A Kitchen in Queens

Recipes and Reviews from a little kitchen in a borough of nyc.
What they say is true.  A way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.   One of the reasons I started cooking is because the first time I made my boyfriend dinner, I had to call my best friend for advice.  ”How do I cook chicken?” I inquired.  It didn’t occur to me before I invited him over that I didn’t know how to cook.  My friend gave me a very simple recipe involving chicken breasts, onions and an oven.  Yet, somehow, I took this very simple and straightforward recipe and completely destroyed it, turning it into something that smelled, well, just not good. My boyfriend came over, and I served the meal. I very carefully took the first bite, and very quickly stated “don’t eat that”.   From then on I was determined to make him something he would repeatedly ask to eat. Something that if offered the chance to go out to eat or eat in, he’d adamantly pick eating in because he loves my cooking.  And this, this is that recipe.  An early recipe in my cooking days, this is surprisingly not a Cook’s Illustrated recipe.  This recipe actually came from Alton Brown and Good Eats.  The best thing about this recipe is the suggestion of the mini muffin pan.  If you don’t own a mini muffin pan, because you do not make muffins, now you have a new reason to purchase one.  The idea is that the mini muffin pan actually drains and then steams the meatballs from the bottom.  When you bake meatballs on a pan directly, the bottom gets soggy and it sits in it’s own juices.  These stay hot and crisp lightly on the outside.  Delicious! I follow this recipe almost exactly, except that I add a bit more crushed red for some extra kick.  Also, if you use fresh garlic, that’s pretty delicious too!  Ingredients 1/2 pound ground pork 1/2 pound ground lamb 1/2 pound ground round 5 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and drained thoroughly 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan 1 whole egg 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil 1 1/2 teaspoons dried parsley 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1/2 cup bread crumbs, divided Directions Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, combine the pork, lamb, ground round, spinach, cheese, egg, basil, parsley, garlic powder, salt, red pepper flakes, and 1/4 cup of the bread crumbs. Using your hands, mix all ingredients until well incorporated. Use immediately or place in refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Place the remaining 1/4 cup of bread crumbs into a small bowl. Using a scale, weigh meatballs into 1.5-ounce portions and place on a sheet pan. Using your hands, shape the meatballs into rounds, roll in the bread crumbs and place the meatballs in individual, miniature muffin tin cups. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Here’s the recipe! 

What they say is true.  A way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.   One of the reasons I started cooking is because the first time I made my boyfriend dinner, I had to call my best friend for advice.  ”How do I cook chicken?” I inquired.  It didn’t occur to me before I invited him over that I didn’t know how to cook.  My friend gave me a very simple recipe involving chicken breasts, onions and an oven.  Yet, somehow, I took this very simple and straightforward recipe and completely destroyed it, turning it into something that smelled, well, just not good. My boyfriend came over, and I served the meal. I very carefully took the first bite, and very quickly stated “don’t eat that”.  

From then on I was determined to make him something he would repeatedly ask to eat. Something that if offered the chance to go out to eat or eat in, he’d adamantly pick eating in because he loves my cooking.  And this, this is that recipe. 

An early recipe in my cooking days, this is surprisingly not a Cook’s Illustrated recipe.  This recipe actually came from Alton Brown and Good Eats.  The best thing about this recipe is the suggestion of the mini muffin pan.  If you don’t own a mini muffin pan, because you do not make muffins, now you have a new reason to purchase one.  The idea is that the mini muffin pan actually drains and then steams the meatballs from the bottom.  When you bake meatballs on a pan directly, the bottom gets soggy and it sits in it’s own juices.  These stay hot and crisp lightly on the outside.  Delicious!

I follow this recipe almost exactly, except that I add a bit more crushed red for some extra kick.  Also, if you use fresh garlic, that’s pretty delicious too! 

Ingredients

  • 1/2 pound ground pork
  • 1/2 pound ground lamb
  • 1/2 pound ground round
  • 5 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and drained thoroughly
  • 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan
  • 1 whole egg
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs, divided

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the pork, lamb, ground round, spinach, cheese, egg, basil, parsley, garlic powder, salt, red pepper flakes, and 1/4 cup of the bread crumbs. Using your hands, mix all ingredients until well incorporated. Use immediately or place in refrigerator for up to 24 hours.

Place the remaining 1/4 cup of bread crumbs into a small bowl. Using a scale, weigh meatballs into 1.5-ounce portions and place on a sheet pan. Using your hands, shape the meatballs into rounds, roll in the bread crumbs and place the meatballs in individual, miniature muffin tin cups. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden and cooked through.

Here’s the recipe! 

  1. akitcheninqueens posted this
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