Meatballs in Creamy Tomato Sauce with Rice

Meatballs in Creamy Tomato Sauce with Rice

 It's wonderful to have time to cook a nice homemade meal.

My past week was hectic, with a major exam that left my room filled with unwashed dishes 

and stacks of pizza boxes. I hope most university students can relate. Anyways,

I would like to finally share a very comforting dinner. When I was younger,

my mother would make these delicious meatballs in tomato sauce with rice.

It was one of my favorite dinners and I always asked when will be the next time my mom cooks it.

 

Ingredients- 

*This recipe makes approx. 9 meatballs, for 3-4 Servings

1. 500g Ground Beef/Pork Mix (less than 30% fat)

2. 200g White Long Grain Rice

3. 1 Can Whole Tomatoes

4. 100ml 12% Sour Cream

5. 1 Egg

6. 1 Onion

7. 1/2 Head of Garlic

8. Salt

9. Pepper

10. Oregano

11. Basil

12. Dried Parsley 

13. Paprika

14. Cayenne Pepper

15. Dried Mustard

16. Dried Garlic

17. Bread Crumbs

18. Plain White Flour

19. 1 Bay Leaf

20. ~400ml Water

21. Vegetable Oil

 

Instructions-

1. Place meat in mixing bowl and break it up with a spoon/fork. 
2. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and pepper each and add 3/4 teaspoon of each dried herb. 
3. Add about 5 tablespoons of bread crumbs. Mix meat well with hands.
4. Add 1 egg and mix once again with hands until all ingredients combine.
5. Divide meat into about 8 equal parts. 
6. Take one section of divided meat and form meatballs with hands. Repeat until all meatballs are made.
7. Place finished meatballs on surface covered with some white flour. Cover each meatball evenly with flour.
8. Preheat skillet with a thick layer of vegetable oil.
9. Place one meatball at a time, gently, on hot oil. Lower heat to medium and sear meatballs on all sides.
10. In the meantime, add 1 can of whole tomatoes into large sauce pot. Cook and stir on low heat.
11. When meatballs are finished, set aside. Finely chop 1 large onion and add to the same hot pan. Add salt.
12. Cook onions on low-medium heat, stirring frequently. When almost ready, add smashed and diced garlic.
13. Transfer cooked onion and garlic to the tomato sauce. Stir and simmer for about ten minutes.
14. Remove from heat and blend tomato sauce to form thick consistency, you may add some water here.
15. Simmer tomato sauce once again, stirring occasionally. Add seared meatballs. 
16. Add enough water until meatballs are almost fully covered. 
17. Add a pinch of oregano, basil, dried garlic, and dried parsley to the sauce. Also add 1 bay leaf. 
18. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes. In the meantime, cook rice. 
19. When rice is cooked, the sauce should be perfect. Remove from heat and wait about five minutes.
20. Add about 100ml of sour cream and mix quickly. Check flavor, add salt and pepper to taste.
21. Fluff rice and shape with help of a small round container. Serve with meatball sauce. Add parsley. 

ENJOY :)

Sausage Bean Soup

Pork Sausage Red Bean Soup

Today, I would like to share with everyone a soup that is usually 

prepared during the cold winter months, 

however, it tastes just as great all year round.

This is one of my favorite soups, ever since I was little.

A great tip for this soup, like for most others,is to cook it

one day before serving. When the soup settles in the fridge ovrenight,

 the flavors unite and the reheated soup is even more delicious.

 

Ingredients-

1. 1 Large Pork Sausage 

2. 3 Medium-Small Carrots

3. 1 Medium-Large Parsley Root

4. 1 Large Onion

5. 1 Red Bell Pepper

6. 1 Can of Red Kidney Beans

7. 5 Teaspoons of Tomato Paste

8. 2 Teaspoons of Marjoram

9. Salt

10. Pepper

11. ~1.5-2L Water

12. Slice of Bread (optional) 

13. Grated Yellow Cheese (optional)

 

Instructions-

1. Prepare vegetables, rinse and clean. Peel carrots, parsley root, and onion.

2. Finely dice onion and red pepper, cut carrots and parsley root into half-moons.

3. Slice sausage, follow above photos, into half-moons.

4. Preheat large soup pot, do NOT add oil. 

5. Add sliced sausage. Cook until it releases oil and starts to brown.

6. When oil has formed, add onions and cook until they are translucent. 

7. Add chopped carrots, parsley root, and red bell pepper. Mix well.

8. Sprinkle vegetables and sausage with salt. Mix frequently to prevent burning.

9. Cook for about five minutes, and then add water to fill soup pot. Less than 2liters should suffice.

10. Add tomato paste and cook uncovered for about thirty minutes on medium heat.

11. Check flavor, add more salt and pepper if necessary and add one can of kidney beans. 

12. Lower heat, add two teaspoons of marjoram, mix, and cook for thirty more minutes.

13. Serve when hot with a slice of rye bread and grated cheese.

Enjoy :)

Chili Con Carne

Chili Con Carne

Hello!!!

I had such a busy week with my studying...

I'm back and ready to cook! 

I hope to never disappoint anyone ever again!

I hope this chili will make up for it :)

Ingredients-  Cooking Time ~2h

1. 500g Ground Beef (Beef/Pork Ground Meat Mix)

2. 2 Large Onions

3. 4-5 Chili Peppers (add less for milder flavor, add more for spicy chili)

4. 1 Large Red Bell Pepper

5. Canned Kidney Beans 

6. Sweet Canned Corn

7. 2 Cans of Chopped Tomatoes

8. Salt

9. Pepper

10. Cayenne Pepper

11. Dried Cumin

12. Dried Garlic

13. Paprika

14. Dried Chili

15. 2-3 Cloves of Fresh Garlic

16. Sour Cream (optional, as well as cheese)   

17. 2 Tablespoons of Oil 

   

  

 

Instructions-

1. Prepare vegetables. Wash and dry, finely dice onions and chop peppers and fresh garlic.

2. Heat non-stick sauce pan and add oil. 

3. Saute onions and as they turn translucent, add red peppers. Add a pinch of salt.

4. Add ground beef and cook everything together, mix well. Start adding dried spices, always add less in the beginning and then add more if necessary. I started with 1/2 teaspoon of each spice. 

5. When the meat has cooked and turned brown, transfer contents from sauce pan to large pot.

6. Heat the pot and add two cans of tomatoes to the meat and vegetable mixture.

7. Cook on medium-low heat for about 45minutes. 

8. Mix every 10-15minutes during this time and at the end, add canned kidney beans.

9. Lower the heat, and add canned corn as well. Add more spices, salt and pepper as well, if needed.

10. Cook on low heat for another 20-25minutes.      

11. Taste, adjust flavor if neccessary. Remove pot from heat and although you may serve for dinner already, I tend to leave my chili for a few hours to cool and set it in the fridge overnight and reheat it the following day for all the spectacular flavors to come together.

12. Serve when hot! Top off with sour cream and/or cheese!

 

ENJOY  :)