Amazing Meatballs (healthy too)

2 Lbs of ground meat (any combination of Pork, Chicken or Turkey)
2 Eggs
1 Cup plain bread crumbs
1/2 cup diced red onion
1/2 cup Parmesan
1 tblsp fresh parsley
1 tblsp fresh basil
1 tsp oregano
2 tsp salt
2-4 cups tomato sauce (recipe below)
1 - 2 Hatch Chile peppers or other flavorful peppers to taste
1/2 red bell pepper

Tomato Sauce
1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
1 15 oz can of tomato sauce
6 roma tomatoes chopped or cherry tomatoes
4 cloves garlic minced
1/2 red onion diced
2 tsp oregano
1 tblsp fresh thyme
1 tblsp fresh basil
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4-1/2 fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup Dijon
3 tsp kosher or sea salt
1 tblsp crushed red pepper flakes or hatch chiles
1 tsp sugar


Meatballs

Combine all meatball ingredients in a bowl and mix well with hands.  Shape into 1' diameter meatballs.

In medium skillet, heat olive oil and place meatballs in. Brown all sides. Add enough tomato sauce to the pan that it covers half the meatballs.   Simmer on high for 15 minutes.

Remove from pan and place meatballs into an oven safe serving dish. Cover with tomato sauce and a slice of fresh mozzerella and back for 10-15 minutes at 350 until cheese is melted. Place fresh basil on top of each meatball and serve.

Tomato sauce: Heat olive oil. Once olive oil has a light haze add onions.  Sautee until translucent and add garlic and turn heat down.  Add chopped tomatoes.  Cook for about 5 minutes until water from tomatoes begin to evaporate.  Add crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce.  Continue to add the rest of the ingredients.  Cover and simmer for 30-45 minutes until the sauce has thickened.  Remove and let cool.

Stuffed Hatch Chiles

Hatch Chiles

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
2 Lbs of Italian Sausage ( I use chicken or turkey)
1/4 cup of minced red onion
1/4 cup of minced red bell pepper
3 Tbl spoons of minced Garlic
1 8 oz package of cream cheese (mascarpone is ok as well)
1/4 cup of parmesan
1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese shredded
salt and pepper


Directions
Preheat the oven to 350

Clean the Hatch Chiles (remove ribs and seeds).  Cut long ways in half. Place the Hatch chiles on a cookie sheet lined in foil and roast for 15 minutes.  Remove and let cool.  Turn on the Broiler.

Heat the oil in medium pan.  Add the sausage and cook for 10 minutes.  Add onions, red bell pepper and garlic.  Cook to soften for about 10 minutes.  Remove and place in large bowl.  cool to room temp.  Add the cream chees and parmesan.  Mix thoroughly and season with salt and pepper.

Fill each hatch chile with mixture.

Place on sheet tray and broil until slightly brown.

Pickled Cucumber

6 Cukes – Peeled and sliced.

Pour 1 T. salt over and let stand ½ hour.

Rinse salt off and drain after ½ hour.

Add 1 green pepper sliced and 1 cup onions sliced.

Mix together        1 ½ cup sugar,

                             1 cup white vinegar

                             1 T. celery seed

                             1 T. mustard seed

Mix well and pour over vegetables

Keeps three months in refrigerator.

Kim's Yummy Chile

2 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 16 oz can tomato sauce
1 lb lean ground beef
1 lb hot spicy ground pork
2 onions, chopped
4-5 cloves of garlic
1/2 lemon juiced
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 red or green bell pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno, chopped
4 beef bouillon cubes
2 cups water
1/2 cup chili powder
2 tbl spn cumin
2 tsp oregano
1 tbl spn basil
2 tsp sea salt
1 tbl spn black pepper
1 tsp white pepper
16 oz beans cleaned and soaked over night or according to directions.
I used black eyed peas for New Years chile.  Also pinto or black beans.


Saute the pork and beef in nonstick skillet until brown.  Transfer to a large stockpot.

Add onion, garlic, bell pepper and jalapeno to skillet and saute until the onions are slightly translucent.  Add to stock pot.

Add tomatoes and tomato sauce, bouillon cubes and 2 cups of water to the stock pot.

Mix together the spices in a bowl then add water to create a thin paste. Add to stock pot.

Drain and rinse the beans.  Add to the chili.

Simmer for 3-4 hours.

Serve with Fritos, scallions, cheddar cheese and sour cream

Slow-Cooked BBQ Pork Shoulder

Ingredients

Dry Rub:

2 Tbsp. kosher salt
1 Tbsp. fresh ground black pepper
1/4 Cup garlic powder
2 Tbsp. celery seed
1/4 cup paprika
2 Tbsp. cumin
2 Tbsp. coriander
1 Tbsp ginger

3-5 lbs pork shoulder roast (I prefer bone in)
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 head of garlic, split through the equator
2 bay leafs
1 medium onion sliced
1 fresh jalapeno chopped
1/4 cup of brown sugar
1/4 cup Dijon
1 quart unsweetened apple juice
1 quart low-sodium chicken stock

Directions:

To make dry rub:

Combine ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix well.

To make pork shoulder:

Rub pork shoulder all over with dry rub marinate over night wrap with plastic wrap.  In the base of the slow cooker, layer with onions.  Place the pork in the slow cooker and add garlic, bay leaf, thyme, jalapeno and Dijon. Pour the apple juice and chicken stock in over the pork. Set the slow cooker on low for 6 -8 hours until the pork is falling apart.