Chicken Meatballs with Tomato-Balsamic Glaze

Since I stopped being a vegetarian, I've started a love affair with meatballs (save the jokes). And like with most love affairs, things get stale after a while if you don't spice things up a little. Maybe that's the wrong expression to use (because these aren't at all spicy). But you know what I mean...mix it up a little. These did the trick. Because of the glaze, they're kind of like little mini meatloaves (then again, I guess all meatballs sort of are).

  CHICKEN MEATBALLS WITH TOMATO-BALSAMIC GLAZE

Makes 14 meatballs

Meatballs:

1 egg
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound ground chicken (preferably not all breast meat)
1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Italian seasoned bread crumbs

Tomato-Balsamic Glaze:

2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar

1.      Preheat oven to 325º F.

2.      In a large bowl, combine egg, parsley, tomato paste, garlic, milk, salt and pepper. Mix well with a wire whisk, making sure the tomato paste is completely dissolved.

3.      Add ground chicken, grated cheese and breadcrumbs. Use your hand to mix ingredients together. Mixture will be somewhat wet. Form medium size balls (an ice cream scooper with wire scraper works well) and place onto ungreased baking sheet or very large baking dish.

4.      Make the glaze by combining all the ingredients in a small bowl, then brush over meatballs (if you don't have a brush, just use a spoon). Bake for about 30 minutes, or until an instant read thermometer inserted into the center of a meatball registers 160º F. Remove from oven and serve.

barely adapted from onceuponachef.com

egg, parsley, tomato paste, garlic, milk, salt & pepper

adding chicken, bread crumbs & cheese

mixed

scooping

raw chicken meatballs

tomato paste, olive oil, balsamic vinegar & sugar

glaze mixed

I doubled the glaze from the original recipe - I like mine
extra glazy (which should really stand for good & lazy,
but in this just, just means with lots of glaze).

glazing meatball

glazed

baked

chicken meatballs with tomato-balsamic glaze

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French Onion Bites

If you ever wished you could eat a bowl of onion soup with your hands (without the pesky broth and second degree burns), then these French onion bites are for you. I suppose I made them a little less onion soupy by switching the bread in the recipe to little filo cups, so if you want the full experience, don't do that. But they were just so cute (and just so there in my freezer, which I cannot say for a freshly baked baguette).

FRENCH ONION BITES

Makes 36 hors d'oeuvres

1 baguette, sliced 1/4-inch thick (36 slices)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 large onions, chopped (about 4 cups)

1 garlic clove, lightly crushed

1 small bay leaf

1 sprig fresh thyme

1/4 cup white wine

1 1/2 cups finely shredded Gruyere (using a microplane, about 3 oz.)

___________________________________________________________________________

1.      Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle.

2.      Arrange slices on a large baking sheet and bake in oven until golden, about 8 minutes. Let cool.

3.      Meanwhile, heat butter and oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until butter is melted, then cook onion, garlic, bay leaf, and thyme with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, covered, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes.

4.      Uncover skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden, about 10 to 15 minutes more. Add wine and cook until entirely evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Discard garlic clove, bay leaf, and thyme. Transfer to a small bowl and keep warm, covered.

5.      Preheat broiler.

6.      Arrange toasts on a large baking sheet, then top each with a rounded teaspoon of caramelized onions and sprinkle generously with shredded Gruyere. Broil 3- to 4-inches from heat until cheese is melted, 1 to 2 minutes (watch carefully).

Cooks' Notes:

•Onions can be caramelized 1 week ahead and kept chilled.

•Bread slices can be toasted and cheese shredded 3 days ahead. Keep toasts in an airtight container at room temperature and keep cheese chilled.

from Gourmet Live by Maggie Ruggiero

raw onions with garlic, thyme, salt and pepper
(I added the bay leaf right after I took this photo)

adding white wine to the caramelized onions

garlic, thyme and bay leaf removed

filo cups

I used frozen Athens Mini Fillo Shells.

filling with onions

topped with cheese

ready to bake

french onion bites

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Roasted Garlic Bacon Dip

Sometimes you make a recipe and it surprises you. Then there are other times when you end up with exactly what you expected. This was one of those times. I expected lots of luscious mellow roasted garlic flavor melded with salty, smoky bacon and a hint of pungence from the chives and scallions - all enveloped in a blend of creamy mayo and sour cream. And that's exactly what I got. Loved it!

ROASTED GARLIC BACON DIP

Yield: 2 ½ cups

3 heads garlic, left whole and unpeeled

6 slices bacon

1 1/2 cups sour cream

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup chopped chives

1/4 cup chopped scallions

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1.      Heat oven to 400º F.

2.      Cut just enough off the tops of the garlic heads to expose the cloves. Rub each head with olive oil and wrap in foil (or place in a ramekin and cover with foil). Roast until tender and golden, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

3.      While the garlic roasts, lay the bacon strips on a sheet pan and bake at the same temp. for 15 to 20 minutes, or until bacon is very crispy. Blot on paper towels. Once cooled, finely chop.

4.      Once the garlic is cool enough to hold, squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins.

5.      Combine roasted garlic and bacon with the remaining ingredients and season to taste.

barely adapted from gourmetsunday.blogspot.com

roasted garlic

crispy bacon

all ingredients

roasted garlic bacon dip

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