All American Dinner

Don't get me wrong, I love Italian, French, Mexican, and now even Thai food. But sometimes, there's nothing better than some good old American Comfort food....

Comfort food has a different meaning to each cook. To some, it's gooey mac and cheese. To others, it's a steaming bowl soup with crusty bread, or some hearty chili and corn bread. To my mom, comfort food is meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and roasted veggies. Simple, delicious, and comforting.

Boy, this meatloaf is to die for. Honestly, you can't even tell it's turkey (aka, semi healthy) because the sweet flavor of the caramelized onions juxtaposed with the tangy horseradish flavor the dish so wonderfully. The soaked bread and added sour cream make the meatloaf so tender and delicate, a comforting texture to devour; which is exactly what we did.

And of course, I had to make my sister her favorite honey roasted carrots. Meatloaf and carrots, what's better than that? Adding the honey halfway through the cooking prevents it from turning bitter, and you're left with a sweet glaze to tantalize your tastebuds while you savor the sweet, soft carrots. We're permanently stocked up on a family friends honey; it's the best honey I've ever had, and it really makes a difference as opposed to Sue Bee or Honeymaid, but use what you've got! And, most importantly, enjoy this comfort food.

Carmelized Onion & Horseradish Meatloaf

For meatloaf

2 medium sized onions, diced

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

a sprig of fresh thyme

2 cloves of garlic, crushed then chopped

2 slices white bread, crusts removed

1/4 cup milk

1 pound ground turkey

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons sour cream

1 1/2 tablespoons horseradish

1/4 teaspoon dried mustard

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

Make meatloaf:

In a medium sized skillet, heat the olive oil over low heat. Add onions and saute over low heat, stirring every so often until the onions are a rich golden brown and caramelized. This may take 30-40 minutes, so be sure to give yourself enough time. Once the onions are caramelized, add in the thyme and garlic and cook for two minutes. Remove from heat.

Preheat the oven to 375F. In a small bowl, soak the crust-less bread in the milk for about five minutes. Place the ground turkey in a large mixing bowl. In another small bowl, whisk together the egg, sour cream, and horseradish. Remove the bread from the milk bowl, and squeeze to get rid of excess moisture. Add the bread to the turkey mixture, along with the egg/horseradish mixture followed by the dried mustard, salt, and pepper. Work the mixture together with your hands gently, until it is all combined. Transfer the meat mixture to a greased 9x5 loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour, or until the internal temperature reads 170 on an instant thermometer.

*I served the meatloaf with a simple sauce: 1/3 cup sour cream, 2 tablespoons mayo, and 2 tablespoons horseradish.

Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

For potatoes

3 pounds red-skinned potatoes, diced into 1/2 inch cubes

1 tablespoon salt

1 1/4 cups buttermilk, slightly warmed

2 tablespoons butter

2/3 cup sour cream

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Make potatoes:

Put potatoes in a large pot, filled 2 inches over the top with water. Bring to a boil, add the salt, and continue to cook for 8-10 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. Drain. Add in half of the buttermilk, butter, and sour cream. Mash, while adding in the remaining buttermilk, or as much needed to achieve your desired texture. Season with freshly ground black pepper.

Honey Roasted Carrots

For carrots

6 large carrots, halved lengthwise and cut into small sections

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons good honey

Make carrots:

When the meatloaf is almost halfway done cooking, make the carrots. Line a metal baking sheet with aluminum foil, and place out carrots evenly. Drizzle with oil and then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove, drizzle with honey, and bake for 5-10 minutes more or until the carrots are soft and tender.

*I also threw some asparagus on the baking sheet with about 10 minutes left with some olive oil, salt, and pepper. Upon removal from the oven I then drizzled them with fresh lemon juice, delish!

Bolognese Lasagna

When I was little, I hated melted cheese. So much, in fact, that when my mom made lasanga she would leave a corner just for me that was sans Ricotta cheese, which still today I do not like. Lasagna was just never my thing, I was never a happy camper when we had it for dinner.

Now that my taste buds have matured and I have become proficient in the kitchen I've done lots of experimenting with the enigma otherwise known as Lasanga. This summer I made a fresh tomato Lasanga, using a bechamel instead of Ricotta cheese; the combination of the fresh tomato sauce, the lightness of the bechamel, and a fresh grating of Parmesan cheese made it fabulous.

For winter thought, it's best to go a bit heartier; hence, Bolognese Lasagna. And, I kid you not or exaggerate one bit when I tell you, this really is the best Bolognese I've made, ever. Something about cooking the meat in the milk, a pinch of nutmeg, and the red wine make such a heart, warming, and flavorful sauce that you just can't seem to get enough of. That, plus a creamy bechamel, sweet Parmesan and Romano cheese, and gooey lasagna noodles make this the ultimate lasagna. To be honest, five of us ate the whole pan, and were disappointed there weren't any leftovers... but I guess that means I'll just have to make some more.

