9/23/13 ChefElla's Mini Cheeseburger Meatballs

CHEFELLA'S MINI CHEESEBURGER MEATBALLS

There is a restaurant where I live, and I heard that all they serve is meatballs.  That made me think, if I had a meatball restaurant what kind would I make?  The only meatballs I had ever seen were the meatballs I ate in my spaghetti.  What other kind of meatballs could there be?  My mom helped me look at the menu for the restaurant and it turns out there are all sorts of meatballs.  There were so many meatballs, that there were even vegetable meatballs, although they really aren't called meatballs.  After looking at the menu I decided that I would like a cheeseburger meatball.  I tried a few other kinds of meatballs, Swedish Meatballs, Sweet and Sour Meatballs, Chicken Meatballs, Turkey Meatballs, Spicy Meatballs, and a few others, but I like cheeseburgers, so it sounded fun to make a cheeseburger meatball.  After you try this recipe you can make up your own meatball using your favorite ingredients.

For this recipe you will need to use a knife and the oven.  If you are not allowed to use a knife or the oven by yourself you can have a grown up help.

1. Wash your hands.

2. For this recipe you will need measuring cups and spoons, a cookie sheet, a large mixing bowl, a knife, aluminum foil, a small scooper and a cutting board.

Mini Cheeseburger Meatballs (This recipe will make about 15-20 small meatballs)

Ingredients:
1 Lb.       Hamburger Meat 80/20
               -80/20 means that for every one pound of meat that a little over three quarters of the mix is
                meat and the rest is fat.  Remember a little fat is ok, but when you eat a lot of fat and sugar it
                can be really bad for you.  If you would like less fat in your meatball you can choose 90/10
                meat or another meat like turkey or chicken.

3-4oz.      Cheddar Cheese, Medium Diced
                Cut the cheddar cheese into squares about 1/4 inch by 1/4 inch.  A little bigger or smaller will
                still be o.k.

1 tsp         Salt
1/4 tsp      Black Pepper
1/4 tsp      Garlic Powder
1 ea          Egg

(Pre-Heat your oven to 425F.)

3. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and spray it with pan spray.
4. Crack the egg into your bowl.  Mix the egg with the salt, pepper and garlic powder.

5. Add the hamburger and blend the mixture with your hands.  Squeeze all of the ingredients together.

6. When the ingredients are mixed it will be time to make your meatballs.

7. With your small scoop, scoop out your meatballs.  Each meatball should be about 1oz.  If you make
    bigger or smaller meatballs it is ok, you will just need to adjust your cooking time.

8. After all of your meatballs are made take one and pull it in half.  Put a piece of cheese in the center,
    and mold the meatball around it.  Roll the meatball in your hands until it looks like a ball again.

9. Put the finished meatball on the pan and then finish the rest.

10. When all of the meatballs are finished wash your hands really well with soap and water.  Put the
       pan in the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes.  Don't worry if some of the cheese comes
       out when you cook them, they will still taste like cheeseburgers.
      -Note:  If you make bigger or smaller meatballs they make take a minute or two more or less to
       cook.

These meatballs would be a great addition to your macaroni and cheese, served with fries or chips, or turned into a cheeseburger meatball submarine sandwich.  Remember the next time you make your meatballs you can change or add ingredients to make them your favorite.  Try bacon, blue cheese, peppers, onions, parmesan, or whatever else you can think of.

Enjoy

- ChefElla

Coronation Chicken with Bombay Spices

serves 4

200ml Oak Smoked Mayonnaise (or store bought)
50g Greek yogurt
1 tbsp. tomato puree
2 tbsp. My Secret Kitchen Bombay Onion Cheese Ball Mix
My Secret Kitchen Lemon & Chipotle Spiced Sea Salt to taste
25g raisins
400g cooked chicken, shredded
Toasted flaked almonds to garnish

Mix together the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, and tomato puree in a large bowl and stir in the Bombay Cheese Ball Mix. Season with the Lemon & Chipotle Spiced Sea Salt to taste. Add the raisins, shredded chicken and refrigerate for 1 hour, stir again, sprinkle with the toasted almonds and serve with salad and French bread or our Bombay Onion & Cheese Tear & Share Bread.

