Next week we’ll be celebrating Ireland’s patron saint by the wearing of the green, the drinking of the green beer and in this case, the eating of the green! I wonder if St. Patrick would love this incredible spinach dip which is, in itself, a celebration of flavors! This recipe, with its ring of bread rolls around the edges and a yummy dip in the middle is made easy by buying frozen dinner rolls rather than making the bread from scratch. Once baked, the bread easily pulls part to be dipped and dunked into a delectable blend of spinach, cheeses and spices. No Irish luck needed here. Just a straight -forward recipe that will most certainly get your St. Patty’s Day Irish on!
sweet yellow onion, chopped fine
Cinnamon Laced Beef Chili
This week the word is Brrrrr! That means it’s time to pull out your favorite chili recipe, grab a Dutch oven and get cookin! This yummy dish makes the cold weather almost welcome, and there isn’t a finer bowl of winter comfort food than homemade chili! This particular recipe has a fabulous twist—cinnamon sticks, which adds a subtle earthiness to the dish.(You’ll find many award-winning chili recipes have added cinnamon to the mix!) I’ve partnered with La Mesa RV to travel our great state, looking for fun adventures and cooking delicious dishes in all sorts of RV’s, and this week, it was time for a hot bowl of spicy beef and chiles! Grab a bowl full and devour!
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
Lasagne Soup
Allow me to introduce you to my new favorite dish! If you love lasagna, you’re going to absolutely be giddy over making this simple soup that tastes exactly like lasagne! I can’t stop making it for friends and family, and I sort of get a kick out of watching them come back for seconds….and thirds…and then holding their tummy because they’ve eaten too much! Be prepared for the same reaction! This Lasagne Soup is just scrumptious! I often hear that folks love lasagne but only order it in restaurants because it’s rather tedious to assemble. With Lasagne Soup, it’s a One Pot Wonder of deliciousness without the stress. In fact, you don’t even cook the lasagne noodles ahead of time. You simply throw the raw noodles into the soup! It’s just as delicious whether you use turkey, beef, Italian pork sausage or a combination of all three! One of the things that really makes it taste like lasagna is the ricotta mixture that you dollop on top of the soup when you plate it! If you like Italian cuisine, if you like easy, if you like to please people with a hearty dish that they will adore, then I hope you make Lasagne Soup soon!
Watch my How To Video for Lasagne Soup here!
