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sweet and savory

3/8/2023

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Cinnamon Rolls
​The other evening, I was unsure of what to prepare for supper. I had recently clipped a recipe from the column “What to Make Next Week,” which appears in the Saturday edition of The New York Times. Roasted Turkey Meatballs with Mozzarella and Scallions sounded interesting. I read the comments provided by the other cooks and, overall, the recipe had good reviews. For the recipe you’ll need buttery type crackers (Ritz Crackers), an egg, ground cumin, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, scallions, jalapeños, ground turkey and mozzarella.
 
Unfortunately, when I went to the food store to pick up scallions, I forgot to purchase the jalapeños. A quick internet search for substitutions suggested using cayenne pepper. Also, one cook commented she felt there was too much cumin in the recipe (1-1/2 teaspoons), so I decreased it to 1-1/4. I used Keebler Club Crackers, which I find has a buttery taste.
These meatballs came together quite easily; the recipe was to yield approximately 12 meatballs, I got nine. The meatballs bake for 13 to 17 minutes. While the meatballs were tender, they seemed to be missing something. My husband used a little ketchup with his which helped; I suggested salsa. If I made these again, I will make sure to have the jalapeño and serve salsa with the meatballs. While not bad, my husband prefers my Turkey Polpettone, a recipe by Chef Michael Chiarello. These are a turkey style meatball flavored with green onion, fresh sage, Worcestershire sauce and lemon zest. You insert a piece of fresh mozzarella and encase it in the meat, delicious!
 
I’ve had for a while a recipe from the website “Joy the Baker,” for Single Serve Cinnamon Roll. This is a wonderful idea as it takes care of your sweet craving, with no leftovers. It wasn’t until I was rolling out the dough, that I realized I had tripled the recipe! When I printed the recipe from the website, it offers links that can automatically scale the recipe for one, two or three rolls; my printout was for 3x! For the recipe you’ll need all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, instant yeast, salt, vegetable or neutral oil, milk, softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, cream cheese and vanilla.
 
Despite my error, I made a few adjustments when preparing the filling for the dough. The recipe calls for 3-6 tablespoons of softened butter and 9 tablespoons of brown sugar. I used 4 tablespoons of butter, 6 tablespoons of brown sugar and just sprinkled the cinnamon on the filling.
 
I rolled the dough to the designated size of 6-inches wide x 9-inches long and cut into three strips and rolled into cylinders. Again, I didn’t thoroughly read the recipe and discovered that I was to roll one coil tightly, then proceed to roll each of the others strips around the first, ugh! However, I found that making six petite rolls was totally better, less sweets to eat! I baked two of the rolls in ramekins and the other four in a small, square Corningware casserole dish. The rolls bake for 16-18 minutes, however, mine needed10 minutes more to become golden brown. While the ramekins baked perfectly, the rolls baked in the Corningware, were undercooked. I put two of the rolls in ramekins and baked just two in the casserole dish; end result perfect. Once the rolls cooled, they were frosted with a cream cheese frosting.
 
How were they you ask? Delicious! The size was perfect, two bites. They weren’t too sweet, had a wonderful cinnamon flavor and were tender. My husband really enjoyed them as did my daughter and granddaughter with whom I shared a few. A perfect recipe for when your sweet tooth is craving something tasty.
 
On Wednesday, I was seeking some comfort food with this windy, cold weather we were having. I found an interesting recipe on the website Lidia’s Italy for Skillet Ricotta Mini-Meatloaves. For the recipe you’ll need fine dry bread crumbs, milk, an egg, scallions, fresh Italian parsley, fresh ricotta, freshly grated Grana Padano or Pecorino, ground beef, ground pork, kosher salt, freshly grated nutmeg, all-purpose flour, extra-virgin olive oil, sliced white mushrooms, marinara sauce (homemade or store-bought) and fresh basil. After they are formed, they are dredged in flour and cooked in a skillet with extra-virgin olive oil until browned all over. I used two spatulas to rotate the delicate meatloaves. When done, sliced mushrooms are nestled in and around the meatloaves and cooked for approximately 5 minutes on the stove top. Lastly marinara sauce is added to the pan along with a bit of water, covered and transferred to the oven to bake for 15 minutes. The cover is removed and baking continues for 15 additional minutes.
 
As I was using my fresh tomato sauce, which is not as thick as sauce made with canned tomatoes, I left the water out. The meatloaves came out perfectly, the flavor was spot on and they were very tender. The tomato sauce and basil added another layer of flavor and you had some texture from the mushrooms. I will admit that during the summer I blanched some basil leaves and put them in ice cube trays with water. They held up and the little bit of water didn’t affect the outcome of my sauce. This is a fabulous recipe and I like the mini portions. I have two meatloaves left that I will freeze and serve on one of my babysitting days. ​

​Single Serve Cinnamon Roll*
By Joy Wilson
www.joythebaker.com
 
Prep time: 40 minutes
Cook time: 18 minutes
Total time: about 1 hour
Yield: 1 perfect roll
 
“DESCRIPTION A recipe for one very delicious, doughy cinnamon roll for one.  You can absolutely double the recipe and make two fine rolls.”

