Easy Spinach Dip

This is one of my favorite appetizers, and just so happens to be one of the easiest things to put together. I always make sure I have some frozen spinach and cream of leek soup on hand, you never know when you'll be hosting an unexpected predrink with 23 hungry boys.  No? Just me?  Alright then.  Feel free to serve this with afternoon tea.

You'll need...

1 cup of mayo

1 16 oz container of sour cream

1 package of dry leek soup mix

1 frozen package of spinach

...that's it.  I'm serious.  I'll have to post something else today because I feel like I'm ripping you guys off.

Measure a cup of mayo...

And grab a container of sour cream.

Combine in a medium sized bowl with the leek soup.  You can also use onion or veggie soup in a pinch.

The most "difficult" part is the spinach .. you want to thaw it out and then squeeze out the excess moisture so your dip isn't runny.  I used a colander and a paper towel and just squeezed it until it was 95% dry.  Then add the spinach to the bowl with your sour cream and mayo. 

After a couple stirs... you're pretty much done!  Just let it sit in the fridge for a couple of hours to let everything mingle.  If you can, leave it over night, it will be so much better.

Serve with some hunks of pumpernickel or sourdough bread.  Voila!

Enjoy!

Courtzilla

Veal Marsala

Veal Marsala!  This is one of my favorite week night meals.  Why?  1 pan.  Half an hour.  'Nuff said?  I also recently moved into a new apartment downtown .. so get ready for more updates.  It's the end of mom's cooking!

You will need...
- Veal  (3 or 4 thin pieces)
- 1/2 a spanish onion
- about 1 cup of mushrooms
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of butter
- a hand full of chopped parsley
- salt and pepper
- flour for dredging (about a half cup, but just eyeball it)
- 1 cup of Marsala wine
- 1 1/2 cups of beef broth (or chicken broth)
- 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese

Please ignore the fruit bowl in the back.  That's just for show.

Let's get going.

First, you'll want to brown your onions and mushrooms, so add them to a large pan on medium high heat.  Make sure to add the butter and oil beforehand so they don't stick to the bottom.  

While that's working, season your veal with salt and pepper on both sides, and get your flour spread out on a plate.  You'll want to coat the veal just enough that it's covered, not clumpy.  

Perfect!  Check on your mushrooms... 

Looking good.  And I don't even like mushrooms.  Once they have some color on them, move them to a plate.

Ok! In the same pan, add more olive oil if it looks dry, and put your veal in.  Don't overcrowd the pan too much, I should've used a bigger pan so I could sear all of them at once.  Don't be like me.

This part will go really fast because the veal is so thin.  About a minute on each side in a very hot pan should do it.  When they're done, put them aside with the mushrooms.

Yum!  Ok, onto the sauce.  Deglaze the pan with your cup of red wine.  My recipe only called for a half cup, but I decided to double the sauce recipe for you guys so you can serve it over mashed potatoes or some buttered pasta.  Plus...I'm a lush.

Scrape the bottom of the pan with a spatula and make sure you get all the brown bits up.  Let that reduce to about half the original amount, then add the beef broth.

Perfect! Now you can add the veal and mushrooms back in to heat everything up.

Add on your chopped parsley....

Maybe a little parmesan cheese to thicken things up....

And you're done!

Enjoy with some pasta and a big glass of red wine.  Maybe take in a sunset while you're at it.

I may just eat some leftovers right now since I have veal on the brain.

Enjoy!
Courtzilla

Pita Pizza

Sometimes, I just can't decide what to eat.  I know, I know, #firstworldproblems.  I'll sit there in front of the open fridge eating peanut butter from the jar because I can't make up my mind.  This is a new favorite because of 3 things.  1) It's easy.  2) It's fast.  3) It's got options.  You can switch up the ingredients and have it be a totally new lunch.  This one is a caprese salad inspired creation.  New #firstworldproblem : I don't get to work from home enough so I can eat these more often.

Grab a pita!  Easy enough, no?  I just use store bought, but my mom made them from scratch once and I gotta tell ya, it made a HUGE difference.  Also, preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

I added red onions ... but I hate raw onions.  I quickly sliced up a few pieces and started to caramelize them so they didn't have as much bite.  Feel free to skip this step if you're not as picky as I am.

Slice up some tomato fairly thinly - the "pizza" is not going to be in the oven long.

Add just a brush of olive oil and some sea salt to the pita.  Simple, but big flavor difference if you skip this step. 

So instead of a tomato sauce base, I used some pesto!  I don't have any fresh basil on hand, so the jar stuff will do.

