North African Meatballs

I was mulling around the internet last night trying to find something to make for dinner, and came across these little guys. I can't commit to the authenticity of them--whether or not they are eaten in Northern Africa--but I can commit to their deliciousness. The herbs in the meatballs themselves, and also in the sauce, blend together fantastically. Dickson ate a second helping, and then ate some of the leftovers before he went to bed that night. They were that good.

For the North African Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 small onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 lemon, zested
• 1/2 cup white wine (**I used chicken broth**)
• 1/4 cup chicken stock or broth
• 1 (14-ounce) can crushed or diced tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
• Pinch ground cinnamon
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Meatballs:

• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Pinch ground cinnamon
• 3/4 pound ground beef
• 1/3 cup finely ground rolled oats or fine bread crumbs
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 to 4 tablespoons vegetable oil, for cooking
• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

To make the North African Sauce:

In a large saucepan heat the olive oil over medium heat and saute the onion and garlic until soft but not brown, about 3 minutes. Add the lemon zest and olives and cook for 1 more minute. Add the white wine, deglaze the pan, and let it reduce for a 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the stock, canned tomatoes, sugar, red pepper flakes, and cinnamon, and simmer to blend flavors, about 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

To make the Meatballs:
In a medium bowl, add the egg and tomato paste and stir until smooth. Add the cilantro, ginger, cumin, and cinnamon and mix until well blended. Stir in the ground beef and oats, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and combine gently after each addition. Do not overmix. Rolling with your hands, make about 32 meatballs, about 1-inch in diameter.

In a large saute pan, heat 3 tablespoons vegetable oil over medium heat, and brown the meatballs in batches until golden on all sides. Add more oil, as needed. Transfer the meatballs to the pan with the sauce and let simmer for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve over rice.

(Source: slightly adapted from Food Network; http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/melissa-darabian/north-african-meatballs-recipe/index.html)

Quick & Easy Noodle Stirfry

1 12-oz. package linguine (whole wheat or regular)
1-2 tablespoons canola or peanut oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Asian sweet red chili sauce (not the chili sauce you find near the ketchup)
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
1 small red onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced or pressed
1 large orange, red, and/or yellow bell peppers, seeded and sliced
1 cup fresh or frozen green sugar snap peas, snow peas, edamame, or green beans (I used broccoli, onion, and celery, and it came out great!)
1 medium zucchini, julienned or chopped

* Optional: Grilled chicken, shrimp, or steak, black sesame seeds, chopped cilantro, and lime wedges

** Note: I like ALL of my noodles to be coated in the sauce, without having to wish I should have made it more saucy, so to be on the safe side, I used 1.5 times what the recipe calls for on all of the sauce ingredients, and in my opinion, it came out perfectly. However, the quantities above show as they were listed in the original recipe. **

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When it is boiling, add the noodles and cook al dente. When the noodles are done, drain them and toss in 2-3 teaspoons of olive oil.

Whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, sweet chili sauce, and dark sesame oil. Set aside.

While the noodles are cooking, heat a large skillet over high heat. When the oil is hot, add the sliced onions, garlic, and ginger. Stir fry 1-2 minutes or until fragrant, but the garlic isn’t burning. Add the peas (or beans or edamame) and stir fry for about 30 seconds. Add the zucchini and peppers and stir fry for another 30 seconds or until the veggies are crisp-tender. Add the noodles and stir fry until the noodles are well-combined with the vegetables. Give the sauce a quick whisk and then drizzle it evenly over the noodles and stir fry the entire mixture for about 30-60 seconds or until everything is well-coated in the sauce.

Serve immediately–if you want, you can garnish individual servings with chopped cilantro, lime wedges, and black sesame seeds. Serves 6-8.

(Source: Our Best Bites: http://www.ourbestbites.com/2011/09/quick-easy-noodle-stir-fry/)

Waffles with Fresh Strawberry Syrup

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 large eggs, separated
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 cups whole milk
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Nonstick cooking spray, optional
• Strawberry Syrup, recipe follows

Preheat a waffle iron according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Into a medium bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a separate bowl, beat together the egg yolks and sugar until the sugar is completely dissolved and eggs have turned a pale yellow. Add the milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract and whisk to combine. Add the flour mixture to the egg-milk mixture and whisk just until blended. Do not overmix.

In a third bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks form, about 1 minute.Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the waffle batter, being careful not to overmix.

Coat the waffle iron with nonstick cooking spray, if required, and pour enough batter in the iron to just cover the waffle grid. Close and cook as per the manufacturer's instructions until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve immediately with Strawberry Syrup spooned over the top of each waffle.

Fresh Strawbery Syrup

• 1 pound fresh strawberries, hulled and diced, or thawed frozen unsweetened strawberries (about 3 cups)
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest

In a medium saucepan, combine all the ingredients and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the strawberries are soft and the syrup is thickened and reduced by one-third to one-half in volume, 15 to 18 minutes.

Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature before serving. (If thinner syrup is desired, strain the hot syrup through a fine mesh strainer into a clean container and let cool.)

(Source: Food Network--Emeril Lagasse: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/waffles-with-fresh-strawberry-syrup-recipe/index.html)

Strawberry Cream Angel Food Cake

I had A LOT of strawberries, and I wanted to do something different with them. This twist on traditional strawberry shortcake was just what I needed. It was delicious, and I got many compliments from my family on it!

• 1 plain angel food cake, baked and cooled
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 (12 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract, plus 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 1/2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
• Whole strawberries, stems removed, as garnish

Using a serrated cake or bread knife, carefully cut the top 1-inch from the cake. Carefully remove and set aside. Using the tip of the knife, cut into the cake along the inner and outer edges, leaving a 1-inch border of cake intact. Using your fingers, carefully hollow out the cake between the two cuts, leaving an empty "tunnel". Tear the removed cake into bite-size pieces and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add the sweetened condesned milk and beat until thoroughly combined. Stir in lemon juice and 2 teaspoons of the liqueur. Gently fold in the cake pieces and strawberries. Spoon the mixture into the tunnel in the center of the hollowed out cake, and cover with the reserved cake top. Cover cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.

When ready to serve the cake, whip the cream until it begins to form peaks Add the confectioners' sugar and remaining 2 teaspoons of liqueur. Whip until the cream forms stiff peaks but is not dry. Frost the cake with the whipped cream and decorate with reserved whole strawberries. Refrigerate for up to 1 hour, or serve immediately.

(Source: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/strawberry-cream-angel-food-cake-recipe/index.html)