Oak Smoked Mayonnaise

Surprisingly easy to make - give it a go!

Makes 200ml

2 egg yolks
50ml My Secret Kitchen Oak Smoked Rapeseed Oil
150ml plain rapeseed oil or olive oil
Juice of 1/2 lemon or more to taste
Salt and pepper to taste


Make sure the egg yolks are at room temperature before you start and mix the 2 oils together. In another medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks together with a pinch of salt and drop by drop start to add the oil, whisking all the time. Keep whisking and adding the oil until it comes together into a lovely whipped emulsion. Slowly whisk in half of the lemon juice, taste and add more salt and lemon if needed. If the mayonnaise starts to split you can add another egg yolk or a little warm water. For flavour variations you can add mustard, saffron, dill or try your own mayonnaise flavour creations. Gorgeous with salmon, asparagus or just chunky chips with My Secret Kitchen Lemon & Chipotle Spiced Sea Salt.

Cookie Crunch Brownies

Makes 16 squares or 32 triangles

1 pkt My Secret Kitchen Ultimate Chocolate Brownie Mix
100g butter, melted
3 medium eggs, whisked together
16 chocolate sandwich cookies
200ml double cream
60g My Secret Kitchen Toffee Hot Chocolate Mix

Preheat oven 150C, grease and line 20cm x 20cm tin
Empty the Brownie mix into a bowl and mix in the melted butter before whisking in the eggs until thoroughly combined. Place half of the Brownie batter into the prepared tin and smooth over. Place the sandwich cookies in a 4 x 4 combination across the batter before topping with the remaining mix and smooth over. Bake for 25 minutes or until the brownies are risen and golden. To make the ganache, warm the cream gently in a saucepan and whisk in the Toffee Hot Chocolate Mix; continue to stir until the chocolate has melted and the cream is thick. Pour over the Brownies whilst still in the tin and leave to set. Cut into 16 squares for a hidden cookie in each Brownie or cut into 32 triangles for petit fours.

Red Pepper, Chicken & Walnut Fettuccine

From our 'Cook Once, Eat Twice' blog - pair up with Roasted Red Pepper Chicken for 2 meals in 1!

Serves 4

1 red pepper, sliced
1 orange pepper, sliced
1 medium onion, sliced
2 tbsp. My Secret Kitchen Red Pepper Cheese Ball Mix
400g cooked chicken, sliced
75g walnuts, crushed
250g fettuccine (dry weight)
200ml crème fraiche
chopped parsley to garnish

Heat the oil and sauté the peppers together with the onion until soft and starting to brown at the edges. Stir in the Red Pepper Cheese Ball Mix and put to one side.  Cook the fettuccine in lots of boiling salted water, drain and keep warm whilst finishing the sauce. Add the chicken and walnuts to the cooked pepper mixture and heat gently before adding in the crème fraiche. When ready to serve, mix together the sauce with the fettucine and pile high on a plate before garnishing with chopped parsley.

TIP: adding a little oil to the cooking water for the pasta stops the fettuccine sticking together too much

Roasted Red Pepper Chicken

This is from our 'Cook Once, Eat Twice' blog post, pair up with Red Pepper, Chicken & Walnut Fettucine for 2 meals in 1!

Serves 4

4 chicken leg portions
2 tbsp. olive oil
200g un-smoked bacon lardons
My Secret Kitchen Lemon & Chipotle Spiced Sea Salt,
100g full fat cream cheese
3 tsp My Secret Kitchen Red Pepper Cheese Ball Mix
zest 1/2 lemon
1 red pepper, sliced
1 orange pepper, sliced
1 medium onion, sliced

Preheat oven 200C
Mix the cream cheese with the Red Pepper Cheese Ball Mix along with the lemon zest and refrigerate for 30mins.
Loosen the skin from the chicken portions and stuff each portion with an equal amount of the red pepper cream cheese. Mix the peppers, onion and bacon with 1 tbsp. of the oil and place in a roasting tray. Rub the chicken portions with the remaining oil and place on top of the red pepper and onions before seasoning with Lemon & Chipotle Spiced Sea Salt. Roast for 40 minutes until the chicken is golden and cooked through; baste with the juices half way through cooking. Serve with French bread and a green salad. Works equally well with a whole roast chicken for a Sunday lunch centre piece.