Bolognese Lasagna

For bolognese sauce

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 carrots, finely chopped

1 celery stalk, finely chopped

1 pound ground beef

1 pound ground pork

pinch of nutmeg

1 tablespoon salt*

freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 cups whole milk, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups dry red wine

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 (28 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes

1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes

For bechamel

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

2 cups whole milk, slightly warmed

pinch of nutmeg

For assembly

butter, for greasing dish

1 package 'ready-to-bake' lasagna noodles

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/3 cup grated Romano cheese

Make Bolognese:

In a Dutch oven (or any large pot that retains heat well) melt the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Cook the onions, carrot, and celery until very soft and almost translucent, about 7 minutes. Add the ground beef and pork, seasoning heavily with the salt and pepper followed by a pinch of nutmeg. Break up the meat into smaller chunks while it begins to cook, and then stir in the milk. Allow to cook for 20-30 minutes or until almost all of the liquid evaporates and the meat is thoroughly cooked.

Work in the tomato paste until it is well distributed into the mixture, followed by the red wine, whole and diced tomatoes. Simmer for another 20-30 minutes or until the sauce is perfectly thick, meaty and delicious.

Make Bechamel:

In a medium sized sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and allow to cook with the butter for 1-2 minutes or until there is no smell of raw flour and the mixture is a light golden color. Slowly add in the milk, whisking constantly, followed by a small grating of fresh nutmeg. Continue to whisk over lower heat until the mixture has become thickened and bubbles slightly.

Assemble Lasagna:

Preheat the oven to 400F and grease a 9x13 glass or ceramic baking dish. Place a layer of noodles on the bottom of the pan. Cover with 1/4 of the Bechamel, 1/4 of the Bolognese sauce, and then a sprinkling of the cheese. Repeat layering process, ending with cheese on top of the two sauces. Cover loosely with foil, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil, and increase the heat to 425F to finish baking for 10 additional minutes or until golden brown and bubbly on top. Serve with a fresh grating of Parmesan or Romano cheese.

*This may seem like a salt, but it's imperative to season the meat/sauce at this, and only this time, as the meat will absorb the salt as it cooks in the milk and give the entire dish an amazing flavor.

Baked Rigatoni with Mini Meatballs

I know I'm still in finals mode because I forgot my camera back at school; good one Katie. And of course I forget it when I make the most beautiful, picturesque, perfectly swirled brownies and the gooeyest, cheesiest, and most delectable baked pasta dish ever. Seriously, I need to be done with school for the semester, this little wahoo needs a break.

I'm not exaggerating though in my description of this dish; it was absolutely fantastic. The mini meatballs have the most exquisite and defined flavor from the frying. Bechamel once again stands up to its high standards as one of my favorite sauce. And who doesn't love a dish oozing with fresh mozzarella and Parmesan cheese? That's right, personne n'aime pas (nobody! I had to throw in some of my French skills from 1020...only a few more semesters from hopefully being almost fluent, it's one of my college goals). So do your heart and soul some good with the ultimate comfort dish, you won't regret it.

Baked Rigatoni with Mini Meatballs

Slightly modified from Smitten Kitchen

Mini Meatballs

1/4 cup milk

2 small slices of white bread, crust removed

1 pound ground beef*

1 teaspoon crushed garlic

1 tablespoon dried parsley (or fresh if you have, but up the amount to 2 tbs.)

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 cup all purpose flour

olive oil, for frying

Bèchamel

4 1/2 cups milk**

6 tablespoons butter

6 tablespoons flour

a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Finishing touches

1 pound rigatoni, cooked al dente

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan + additional for topping

1 cup fresh mozzarella, diced into 1/2 inch cubes

1/3 cup milk

*For meatballs or any meat sauce, I usually use a mixture of ground beef and ground veal which really gives the dish a well-rounded bold taste. Also, the ground beef my mom buys is this amazing organic ground beef, you can really taste the difference!

**Don't use skim milk!! This won't allow you to achieve the full bodied bèchamel that you want in a dish like this. Whole milk, or even 2% is preferable, but if all you have is skim milk you can even it you with half&half or heavy cream in a 3 1/2:1 milk to cream ratio.

Make the mini meatballs:

In a shallow dish or plate, soak the crustless bread in the milk for 3-5 minutes. After soaking, squeeze out the excess milk and place in a larger mixing bowl. Add the ground beef, garlic, parsley, cheese, egg, salt and pepper. Gently combine the ingredients mixing with your hands, the best tool in the kitchen might I add, until they are evenly mixed and distributed.

