A Few Ina Garten Favorite Recipes

3 cups (1-inch diced) bread cubes from a round rustic bread, crusts removed

2/3 cup whole milk

2 pounds ground turkey (85-percent to 92-percent lean)

1/2 pound sweet Italian pork sausage, casings removed

4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, finely chopped

1 cup freshly grated aged Asiago cheese

1/2 cup minced fresh parsley

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes – I admit that I omitted this! So maybe mine weren’t exactly spicy., but they were still good!

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons good olive oil, plus extra for brushing the meatballs

2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten

3 (24-ounce) jars good marinara sauce

2 pounds dried spaghetti

Freshly grated Parmesan (or Asiago) cheese, for serving

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper. Place the bread in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Process until the bread is in medium crumbs. Transfer the crumbs to a small bowl and add the milk. Set aside for 5 minutes. In a large mixing bowl, combine the turkey, sausage, prosciutto, bread mixture, Asiago, parsley, oregano, red pepper flakes, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper. Lightly combine the ingredients with your hands. Add the 3 tablespoons of olive oil and the eggs, and stir lightly with a fork to combine. With your hands, lightly roll the mixture into 2-inch-round meatballs and place them on the prepared sheet pans. Brush the meatballs with olive oil. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the tops are browned and the centers are completely cooked. Pour the marinara sauce in a large, low pot, add the meatballs, and bring to a simmer. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water according to the directions on the package. Drain and place the spaghetti in individual bowls, and top with 3 meatballs and lots of sauce. Serve with Parmesan cheese on the side.

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper. Place the bread in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Process until the bread is in medium crumbs. Transfer the crumbs to a small bowl and add the milk. Set aside for 5 minutes. In a large mixing bowl, combine the turkey, sausage, prosciutto, bread mixture, Asiago, parsley, oregano, red pepper flakes, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper. Lightly combine the ingredients with your hands. Add the 3 tablespoons of olive oil and the eggs, and stir lightly with a fork to combine. With your hands, lightly roll the mixture into 2-inch-round meatballs and place them on the prepared sheet pans. Brush the meatballs with olive oil. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the tops are browned and the centers are completely cooked. Pour the marinara sauce in a large, low pot, add the meatballs, and bring to a simmer. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water according to the directions on the package. Drain and place the spaghetti in individual bowls, and top with 3 meatballs and lots of sauce. Serve with Parmesan cheese on the side.

The Buttermilk Salad Dressing was so good.  You’ll never want the bottled stuff again! Here’s something funny though – when I made the dressing my husband wasn’t home and I could not get the lid of the buttermilk off!  So I made the dressing and left the milk sitting out to add when he returned.  HOWEVER, when he got back, I forgot to have him help me.  I completely left out the Buttermilk from the dressing!  I thought it was a little thick!  Oh my!  It tasted good, but the next day when I added the Buttermilk, it was really good!  Chalk that one up to dumb moves!

Buttermilk Salad Dressing

3 scallions, white and green parts, chopped

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves, lightly packed

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

11/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon good olive oil

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup good mayonnaise

1/2 cup Greek-style yogurt, such as Fage Total

1/2 cup buttermilk, shaken

1. Place the scallions, basil, lemon juice, mustard, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Puree for 15 to 20 seconds to make a smooth mixture. Add the mayonnaise, yogurt, and buttermilk and blend until smooth. Transfer the dressing to a container, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour for the flavors to develop.
2. Arrange the lettuce, tomatoes, and onion artfully on salad plates and drizzle with the dressing. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve.

Now for dessert!  You just can’t go wrong with brownies, and these are so chocolaty and moist!  I love that they make a lot!

Outrageous Brownies

Ingredients

1 pound unsalted butter

1 pound plus 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

6 ounces unsweetened chocolate

6 extra-large eggs

3 tablespoons instant coffee granules

2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups sugar

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

3 cups chopped walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Butter and flour a 12 x 18 x 1-inch baking sheet.
3. Melt together the butter, 1 pound of chocolate chips, and the unsweetened chocolate in a medium bowl over simmering water. Allow to cool slightly. In a large bowl, stir (do not beat) together the eggs, coffee granules, vanilla, and sugar. Stir the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and allow to cool to room temperature.
4. In a medium bowl, sift together 1 cup of flour, the baking powder, and salt. Add to the cooled chocolate mixture. Toss the walnuts and 12 ounces of chocolate chips in a medium bowl with 1/4 cup of flour, then add them to the chocolate batter. Pour into the baking sheet.
5. Bake for 20 minutes, then rap the baking sheet against the oven shelf to force the air to escape from between the pan and the brownie dough. Bake for about 15 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Do not overbake! Allow to cool thoroughly, refrigerate, and cut into 20 large squares.

The bread I made was my Sour Dough Recipe I’ve been making for years. You can find the recipe here.

Whether it’s your family or people outside your home, it’s fun to cook favorite foods for others.  What could you cook up this week that would show a little love and care? If anyone loves meatballs, salad and brownies, Ina might become a favorite of yours, too!