Next, a thin layer of mozzarella cheese.  Mama mia!  You don't want to add a ton, it will weigh down the pita and make it kind of soggy in the middle.  Learn from my mistakes.  

Layer on the tomatoes...

And then the onions ...

And you're ready to go!  Put it in the oven for about 12 - 15 minutes.  Keep an eye on it, you'll want to make sure the cheese is melted, and it starts to brown up on the edges.

 Slice with a knife or pizza cutter, and you're ready to rock!  I made a BBQ steak version a couple of days later, using BBQ sauce as the base and cheddar cheese.  The world is your oyster ... or in this case pita pizza.

Enjoy!  And here's a picture of Mac because he's just too adorable to leave out of the occasional post.

Courtzilla

Meatloaf Meatballs

Meatloaf meatballs???  Doesn't get much more down-home than that.  I got this recipe  from Pioneer Woman, my favorite blog of LIFE.  These things are super simple, and super comforting.  This is probably more appropriate as a "it's November, I'm going to live in my sweatpants forever, and I hate winter" post rather than a "hey it's almost spring let's eat salads and wear high heels" post... but whatever. THE STOMACH WANTS WHAT THE STOMACH WANTS.  Let's proceed!

You'll need:

(for the meatballs)

- 1 1/2 lb ground beef

- 3/4 cups of quick oats

- 1 cup of milk

- 3 Tablespoons of finely minced onion

- 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt

- ground pepper

(for cooking the meatballs)

- 1 cup of all purpose flour
- canola oil

(for the sauce)
- 1 cup of ketchup (HEINZ or BUST ... you're welcome Joe)
- 2 tablespoons of sugar
- 3 tablespoons of vinegar (I just use white vinegar, but it would work with a variety of flavors I think!)
- 2 tablespoons of worcesterchire ....worcestershire ... woscheschire?  WORCESTERSHIRE.  You get the point.
- 4 Tablespoons of onion (minced)
- dash of hot sauce


First things first - chop up your onion.  Recipe in total calls for something like 7 tablespoons ...I just cut up a whole small onion and call it a day.

Add about half of your onions to the beef, oats, and in a large mixing bowl.  Season with salt and pepper.  Use your hands ... let's get dirty.  

 \
It'll look like this when you're done mixing everything together.  Mmmm pâté!

Shape them into about 1" balls with a cookie scoop or your hands, and place them on a cookie sheet.  Stick them into the freezer for about 5 minutes so they get really cold.  This will help them stick together.  When they're  out of the freezer, you'll want to toss them in the flour, and start searing over medium-high heat in a pan with canola oil.  

No need to cook them all the way through, just get some brown on the edges.

Like so!  Keep turning them until they are brown on all sides.

Then put them in a shallow oven safe dish.  This dish was too big, don't be like me.

OK, now they need the sauce! Just combine all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl or measuring cup, and slather over the meatballs.

Bake them, uncovered, in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes.  These will make your house smell incredible.

That's it!!! Not so bad, huh?  Serve with whatever you've got lying around - this is a no fuss meal.

Enjoy!!

Courtzilla

Roasted Broccoli and Carrots

This one is short and sweet.  It's one of my new favorite side dishes.  The other day my mom was making the standard steamed broccoli when I suggested we roast it.  "Roasted broccoli!??" was the reaction I got.  As incredulous as she was at first, she's now made it 3 times for dinner.  I think I won that debate.

You'll need:

- 1 head of broccoli
- about 10 baby carrots
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- a teaspoon of seasoned salt
- a dash of pepper
- zest from one lemon, and about a tablespoon of lemon juice
- grated parmesan cheese (too taste)

Ok! Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Cut up your carrots into fourths lengthwise, and break apart your broccoli until you have decent sized florets.  Should look like this.

Place onto a cookie sheet and drizzle with your olive oil, and salt and pepper.  I've also added some parsley here because I am a rebel, feel free to experiment!  Toss everything together and spread everything out so it's in one layer.  Throw it in the oven for approximately 25 minutes.

While the veggies are roasting, I get prepared with the cheese, and zest the lemon ahead of time.  Make sure not to grate your thumb while zesting like I did.  Courtzilla STRIKES AGAIN.

After 25 minutes or until the broccoli has started to brown up at the edges, remove and grate the fresh parmesan over the warm broccoli and carrots.  Add the zest and lemon juice at this time as well, and give it a toss.  Serve with your favorite comfort food!

Meatloaf meatball recipe is coming up next.... EVERYONE IS EXCITED.

Enjoy!

Courtzilla