We are right in the middle of Greek Carnival Season known as Apokries. Greek street foods are, of course, a big part of the celebrations. So this week I wanted to feature one of my favorite Greek appetizers, Kolokithokeftedes. Ok, that may seem Greek to you, but really, they are just delicious deep fried zucchini balls paired here with a fantastic dipping sauce, and pronouncing the word correctly is not part of the recipe, so don’t worry about a thing! (For the record, it’s pronounced Kolo-Keetho- Kef-ted-es.) You’ll love the crunch and the fabulous flavor combination of zucchini, cheese, onion, garlic and a hint of white truffle oil, made even more delicious by dipping them in a zesty red sauce. There’s only one more thing to say about this delightful Mediterranean treat, “Nostimótatos!” ( Delicious!)
breadcrumbs
Cheesy French Onion Meatballs
Here is a One Skillet Wonder that is so delicious, so savory, so cheesy, and so satisfying that it’s become one of my favorite family meals, and I hope it becomes the same for you! Here, the Italian meatball is smothered in a classic French onion soup gravy, and the result is nothing short of delicioso and magnifique!
Cheesy French Onion Meatballs
Man Cave Meatballs
Dad deserves a delicious dish for Father’s Day, and this one is hearty enough for a Man Cave meal, and elegant enough for a gourmet dinner! Who doesn’t love a giant juicy meatball surrounded by melted cheesey deliciousness hiding inside a delicate puff pastry? They are so easy to prepare, and it all starts with puff pastry sheets. The only tricky thing about this recipe is to remember to buy the puff pastry sheets (they will be frozen) and let them thaw out in the refrigerator overnight. (Never thaw the puff pastry sheets on the counter at room temperature. You’ll end up with a doughy mess!)
Other than that, it’s a breeze! I love meatballs that have an equal amount of beef and pork or pork Italian sausage, although I’ve made these with turkey meatballs and they’re just as delicious!
The original recipe calls for adding raw onion and garlic to the meatball mixture, but I always sauté the onion and garlic first, then let it cool down before adding it to the mixture. By doing that, you’ll get a richer, sweeter flavor out of the meatballs!
Happy Father’s Day, Dads! Let’s hope meatballs are on your Father’s Day menu!
Watch my How To Video for Meatballs in Puff Pastry here!
Cheesy Mega-Meatballs in Puff Pastry
Ikea Swedish Meatballs
They’re as popular…maybe even more so, than their home furnishings!
Ikea’s Swedish Meatballs are Iconic! And, since the Euro furniture store posted the recipe on Twitter about a month ago, the internet has been obsessing over it.
Ikea released the recipe during the novel corona virus pandemic because, according to food a manager of IKEA U.K., “We know that some people might be missing our meatballs, which is why we’ve released an at-home alternative.”
So now you can get your meatball fix anytime you like! The meatball recipe is pretty simple. It’s very similar to an Italian meatball. The cream sauce (or gravy) is a breeze, too, although I was surprised that it included two ingredients I would not have expected; Dijon mustard and soy sauce (which accounts for its silky golden brown color.) As the directions point out, you’ll want to chill the meatballs in the refrigerator for a couple of hours before browning them in a skillet so they won’t fall apart. Yes, they’re that delicate!
So while you’re waiting for your favorite flat pack furniture store to open back up again, you can have a little taste of IKEA for dinner tonight!
Watch my How to Video HERE!
