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A Comfort Food Concoction

March 28, 2018Dinner ideas, Family, Healthy & Delicious, Recipes, Shop Local, Simple & easy, UncategorizedLeave a Comment

Most Saturday mornings, the boys and I venture out to our neighborhood H-E-B for my weekly grocery run. Oftentimes, Liam is still in his pajamas and the boys enjoy breakfast in the shopping cart as I peruse the aisles stocking up on the essentials and the more wildcard items that end up on my weekend menu. The two of them indulge in fresh donuts with sprinkles or flaky blueberry muffins sprinkled with sugar. The trip probably takes longer than it should as I pause at almost every aisle to break off a piece of the muffin and hand it to Atticus. There are a lot of, “Oooo’s and mmmmm’s!” Two of Atticus’s most favorite phrases when enjoying good food. The easy exchange and back and forth banter between the three of us, makes the weekly grocery trip something I look forward to. The ease and simplicity of it makes grocery shopping seem like anything but a chore.

This particular weekend, I was inspired by a sale on sausage at H-E-B. At two for $5, I added a pound of Italian and sage sausage to my cart. As I continued to shop, I happened upon their frozen Central Market demi baguettes. I usually like to keep these on hand for when I need them in a pinch to accompany a fresh pasta dish or pot of soup. This weekend, however, they became the brainchild for dinner. I consulted Pinterest for some ideas and found the perfect recipe for all of the ingredients I had on hand. With the help of yellowblissroad.com, I adapted the homemade Italian sausage meatballs to create a comfort food concoction that proved to be an ideal marriage of savory, spicy, and flavorful in each and every bite.

So without further ado, I present to you marina meatball subs paired with Italian roasted potatoes. Buon appetito!

MEATBALL SUBS

Ingredients:

1 pound Italian sausage
1/2 sweet yellow onion, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 Italian style bread crumbs
1 egg

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet and spray with non-stick cooking spray.

In a skillet on medium high heat, sauté the onions until translucent. Then add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Set aside and allow to cool.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the sausage, breadcrumbs, egg, Parmesan cheese, and onions. Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty as you mix all of the ingredients together. Be mindful that over mixing can lead to tough meatballs.

Divide the meat mixture into 24 equal sized meatballs and place on the foil lined baking sheet.

Bake for about 20 minutes. A good indicator that they are ready is when they no longer look pink.

I made these on a Sunday afternoon and then added them to a pot with jarred tomato and basil to reheat them for dinner. I used demi baguettes as the base for my meatballs subs, but ciabatta bread would also be a great option. Spoon the meatballs and sauce onto your bread and top with grated mozzarella cheese.

ITALIAN ROASTED POTATOES

Baby potatoes would be better suited for this dish, but I already had fresh Russet potatoes on hand so I opted for those instead. I sliced them all about the same size so that they would could more evenly. If you used baby potatoes, it would be best to cut them in half. This recipe was adapted from rasamalaysia.com.

Ingredients:

1 pound potatoes, cut evenly
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
sea salt to taste
2 to 3 dashes of paprika depending on your preference for heat
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Clean and rinse the potatoes before cutting.

In a cast iron skillet, heat the olive oil on medium high heat. Add the potatoes and cook until the potatoes begin to get crispy. Continue stirring to allow them to brown. Push the potatoes to one side and sauté the garlic. Then add the Italian seasoning, salt, and paprika. Combine well. Turn off the burner and sprinkle the grated cheese atop the potatoes. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast for 15 to 20 minutes. Add the butter cubes to the top of the dish upon removal from the oven and allow the butter to melt into the crevices. Serve immediately for the best flavor outcome!

Friday Night Bites

October 14, 2017Baby Bears & Little Bears, Family, Happiness, Mama Bears, Papa Bear, Shop Local, Special People, Uncategorized, VegetarianLeave a Comment

Tonight we enjoyed a family outing in the neighborhood at Friday Night Bites. Local food trucks, live music, and some great fare provided all the entertainment we needed for an enjoyable evening together.

With an assortment of vendors, choosing the perfect dinner proved to be a difficult task. After some window shopping, we decided on Falacos- a food truck specializing in vegan, gluten free taco balls.

According to their website, falacos are: “Absolutely freakinly delicious falafel balls fried in peanut oil, set on a corn tortilla with an original hummus creation, fresh veggies, and sauces that will blow your mind. Falafel + Taco = Falacos”

After much deliberation, we decided on kimchichi fries. This dish served up a dose of spicy, sweet, salty, and sour with agave pecan hummus, green apple slices, spicy chili sauce atop fried falafels. This delicacy is then topped with sweet hoisin sauce, scallions, and kimchi. All of this deliciousness rested on a bed of perfectly cut french fries. We also enjoyed their Friday the 13th combo: Amazeballs served with hummus and fresh vegetables. Let me just say they absolutely lived up to their name! Quinoa balls topped with fresh hummus, mango chutney, banana peppers, and smoked paprika. So many beautiful flavors in every bite!

We found a shady spot in the grass, laid out a giant beach towel, and plopped down for a picnic. Between bites, Liam enjoyed running around the open field we were sitting in. He ran into one of his classmates and enjoyed playing with her for a bit too.

We closed out the night with N’awlins Sneaux Bawls. Sean surprised us with their three most popular items: Squashed Bullfrog, Dreamsicle, and Bayou Blue. Each sno cone rested on a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The syrup melted into the ice cream creating a beautiful marriage of sweet flavors.