Steak Nacho Tacos

This recipe is part of our blog post 'Cook Once, Eat Twice' and uses another recipe to create 2 meals in 1!

Serves 4 (2 tacos each)

1 quantity of Pie Filling from Mediterranean Steak Pie
8 corn taco shells
75g sweet corn
75g black beans
2 tbsp. My Secret Kitchen Nacho Fiesta Cheese Ball Mix
Grated cheese to garnish

Add the sweet corn, black beans and Nacho Fiesta Cheese Ball Mix to the steak pie filling in a saucepan and heat gently until heated through.  When ready to serve, fill the taco shells with the filling and sprinkle with grated cheese. Serve immediately.

Mediterranean Steak Pie

Another great recipe from our consultant Pauline Inglis

Serves 4

1 tbsp. My Secret Kitchen Oak Smoked Rapeseed Oil
500g braising steak, cubed
1 onion, finely chopped
75g chorizo, diced
50ml dry sherry
200g can butter beans, drained
400g can chopped tomatoes
200ml beef or vegetable stock
2 tbsp. My Secret Kitchen Tapenade with Smoked Garlic
My Secret Kitchen Lemon & Chipotle Spiced Sea Salt
150g (1/2 pkt) filo pastry sheets
50g butter, melted

Preheat oven 190C
Heat the Oak Smoked Oil in a pan and fry the beef until brown and remove with a slotted spoon. Add the onion and chorizo to the pan and fry until the onion is soft. Add the meat back to the pan and add the sherry, cook for a few minutes, add the beans, tomatoes, stock and Tapenade with Smoked Garlic. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 40 minutes until the beef is tender. Season to taste with the Lemon & Chipotle Spiced Sea Salt and transfer to an ovenproof dish. Cut the filo into strips and crumble each strip into a ball before placing on top of the pie filling; continue with the rest of the pastry before pouring the melted  butter over the top. Bake for 30 minutes until the pastry is golden.

Cheese & Bombay Onion Tear & Share Bread

1 small onion, sliced
50g butter
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tbsp. Bombay Onion Cheese Ball Mix
1 x 225g sachet My Secret Kitchen Original Beer Bread Mix
100g cheddar cheese, grated
150ml beer, cider or fizzy beverage

Preheat oven 180c, grease and line 20cm x 20cm tin
In a saucepan melt the butter and oil together and gently sauté the onion until soft and starting to turn brown at the edges. Cool slightly before adding the Bombay Onion Cheese Ball Mix, stir together and put to one side for 30 mins. Place the Original Beer Bread Mix into a bowl, stir in the grated cheese, reserving some for the top. Then add the majority of the onion mixture, reserving some for the top and give the mix a good stir before adding the beer. Mix thoroughly and place in the tin and smooth it out thinly. Sprinkle over the reserved cheese and then the reserved onion mixture making sure to add all the seasoned buttery juices. Partially push the onions and cheese into the bread dough and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden and baked through.

secret recipe club: bacon topped maple french toast cupcakes

this month's secret recipe club pick was obnoxiously easy for me. as soon as i saw these maple french toast and bacon cupcakes on food ramblings, i knew they were mine! ever since i made these pig out cookies - a peanut butter cookie with bacon and chocolate chips - jason has been asking for more baked goods with bacon included. it seems to be a universal food - i've never met a person that doesn't love bacon!

and the cupcakes are delicious. jason prefers his without frosting (crazy, i know, but it also means i get whatever leftovers he has whenever we go somewhere with cake), so he dug into a few before i frosted them and couldn't get over how good the cake itself is. i baked these the night before a frosted them and noticed the next day they were a bit dry - next time i'm going to add 2 egg whites and 1 whole egg to pump up the moisture. the frosting is a bit on the runny side - definitely not something you can pipe into beautiful swirls or anything, but after a quick chill in the refrigerator, it was a bit easier to handle.

