February 17, 2023 at 2:02 p.m.
Let's break outta the funk
These late winter blues aren’t uncommon when it comes to the kitchen and creativity, but I’m going to try to break out of that with some new dinner recipes this week that are new to me, but still simple and good enough that you’ll want to make them!
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There’s not much better comfort food than a meatball sub at home! We’ll make the meatballs from scratch, but use marinara from the jar to keep this pretty simple! And if you really want to keep this simple, you can skip the homemade meatballs and get a bag from the grocery store!
MEATBALL SUBS
MEATBALLS
1 c. breadcrumbs
1 c. freshly grated parmesan cheese
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c. flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 c. milk
2 large eggs
1 lb. ground beef (80/20)
1 lb. ground pork
1/4 c. olive oil
FOR THE SUBS
4 c. marinara sauce
6 hoagie rolls, about 8-inches long
1 tbsp. olive oil
24 meatballs
6 slices provolone cheese, halved
1/3 c. parmesan cheese
1/4 c. chopped parsley
For the meatballs: Mix together the breadcrumbs, parmesan, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Stir in milk and eggs until mixture is a loose, paste-like consistency.
Add beef and pork. Using your hand like a claw in a twisting motion, gently combine the meat with the breadcrumb mixture until well combined.
Divide the meat mixture into 2 ounce portions and gently shape into balls about 2 inches wide. (If the mixture is sticking to your hands, lightly grease your hands with olive oil to prevent sticking.)
Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat; add the olive oil. Working in batches of 6 to 8, brown the meatballs on all sides, about 1 minute per side, turning each meatball about 4 times. Remove from the heat and drain the grease from the pot.
Return the Dutch oven to low heat and add the marinara sauce.
Nestle the meatballs into the pasta sauce without stirring. Cover and cook 30 minutes.
Gently stir the meatballs, making sure each one is coated in sauce. Cover and cook 15 minutes more, or until the meatballs reach an internal temperature of 165°.
For the sandwiches: Preheat oven to broil.
Slices the hoagies rolls lengthwise, through the center of the rolls. Hollow out about 1 inch of the inside of the bread, from the bottom of the rolls.
Brush the insides of the bread with the olive oil and place, cut-side up, on a rimmed baking sheet. Broil until the bread is toasted, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the top halves of the hoagie rolls from the baking sheet and set aside.
Add 4 meatballs to each of the bottom halves of the rolls; top with 2 pieces of provolone cheese. Broil until the cheese is melted and browned, 1 to 2 minutes.
Add more sauce to each sandwich if desired. Sprinkle each sub with parmesan cheese and parsley. Top with the remaining hoagie roll half. Serve immediately.
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BOURBON CHICKEN
2 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 c. vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbsp. grated fresh ginger
1 c. + 1 tbsp. chicken stock, divided
1/2 c. apple juice
1/4 c. bourbon
1/2 c. soy sauce
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch
White rice, for serving
1 tbsp. toasted sesame seeds
2 scallions, thinly sliced
Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Toss the chicken with the salt, pepper, and cornstarch in a large bowl until coated.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Add half of the chicken in a single layer and cook, turning, until well browned, crispy and cooked through, about 6 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the chicken to a plate. Repeat with the remaining chicken and transfer to the same plate.
Return the skillet to medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger to the skillet and cook for about 1 minute. Add the 1 cup of chicken stock, apple juice, bourbon, soy sauce, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar and crushed red chili flakes. Whisk until combined. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, then cook until reduced by about half.
Whisk together the remaining 1 tablespoon of chicken stock and the cornstarch in a small bowl. Add to the skillet and whisk well to combine. Bring to a boil, then let simmer for 1 minute to thicken. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook for 1 to 2 more minutes to warm through and coat with the sauce.
Serve over white rice, topped with sesame seeds and scallions.
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Chicken tenders are always a hit, and if you can make them a titch bit healthier, why not?
AIR FRYER
CHICKEN TENDERS
2 lb. chicken tenders
1 c. buttermilk
1 1/2 tsp. seasoned salt, divided
3/4 tsp. black pepper, divided
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
2 eggs
2 c. panko style breadcrumbs
1/2 c. freshly grated parmesan cheese (or 1/4 cup pre-grated parmesan cheese)
Cooking spray, such as Pam Olive Oil
Honey mustard, BBQ sauce, and/or ranch dressing, for serving
In a zip-top plastic bag, combine the chicken tenders, buttermilk, 1 teaspoon of seasoned salt and ½ teaspoon of black pepper. Seal and massage the buttermilk mixture into the tenders. Let marinate for 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours, in the refrigerator.
Meanwhile, place the flour on a small plate. In a wide shallow bowl, whisk together the two eggs. In another wide, shallow bowl, combine the panko, parmesan cheese, remaining 1/2 teaspoon of seasoned salt and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper.
Using tongs, remove the chicken from the buttermilk marinade (reserve the marinade) and place the chicken in a single layer on a paper-towel lined plate. Pour the remaining buttermilk marinade into the bowl with the eggs and whisk to combine.
Working 2-3 tenders at a time, dredge all over in the flour, dip in the egg mixture to coat completely, then dredge to coat completely in the breadcrumb mixture. Repeat until all of the tenders are breaded. Spray all over both sides of each tender with cooking spray (olive oil spray gives great flavor!)
Working in two batches, place the tenders in a single layer, with about ½-inch of space between them. Cook in the air fryer set at 380°F for 8 minutes. Then flip and continue to cook for 4-6 minutes longer, until the internal temperature of the chicken reads 165 degrees. Repeat with the second batch of tenders. Serve immediately alongside dipping sauces such as honey mustard, BBQ sauce, and/or ranch dressing.
TFD: Believe you can and you’re halfway there.
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