​
For the dough:
 
1/2 cup 64 grams) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon instant (RapidRise) yeast
A good pinch of salt
2 teaspoons vegetable oil or any neutral oil you prefer
2 1/2 tablespoons milk (cow’s milk or any kind of nut or oat milk)
 
For the filling:
 
1–2 tablespoons softened butter (salted or unsalted, it’s up to you)
3 tablespoons lightly packed brown sugar
1/2–3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (just sprinkle it on generously until you’re pleased)
A pinch of salt if you used unsalted butter
For the glaze:
 
1 ounce (about a 1/2-inch slice off a cream cheese block) softened cream cheese
A few big spoonsful of powdered sugar
A splash of vanilla extract
A pinch of salt
A tiny splash of milk, if necessary
 
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 1-cup oven-safe ramekin with nonstick cooking spray (or smear with softened butter) and set aside. To figure out the side of your ramekin, fill a measuring cup with 1 cup of water and pour the water into the ramekin. A 1-cup ramekin will be filled to the absolute brim. Use an oven-safe vessel as close to 1-cup as you have.
  2. In a small bowl whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, yeast, and a pinch of salt. In a small measuring cup whisk together oil and milk and heat in the microwave until just warm to the touch (somewhere between 105- and 110-degrees F).
  3. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry and use a spatula to incorporate well until the ingredients gather into a cohesive ball. Lightly sprinkle the counter with flour and knead the small dough ball for 20-30 turns. Lightly cover with a clean kitchen towel and allow to sit for 10 minutes.
  4. Roll the dough to 1/4-inch thickness into a 9-inch-tall x 6-inch-wide rectangle (though mine is always more like an oval). You won’t need too much flour on the counter because you want the dough to stick to the counter just a bit to hold its shape.
  5. Smear with butter. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Sprinkle with cinnamon and maybe a sprinkle of salt. Use a large knife to slice the dough into 3 strips (about 2-inches each). Roll the first strip into a relatively tight coil. Place that coil on the second strip and roll again. Place that coil on the third strip and roll into a generous cinnamon roll. Place in the prepared ramekin, cover loosely with a towel and place near the oven as it heats. Allow to rest for 20-30 minutes until puffed.
  6. Bake for 16-18 minutes until golden and bubbling. While the roll bakes, whisk together the glaze. (I zap the cream cheese in the microwave for a few seconds to super soften it.) Add cream cheese, vanilla, salt, and a tiny splash of milk to get the right consistency.
  7. Remove roll from the oven. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before using a butterknife or large spoon to scoop the hot, hot roll from the ramekin. Smear with glaze and wow, enjoy immediately.
  8. Note: You can absolutely double this recipe successfully. Split the dough in two before rolling and coiling and do so separately.
 
*If you click on the hyperlink, Joy’s recipe has links to automatically scale up the recipe from one to three times.
single_serve_cinnamon_roll.pdf
File Size: 69 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File


​Roasted Turkey Meatballs with Mozzarella and Scallions
By Ali Slagle
The New York Times, “What to Make Next Week,”
February 11, 2023
 
Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 4 Servings
 
“These meatballs are straightforward to make and a welcome addition to many meals. The combination of mozzarella, scallions and jalapeño is cheerfully reminiscent of jalapeño poppers, and those ingredients — along with crushed Ritz crackers instead of bread crumbs — add fat and moisture for tenderness. Omit the jalapeños for a milder meatball. You can eat these with Italian, Mexican or Middle Eastern flavors; their versatility is limitless. Dip them into green sauce, ketchup or tahini; swaddle them in tortillas, pitas or hero rolls; or plop them on top of rice, refried beans, mashed sweet potatoes or sturdy salad greens.”
 
Ingredients
½ cup crushed buttery crackers, like Ritz
1 large egg
1½ teaspoons ground cumin
Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper
6 scallions, coarsely chopped
2 jalapeños (optional), seeded if desired, coarsely chopped
1 pound ground turkey
2 ounces chopped mozzarella, preferably fresh (about ½ cup)
 
Preparation
1.Heat the oven to 425 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. In a large bowl, stir together the cracker crumbs, egg, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper until a paste forms. Stir in the scallions and jalapeños, if using (reserve a little of each for garnish, if you like). Add the turkey and use your hands to mix until combined. Add the mozzarella and mix just until combined. The mixture will be loose and sticky.
2.Using wet hands, roll into 12 meatballs (3 tablespoons each) and place on the prepared sheet pan. Bake until cooked through and bottoms are golden, 13 to 17 minutes. Garnish with optional reserved scallions and jalapeños, if you like.
roasted_turkey_meatballs_with_mozzarella_and_scallions.pdf
File Size: 66 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File


​Skillet Ricotta Mini-Meatloaves
Mini Polpettoni con Ricotta
By Lidia Bastianich
 
Serves: 4
Active time: 25 minutes
Total time: 55 minutes
 
Ingredients
1/2 cup fine dry breadcrumbs
1/3 cup milk
1 large egg
3 scallions, including green parts, chopped
2 tablespoons, chopped fresh Italian
1 cup fresh ricotta
1/4 cup freshly grated Grana Padano or Pecorino
12 ounces ground beef
12 ounces ground pork
Kosher salt
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
All-purpose flour, for dredging
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
10 ounces white mushrooms, sliced
3 cups marinara sauce (homemade or store-bought)
2 sprigs fresh basil
 
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Put the bread crumbs, milk, egg, scallions, parsley, ricotta, and Grana Padano in a large bowl. Stir until smooth. Add the beef and pork, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and the nutmeg. Mix with your hands to combine and form into four 4-inch-long mini-meat loaves.
 
Spread some flour in a shallow bowl for dredging. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil. Dredge the meat loaves lightly in flour, and add to the skillet. Brown all over, about 5 minutes. Scatter the mushrooms between the meat loaves. Cook and stir until they begin to brown and wilt, about 5 minutes. Pour the marinara over the meat loaves, and add 1/2 cup water. Press the basil sprigs into the sauce.

Cover, and bake until it’s bubbling, about 15 minutes. Uncover, bake until the meat loaves are crusty and cooked through, about 15 minutes more, remove the basil sprigs, and serve.
skillet_ricotta_mini_meatloaves.pdf
File Size: 45 kb
File Type: pdf
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    A former teacher, shop-a-holic, empty-nester redefining quick, family approved dinners. 

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