Pinch off small lumps of the meatball mixture, forming balls of a size slightly larger than grapes by rolling the mixture between your palms. When all the meatballs have been formed, roll them in flour to attain a nice coat for frying.

Heat up a skillet with enough olive oil to evenly cover the bottom of the pan (I used a non-stick, they work miracles). When the oil is hot, place 15-20 meatballs, or however many you can fit in your specific skillet so that they all have enough room to move around and be happy. Brown them until they have formed a nice crust, remove, and then place on a paper towel lined plate to drain the excess grease. If you have a splash guard, a mesh cover for a frying pan, this is the perfect opportunity to use it to prevent a greasy stove top!

Make the bèchamel:

Heat the milk in a small saucepan until just warm, not allowing it to boil. In a large saucepan melt the butter over low heat, and upon melting whisk in the flour until just combined- the mixture will be very thick. Add small increments of the milk a little at a time, keeping the consistency thick until all the milk has been added and you are left with a thick, creamy, and smooth sauce. Stir in nutmeg, salt, and pepper.

Finishing touches:

Pre-heat the oven to 400F and grease a 9x13 baking dish. After the rigatoni has reached al dente, drain, and return to the cooking pot. Add in the bechamel, mozzarella, mini meatballs, Parmesan cheese, and gently stir with a spatula until evenly distributed. Pour into the prepared baking dish and drizzle over the remaining 1/3 cup milk. Finish the dish off with some more freshly grated Parmesan on top. Cover with foil, and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil, and cook for another 5 minutes or until the top is slightly browned, bubbly and oozing with delicious-ness.

Beef Tacos

I've never been a taco bell fan, but give me a chipotle burrito or two and I'm in heaven. Yes, I have eaten two chipotle burritos before: this girl can eat!

It's just something about the tenderness, the smoky spicy combination of the barbacoa that just seems to make your taste buds sing with joy. That's what I was aiming for with this beef taco recipe- and I have to say I think I achieved it...and maybe even went a little beyond that.

Normally I'm all for the toppings: give me peppers and onions, corn and tomato salsa, guacamole and cheese, and then a heavy, almost drowning, bath of sour cream. Tonight though I stuck to the basics, just a little bit of cheese on a flour tortilla and into my belly. And man, I think it was just what I needed. The taste of the meat was impeccable, right on point, and with the minimal toppings it shone as the star of my meal. I can't wait for leftovers tomorrow...or maybe even a little later if I can't stay away :)

Beef Tacos

2-3 lbs. Chuck roast

2 tbs. olive oil

1 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. spicy Hungarian paprika

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 chipotle in adobe

1 tbs. tomato paste

1 cup beef/chicken stock

4 garlic cloves, smashed then chopped

1 medium sweet onion, diced

In a large skillet, preferably non-stick, heat the olive oil. Combine the chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper and generously rub on both sides of the chuck. Once the oil is hot, sear the meat on medium high heat for 2 minutes on each side. This forms a nice crust and gives the meat an ever better, more intense flavor.

Remove the meat from the skillet and place in a crock pot, cover with the chopped garlic and onions. Add the stock into the skillet and use a wooden spoon to scrape off the yummy brown bits. Stir in the tomato paste and chipotle pepper and allow to cook for 5 minutes, or until the sauce has just started to thicken. Pour over the meat back into the crock pot.

Cook on low for 6 hours. Upon being finished, used two forks (or tongs) to pull apart the meat and plate up for tacos, nachos, or anything you wish!

Sicilian Style Veal

I love me some veal. Veal marsala? Yum. Veal parmigiana? Yum. Veal shanks? Yum. Veal in general, anyway you make it it just yum, yum, yum.

I wanted to try something different though, where the flavor of the veal really had the opportunity to shine through and not be overpowered by another thick sauce. Don't get me wrong, I love a good marinara or marsala sauce, but sometimes I just want a meaty veal taste without all the other stuff. And also don't particularly feel like slaving over the stove.

So I give you: Sicilian style veal, delicious. By simply browning the veal in a butter/oil combination it intensifies the rich, meaty flavor and allows it to really shine through. And finishing the dish off with the lemon juice adds that fresh kick that everyones taste buds love.

Simple. Easy. Delicious. Veal!

Sicilian Style Veal

1 pound worth of Veal Scallopini

4 tbs. butter

1 tbs. vegetable oil

salt & pepper to taste

juice of 1 lemon

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

In a large saucepan, heat 3 tbs. of butter and the oil over medium heat until melted and hot. Season the veal on both sides with generous salt and pepper. When the pan is ready, add as many scallopini that can fit into the pan without crowding (I did two batches of four) and cook for about 2 minutes on each side or until they are a delicious brown color and cooked though. Transfer to a warm plate while cooking the other pieces.