Friday Night Bites offers family fun and great food every 2nd Friday of the month in the Lakeland Village Activity Center. It truly made for the perfect ending to a great work week and was an ideal way to kick off our weekend! If you live in the Cypress area, I highly recommend making a trip out next month.

A Mama and her Bears

October 9, 2017Baby Bears & Little Bears, Dinner ideas, Family, Happiness, Mama Bears, Recipes, Shop Local, Special People, Uncategorized, VegetarianLeave a Comment

This weekend we were one bear short at the den with Papa Bear away on a fishing trip. The neighborhood offered a wealth of opportunities to keep the boys and I happily entertained.

We started off our morning with breakfast at the playground. Sunday mornings are always a little better when you indulge in a blueberry scone paired with coffee. Climbing, crawling, and an unexpected surprise (a hot air balloon floating through the sky) set the tone for a wonderful day.

After lunch, we ventured out to the neighborhood Farmers Market. A few key finds included savory beef samosas, spicy habanero pickles, and homemade popsicles for the boys and me. Liam wore more than half of the red berry rhubarb on his chin and tee shirt. A sure sign he thoroughly enjoyed it. Atticus and I shared a tangy lime cucumber, and I think the photo evidence supports that he more than loved his first popsicle.

For homework, Liam had to complete a university pennant. I discussed the importance of college and showed him a video for each of his parents’ alma maters: Ball State (Sean), Indiana University (Anne), and Texas A&M/The University of Texas (Me). Because I went to two universities, I felt it was important for him to understand that transferring is always a viable option too. As we watched the videos together, I pointed out various features of each school but maintained absolute neutrality. I wanted Liam to decide which university he liked most. When it was all said and done, he decided he liked A&M the most because of Reveille, the Corps of Cadets, and the spirit of Aggieland. Proud of his artistic efforts, he posed with his pennant and made sure to throw in a “Gig ’em, Aggies” for good measure.

With Halloween around the corner, Liam is counting down the days until he can don his Darth Vader costume and venture out for trick or treating. This afternoon he created a Spiderman pumpkin to add to our growing collection.

After a fun filled day of indoor and outdoor activities, I opted for a simple yet delicious dinner of fideo. This classic dish is savory, spicy, and always takes me back to my childhood. It’s also quick, easy, and a great vegetarian option. I usually serve it with warm tortillas but because I was out, I opted for a side of tortilla chips and fresh avocado.

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 box of Vermecelli
1 medium sweet onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
15 ounces chicken broth
1/2 cup water
salt & pepper to taste
1 packet of Sazon Goya cilantro and tomato seasoning
1 to 3 tablespoons chili powder (more or less depending on how much kick you like)

DIRECTIONS:

Sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil on medium heat until fragrant. Add the Vermecelli and sauté until brown. Then add the broth, water, salt, pepper, seasoning packet, and chili powder. Cover and let simmer for 15 minutes.

Serve with fresh tortillas or tortilla chips and fresh avocado.

September 20, 2017Dinner ideas, Shop LocalLeave a Comment

Farmers Market Finds

Every month the Bridgeland hosts a local Farmers Market with fresh finds. Last Sunday, Sean, Atticus, and I ventured out on a beautiful sunny afternoon to see what the local vendors were showcasing. We enjoyed some samples and purchased some of our favorites.

Backyard Bounty Farms: Made and jarred in Conroe, Texas by “The Pickle Man”, he shared that habanero peppers were the secret to his perfect pickles. They definitely brought the heat but also kept you wanting more.
Nisha’s Quick N Ezee Indian Food: Savory and spicy beef samosas topped with a cilantro peanut chutney were absolute perfection. Both freeze well and make an easy dinner option reheated in the oven. At previous visits to the farmers market, we’ve enjoyed their lamb samosas along with a sweet mango chutney and raita (an Indian yogurt and cucumber sauce).
BZ Honey: I sampled their orange blossom honey, which was heaven on a spoon. We walked away with a local raw honey ideal for drizzling over fresh fruit or added to a steeping hot cup of jasmine tea. An added bonus is that local honey is ideal for Sean and Liam’s allergies.

tea

Monogram Markets

Based out of her home, Laura offers quality monogramming in the Cypress area. Liam loved the lime green lettering that brightened up his dinosaur backpack. Atticus was intrigued by his name stitched across his lion backpack. I was incredibly pleased with both the finished product and the pricing. I will definitely continue using Mongram Markets in the future.

For product information, call Laura at 281-960-5047.

backpack

Fancy & Fabulous Creations

Jamee created these adorable onesies for Atticus. I found the onesies at H&M, pre washed them, and sent them her way. Then she worked her magic with screen printing perfection. Her designs are durable (a necessity for a crawling infant), hold up in the wash, and couldn’t be cuter on my little baby bear. She designs tees, coffee tumblers, and so much more. For your next family vacation or a unique gift idea, Fancy & Fabulous Creations delivers quality products that don’t disappoint!

For product information, email Jamee at Fancyandfabulouscreations@yahoo.com.

Shopping local allows us the opportunity to support our local economy and give back to those who live and work in our communities. The craftsmanship, quality products, and personal customer service, make shopping local such a joy! Consider doing your part to support your local economy.