the very beginning he will develop a love for good whole foods. I am sure there will be a time when he wants McDonald’s, but you can be sure I won’t be the one taking him there!

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Hamburger Buns by Ali

I've tried making hamburger buns before, but I wasn't entirely happy with the results. I tried a recipe from Martha Stewart and I found them quite heavy. I also found the flavor of the molasses to be a little strong for my liking. Since then I've been searching for another recipe to try but nothing was grabbing my attention. And now I've found it. I'm not entirely pleased with how I handled the dough but that's my problem and not the recipes. Dough and I are still not the best of friends (see below). We are, however, on much better terms.

Back to the bun recipe. I found this recipe on Annie Eats. She referred to the original recipe on smitten kitchen which was actually adapted from a restaurant in LA and published in the NY Times. Were you able to follow all of that? Doesn't matter really. In the end I decided to follow the recipe posted at Smitten Kitchen. Disclaimer: my buns look nothing like the pictures posted on Annie Eats or Smitten Kitchen. My ego is still trying to recover.



This is a very sticky dough that requires 8 - 10 minutes of kneading. I used my stand mixer with the dough hook attachment. It's really the only reason I attempt any dough that requires kneading. My wrists are not up to the task and I'm not sure my kidlets would let me have that much time to myself. They get a kick out of watching the mixer anyway.



I unceremoniously plopped it in a greased bowl to rise. Note the confiscated figurine in the background.



After letting the dough rise for almost 3 hours, it had finally doubled and was ready to shape, I use the term loosely here, into buns. Such a sticky dough! I didn't use enough flour when handling it which resulted in the blobs above. Please don't be intimidated by the 3 hour rise; it took three hours for the dough to rise in my warm and draft free kitchen because I didn't use the freshest of yeast. My bottle has been in the fridge for ages and is well past it's expiry date. It still works but I have to be patient. And plan things out just a little bit more. Oh well.


My strangely shaped buns after the second rise. Note the well oiled plastic wrap on top. There's no way a tea towel would have worked here. This dough is really really sticky.



And we have the nicely browned buns. I brushed the tops with an egg wash before baking them and, presentation wise, it was worth the effort. I used the leftover scrambled egg in the hamburgers so nothing went to waste.

Phew! Anybody make it to the end? Congratulations! Thanks for sticking with me. Hahaha.

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About the Blogger:

Ali Grimshaw is the author of the blog I Have Bubbles in my Tummy and a stay at home mom with a precocious 3 year old preschooler and an adventurous 18 month old toddler. She loves food and have an addiction to cookbooks that would be grounds for divorce if her husband didn't enjoy the fruits of her obsession so much.

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Chocolate Cherry Mice

By Kelly Buchholz

Christmas, a time of lights, presents, carols and chocolate mice. At least in our household. The tradition began as Christmas cookies, decorated by my children with a variety of sprinkles, chocolate chips, shredded coconut and occasionally even leftover Halloween candy. While the result was always bright and festive, they weren't always entirely edible by any but the most dedicated sweet tooth. And then one year we stumbled onto the recipe for chocolate mice, which are not only cute, easy, and extremely edible, but these days my husband starts getting requests for them from his co-workers in November.


This is how it's done:

1 cup chocolate chips
2 tsp. shortening
24 maraschino cherries
24 chocolate kisses

In the microwave, melt the chocolate chips and shortening. Stir until smooth. Holding a dry cherry by its stem, dip it into the melted chocolate and then press it onto the bottom of a chocolate kiss. Place this on wax paper. You've now successfully attached the mouse's body to it's head. Stop to remind your kids not to lick their fingers. Wait while they rewash their hands, because your warning came too late. For the ears - while the chocolate is still warm, take two almond slices and wedge them gently between the kiss and the cherry.

Refrigerate until set.

Tips:
- make sure your cherries have stems and are well drained
- you can use almond bark or Hershey's candy bars in place of the chocolate chips, eliminating the need for shortening
- you might choose to give your mice eyes with gel icing applied with a toothpick
- instead of setting the mice on wax paper to dry, try putting each one onto the cream side of an open Oreo.

Voila - mice cookies!

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