After all the scallopini have been cooked, transfer them all to the warm plate. In the saucepan, add the remaining 1 tbs. of butter and the juice of one lemon to degalze all of the yummy brown bits from the pan, my favorite part :) Add the veal back into the pan along with the parsley, turning them to coat with the succulent butter sauce. Serve immediately.

Greek Burgers

Feta: my new addiction. I crumble it on my salad, sandwiches, pasta, pizza even some breakfast skillets. You name it, I feta it. And yes, I now use feta as a verb. So once I stumbled upon this recipe at one of my new favorite blogs to follow I just had to try it. Everyone in my family loves a good juicy burger, and I have to admit for being as non-traditional as these burgers are, they really are my new favorite (topping even the bacon, caramelized onion and Gorgonzola burger which was my previous favorite) and I can't wait to make them again. Not to mention the fact that my mom made some scrumptious sour dough French rolls to stick them in- heaven :)

Greek Burgers

Adapted from Just Eat It

1 pound organic lean ground beef

2/3 cup plain bread crumbs

1/3 cup roasted red pepper spread (Trader Joes has an amazing one)

1/3 cup fresh chopped parsley

2 tbs. fresh oregano, chopped

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

1 cup frozen (8 oz. thawed for cooking) chopped spinach

1 extra-large egg, beaten

3 garlic cloves, crushed and then minced

In a large bowl combine all ingredients, working the mixture gently with your hands until all the ingredients are incorporated and evenly distributed. Divide into four patties and flatten gently.

Prior to grilling, make sure you almost douse the grill with spray as these have a high possibility of sticking due to the additives. Cook on each side about 7 minutes and serve on a fresh baked bun with chunky feta sauce!

Chunky Feta Sauce:

1/2 + 1/4 cup cup feta cheese, divided and crumbled

1/4 cup Greek style yogurt

1 tbs. mayonnaise

2 garlic cloves, chopped

salt & pepper to taste

In a food processor or hand emulsifier, pulse all ingredients sans 1/4 cup feta until smooth. Add in the remaining feta and pulse just once or twice so the sauce is chunky.

Trainwreck

"There was an accident last night down by the railroad tracks, it was pretty messy...so we cleaned it up and thought we'd serve it to you guys for dinner so we wouldn't waste...enjoy the trainwreck!"

Every little girl or boy dreams about going to the perfect summer camp- good friends, good food, and most importantly, fun in the sun away from mom and dad. While all the summer camps on TV look fun and exciting, they all pale in comparison to Nature Camp. Every summer growing up I had the awesome privilege of attending this magical camp for two weeks. We were isolated; no iPods, no cell phones, no TV and even no air conditioning. Call me crazy, but then you'd have to call everyone else there crazy too. You really have to be there in order to feel the magic- it's indescribable.

What also is indescribable, though, is the food; the most important being trainwreck. While the taco salad lunch could fill you up for a year, and Thanksgiving dinner on Sunday hike day puts you in the ultimate food coma, trainwreck is possibly one of the best culinary inventions known to man; and really, I'm not exaggerating. You know when it's trainwreck day at camp; the aura buzzing around anxious campers, knowing what awaits them in the LS (dining) building is like waiting to meet your dream in real life. It's that good.

So, while I couldn't attend camp this summer (but intend on applying to be a counselor/cook there next summer) I was craving this culinary masterpiece, and decided to try and whip up my own version. All it was missing was some pink bug juice...

Trainwreck

1 pound ditalini, cooked al dente

1 tbs. olive oil

salt & pepper to taste

1 pound organic ground beef

1/2 tsp. cumin

3 garlic cloves, minced finely

1 (28 oz.) can whole tomatoes

2 tbs. chopped fresh basil

2 1/4 cups sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 375F and grease a large baking dish.

In a large skillet, brown the ground beef in the olive oil, seasoning with the cumin, salt, and pepper. Once the beef is almost cooked, drain the fat from it and add the garlic clove.

Strain the tomatoes, saving only about a 1/4 cup of the juice and puree them until smooth: add the juice back in, but not too much or the mixture will be runny. Add the tomatoes to the skillet holding the browned beef. Sprinkle in the fresh basil and let the mixture come to a simmer.

Spread the cooked ditalini, or other small pasta, in the large baking dish. Then, carefully add the sauce mixture and about 2 cups of the cheese, stirring and combining thoroughly. Sprinkle the top with the rest of the cheese (add more if you'd like) and bake for 20 minutes.