and elizabeth, your short bio reminds me so much of myself a few years ago. i started this blog to keep track of the things i made and liked and to be accountable to someone. i've spent the last few months losing baby and wife weight (it creeps up on you, so watch out for it!) which means i haven't blogged anywhere close to as often as i did before. thanks for reminding me that people want healthy meal and treat ideas too. sometimes we get so caught up in big swirls of buttercream and decadent dinners that we forget we still have to cook for a busy weeknight.

for more information on the secret recipe club, including the list of participating bloggers, featured recipes from members, and instructions on how to join, visit the secret recipe club website!
 
check out my previous secret recipe club posts: cherry sorbet, slow cooker beans & mushrooms, mojito chicken tacos, maple glazed whole wheat spiced apple pizza, pig out cookies, pasta with blistered tomatoes & arugula and iced grapefruit cookies, mushroom barley soup, scalloped ham and potato bake & andes mint cake, chicken souvlaki with tzatziki, asian pork chops, lemon lime meltaways, blueberry peach crisp, minted lemon ice, white chocolate macadamia nut blondies, raspberry cream filled eclairs, jam swirled cheesecake, whole wheat grapefruit cake, chewy no bake granola bars & carrot cinnamon waffles, cannoli, gingerbread muffins, double chocolate peanut butter chip oatmeal cookies, butterscotch peach cake, whole wheat honey pancakes, minted pineapple lime agua fresca, breakfast tacos, simple almond sandwich cookies, & roasted banana rum cake.



bacon topped maple french toast cupcakes
adapted from food ramblings
makes 18 cupcakes

for the cupcakes:
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup cake flour
1 box (3.4oz) instant vanilla pudding mix
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar + about 1 teaspoon molasses (or 1/2 cup light brown sugar)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 egg whites
1/4 cup maple syrup, the darker the better
1/2 cup half & half

for the frosting & topping:
6 slices of bacon, cooked until crisp, and crumbled/cut into small pieces (can be made a day or two ahead)
8 ounces low fat or regular cream cheese
2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup, the darker the better
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1. to make the cupcakes, preheat your oven to 325F and line your cupcake tins. combine the dry ingredients - flour through salt - in a bowl and set aside. using a mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. add the vanilla extract and egg whites and mix until combined. combine the maple syrup and half & half in a small bowl or measuring cup. alternate adding the dry mixture and the maple half & half to the batter. mix just until combined. fill each cupcake about 3/4 full with batter (my oxo large scoop is the perfect size for this). bake 30-40 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. cool completely before icing.
2. to make the frosting, beat the cream cheese with a mixer until smooth. add the sugar, maple syrup, and cinnamon and beat until smooth and creamy. you can top the cupcakes now, or if you prefer a thicker consistency, chill the frosting for an hour or two until thickened. the frosting will be thick enough to pipe using a straight sided tip (nothing fancy, the frosting is still thin enough that it can't hold intricate designs). top each cupcake with frosting and crumble bacon over the top. store in the refrigerator.

Coconut Brownies with Lime Glaze

Here the Ultimate Chocolate Brownies are made with coconut cream instead of butter for a subtle coconut flavour and then drizzled with a zingy coconut lime glaze

Makes 16 squares or 12 rectangles

For the coconut lime glaze:
5 tbsp. icing sugar
2 tbsp. cream cheese (at room temperature)
1 tbsp. coconut cream
Juice and zest from 1 lime
2 tbsp. desiccated coconut

For the brownies:
1 My Secret Kitchen Ultimate Chocolate Brownie Mix
100g coconut cream
3 medium eggs, whisked
50g macadamia nuts, chopped

Lime wedges for decorating
Fresh coconut shavings for decorating

Preheat oven 150C (gas mark 2). Grease and line a 20cm (8") square pan

Make the glaze cy creaming together the icing sugar and cream cheese until smooth and then whisk in the coconut cream and lime juice. Add the desiccated coconut and lime zest. Prepare and bake the Ultimate Chocolate Brownies as directed but using the 100g coconut cream in place of the melted butter and adding the macadamia nuts. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

When cool, remove from the pan and cut into 16 squares (or 12 rectangles) and place on a serving plate. (For very straight edges, put the brownies in the freezer for 30 minutes before cutting). Drizzle each brownie with the glaze and garnish with the lime wedges and coconut shavings.