Gluten-Free Italian Chicken Meatballs

March 26, 2018August 19, 2020 Red Rose & HoneyLeave a comment

Good morning blog friends! Have you all recovered from this last snow storm? I still can’t believe how much snow we woke up to on Thursday. I would imagine the weathermen were thanking their lucky stars that the storm actually happened and their predictions weren’t a total flop. Although the last snow fall did make our neighborhood look like a winter wonder land, I am definitely ready for spring. Bring on the backyard BBQs and grilling for dinner!

Today I wanted to share a recipe that goes perfect with last week’s post. Along with knowing a basic sauce recipe I think you all should know how to make tasty meatballs. This isn’t quite a traditional recipe as most are made with beef. My mom usually makes hers with a combination of ground beef, pork and veal. My recipe is a little lighter made with ground chicken. If you are gluten-free make sure to always check the ingredients in your meat and poultry. It is not uncommon for gluten to be hidden in the ingredients.

This recipe is so easy to put together {even on busy week nights} because there is not much to it. Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl, form meatballs and bake! Don’t forget that when you’re cooking poultry it’s super important to make sure it is cooked to a safe temperature, so be sure to use a cooking thermometer to check before serving. I have this one and the cover lists the required cooking temperatures for meat, pork and poultry which comes in handy.

Chicken Meatballs

Servings: 2-4
Time: 1 hour
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Ingredients

1 lb Chicken Chop Meat
1/4 cup Gluten-Free Italian Bread Crumbs
1/4 cup Grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan Cheese
1 Egg
1 Small Shallot or Onion
2 Cloves of Garlic
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/4 Tsp Black Pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper
In a large bowl combine all ingredients, but do not over mix. Over mixing the ingredients can cause the meatballs to be tough. If the mixture seems very wet, add an additional 1/8-1/4 cup of bread crumbs.
Form the mixture into balls (again, don’t over work the meat) and place on baking sheet
The size of your meatballs will alter the cooking time. Plan to bake for 25-30 minutes on convection (if your oven doesn’t have that setting, bake for longer) then broil on high for about 5 minutes.
Use a meat thermometer to check temperature to ensure chicken is cooked to a safe temperature.

Classic Marinara Sauce for Two!

March 19, 2018August 19, 2020 Red Rose & Honey1 Comment

Hi blog friends! Thanks for stopping by again. Today, I want to share a quick and simple recipe that I think everyone should know how to make — Marinara Sauce! This sauce can be served with pasta, meatballs, on pizza, eggplant parm, chicken parm and so much more. I use this recipe as a base to all red sauces I make too. Like many of the dishes I make, this one starts with olive oil, garlic and onions. I really believe that if you always have these three ingredients, you can whip up a tasty meal with whatever else you have in your kitchen.

Tea Kettle / Stand Mixer / Spoon Rest (similar)/ Pot/ Mason Jar (similar)/ Backsplash

I first started making my own sauce my junior year of college. I could often be found making a pot of sauce and baked ziti before my 8am class. Although I didn’t do very much meal prep in college, I did find it easy to make a head some dinner here and there so I could heat them up quickly after late classes. A girls’ gotta eat, right?

One of my first blogs ever was about my homemade sauce {check it out here} and reading that blog now is kind of funny. In that post I mention that oregano was my least favorite dried seasoning, but now I would say that I love oregano and don’t care for parsley. Sometimes I even leave parsley out. I also find it really funny that I mentioned I was making Mike {who is now my husband} strawberry shortcakes with homemade whip cream. He was the pickiest eater in college! I totally forgot that there was a time he ‘hated’ strawberries until I re-read that blog. Boy have times changed!

Now that I’ve taken you on a trip down memory lane, let’s get back to my current recipe! Although I haven’t changed much since I first started making sauce there is one change that I think was for the better. I almost always add very finely chopped or grated carrots. Carrots really cut down on the acidity of red sauce. I am a bit prone to heartburn and acid reflux. I have found that when I add carrots to my sauce it is much less likely upset my stomach. If you’re in the same boat, I definitely suggest you give carrots a try!

Disclaimer: I am participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. All opinions/recommendations are my own.

Classic Marinara Sauce

Servings: 2-4
Time: 1 hour
Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
2-3 small garlic cloves, finely minced
2-3 tbsp carrot, finely grated
14.5oz can petite diced tomatoes, unsalted*
8oz can tomato sauce, unsalted*
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp salt (more to taste)
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried parsley
1/4 tsp black pepper
*Can substitute 1 28oz can of unsalted tomato sauce/puree

Directions

-Saute onions in olive oil over medium/low heat until they’re fragrant and translucent, about 5-7 minutes
-Add carrots and saute for another 5-7 minutes
-Add garlic and sautee for about 3 minutes
-Stir in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste and seasonings
-Once sauce starts to bubble, bring down to a simmer for 30 minutes or up to two hours.

Quick Sauce Tomatoes Sauce with Pasta

August 10, 2017 Red Rose & HoneyLeave a comment

Quick Red Sauce with Spinach and Fresh Basil

I work full time and don’t usually get home until 6pm or later, but I really love making dinner for me and the hubs-to-be. I have really been enjoying trying new recipes and improving my cooking skills. Something I try to focus on is not wasting food and utilizing whatever ingredients I have in my kitchen.

Recently I threw together a quick sauce with gluten-free pasta {right now I’m using Barilla}. It was really easy and I liked switching up my sauce by using diced tomatoes instead of a smooth puree. I generally by Tuttorosso tomatoes because that is what my mom and Grandma use. I am trying to get better with measuring my ingredients, so I can more easily share my recipes, but I’m not there yet. These measurements are approximate. I always add carrots to my red sauce because they help to reduce the acidity. Usually, I will very finely chop my carrots in a food processor and cook them in the sauce. This time I used whole carrots and removed them before serving. I found this sauce to be more acidic than usual, but it only let it simmer for about 30 minutes or less. I think I will try to whole carrot method again, but when I have time to cook my sauce longer. This meal was so easy to put together – a great option for weeknights or when you’re short on time.

Ingredients
3/4 lb gluten-free (or regular) pasta of your choice
1 Large can of diced tomatoes
3 oz. tomato paste
1/4 medium yellow onion
3 baby carrots
1 large clove of garlic
4 cups of fresh spinach (the more the better)
Dried basil
Dried oregano
Fresh basil
Salt & Pepper

Directions
Finely chop then satuee onions and garlic over medium/low heat until onions are soft and translucent. Next, add salt and pepper cooking for another 1-2 minutes. Once your kitchen smells delicious add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, carrots, dried herbs and let simmer for 30-60 minutes. While sauce is simmering bring salted water to a boil and cook pasta as directed on the box.

When pasta is cooked and you are ready to eat remove the carrots from the sauce and turn off heat. Give the spinach a rough chop and add it it to the sauce. I think it’s important to add the spinach at the end and with the heat off because it wilts down so quickly. Next, toss in the cooked pasta and sprinkle with fresh basil.