Ballpark Enchiladas: Sausage, Pepper and Onion Enchiladas with Beer-Cheese Sauce

Ballpark Enchiladas: Sausage, Pepper and Onion Enchiladas with Beer-Cheese Sauce

I was at Fenway Park last week and, like always, I immediately fell victim to the sausage carts. The sizzling and spattering of those sausage links as they hit the griddle and the potent and glorious smell of them cooking alongside sweet onions and peppers is hard to refuse. When you combine boisterous fans and an ice cold beer, does it get any more summer than that?

My enchilada making station

That moment of taking that first bite of a sausage sub - the juicy meat, sweet onions and peppers, neatly encased in a soft hot dog style bun - was the inspiration for these enchiladas. I wanted to capture the flavors of the sub at Fenway, in addition to the beer, but put a fun new twist on it and roll it all up into enchiladas form. 

Tortillas and Homemade Ground Sausage 

To make these enchiladas, I used TortillaLand Tortillas, something I've written about before. Around this time last year, I received a very generous shipment of TortillaLand Tortillas and made Spanish Enchiladas with them. If your not familiar with TortillaLand Tortillas, they are tortillas in their raw, doughy state that you just toss into a heated, non-stick skillet for 30 seconds on each side and then they're good to go. I think they're an awesome and more flavorful alternative to the average tortilla. 

TortillaLand Tortillas 

The fresh tortillas in addition to making my own ground up sausage, spiked with toasted fennel, fresh herbs and crushed red pepper flakes, is what made these something special. And the fact that the onions are caramelized in a dark Porter, doesn't hurt the cause either. If all of this hasn't convinced you to give these a try, maybe the beer - cheese sauce that blanketed the top will. A duo of cheeses (provolone and mozzarella) combined with a sturdy Porter and a healthy dose of Dijon mustard created a creamy, cheesy and intensely flavored sauce - make these for your crowd! 

A peek inside..

Recipe after the jump!

Oven Roasted Tomatoes on Polenta "Flatbread"

At the height of summer I find that I'm a surrounded by tomatoes so fragrant I'd like to bottle it up and wear it as perfume. But then it's deep into fall and I'm trying to ignore that our days are getting shorter and chillier and it's back to crappy, dull tomatoes. While, for the most part, my recipes and cooking are based around what's in season, to say that I don't crave something at an off-season time and  find a way to work it into my meals would be a stretch of the truth. It's impossible for me to banish tomatoes until next summer so instead, I try to find a way to make them the most flavorful they can be, in-season or not.

Roasting tomatoes is a great way to force all of those sugars within the tomato to concentrate and, when done low and slow for an extended period of time, the results get even better - jammy, sweet and the perfect way to satisfy that tomato craving out of season. Simply slice your tomatoes in half (or you can even leave them whole) and place them onto a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and a healthy pinch of salt and a couple pinches of pepper and then it's into the oven. Sometimes, before the pan goes into the oven, I'll drape thyme or rosemary delicately on top of the tomatoes, just to help give my tomatoes an extra boost of flavor.

While roasted tomatoes can be used in an innumerable amount of ways, I like them best on a flatbread. Layered with other meats and then scattered with a variety of cheeses, I think that an added layer of sweetness gives my flatbread a touch of something extra special. For this particular flatbread, instead of going traditional, I made my flatbread "dough" out of cheesy, herbed polenta that I spread onto a sheet pan before crisping it up and then adding my beautiful roasted tomatoes, shreds of cheese, slices of pastrami and fresh parsley. The base of the flatbread was delightfully crispy and poppy in the way that only polenta can be while the center was still soft. While I do think this took a little more time than you're average flatbread and probably isn't your best bet for an easy weeknight dinner, this is something extra special that you can throw together when friends come over. Especially since the majority of the cooking is hand's free and a lot of it can be made in advance and of course you can interchange toppings, but why not give the roasted fall 'mater a try?

Oven Roasted Tomatoes on Polenta "Flatbread"
- 1 1/2 cup Cornmeal
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes (any tomato works well here too!)
- 4 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, finely minced
- 2 cups cheese, divided (I used a mix of cheese bits that were in the fridge, really, you can't go wrong!)
- 4-5 slices pastrami, thinly sliced
- Olive oil for drizzling
- Fresh parsley, chopped
- Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Half tomatoes if desired and and place them, skin-side down onto a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Lay thyme on top of tomatoes. Roast tomatoes for about 3 hours or until softened and starting to brown around the edges. Remove from oven and set aside.

In a pot, add polenta and rosemary to a pot. Cover with water, add a generous pinch of salt and bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer. You may need to add more water as the polenta cooks. If it starts to stick to the bottom, add a little more water. Once the the polenta has softened, add the cheese and stir to combine. Season to taste. Coat a parchment lined baking sheet with butter or olive oil and spread the polenta out in an even layer. Chill for at least 30 minutes or until ready for use.

Remove polenta from the fridge and lightly coat with olive oil. Place under the broiler and broil for about 10 minutes, or until the outside crisps. Drop the heat to 400 and remove the polenta from the oven and top with cheese, tomatoes and pastrami. Bake for another 5 minutes or until the cheese melts. Top with fresh parsley and salt. Serve immediately.

Pumpkin Mac and Cheese with Sage Breadcrumbs

Last week my Pumpkin Mac and Cheese with Sage Breadcrumbs was featured on Boston.com and because I was really happy with the results, I wanted to share the recipe here as well. While you can certainly make this recipe utilizing canned pumpkin puree, I suggest making your own pumpkin puree from scratch. It does take a little extra elbow grease with the seeding and roasting of the pumpkin but I assure you the extra effort is well worth it. Homemade pumpkin puree has this velvety texture that the canned stuff just can't compete with.

Pumpkin Macaroni and Cheese with Sage Breadcrumbs

1 – 2 1/2-3 lb. Sugar Pumpkin, scrubbed clean

6-7 whole cloves

3 pieces of whole wheat bread

1 lb. dried pasta

½ Vidalia onion, diced

6 TBS + 2 TBS butter unsalted butter, at room temperature

6 TBS flour

2 1/2 cups whole milk

1 cup shredded smoked Gouda

1 + ½ cups sharp cheddar cheese

1- 8 oz. log of goat cheese

1 TBS whole grain mustard

1 TBS + 1 tsp fresh sage, finely chopped

A generous pinch nutmeg

2 tsp cinnamon

Olive Oil for drizzling

Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Carefully cut the pumpkin into six equal parts and scoop out the seeds. Pierce the insides of the pumpkin pieces with the cloves, salt generously and then lay onto a cookie sheet, flesh side down. Roast pumpkin until it is very soft, about 35-45 minutes. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then peel off the skin of the pumpkin and place the flesh into a blender or processor. Blend the pumpkin until smooth and velvety, and set the pumpkin puree aside.

On a baking sheet, toast the three pieces of bread until they start to brown a bit. Set them aside to cool, then use a processor to pulse the bread crumbs. Mix in 1 tsp fresh sage and a pinch of nutmeg. Using your hands, combine 2 TBS of softened butter to the crumbs until they are evenly distributed. Season with salt and set aside.

Heat a medium-sized sauce pot and add enough olive oil to lightly coat the pan. Add the diced onions and a generous pinch of salt and cook on medium heat until they start to lightly brown (about 15 minutes). Add the butter to the pot and once it has completely melted, gradually add the flour, stirring constantly. Let the butter-flour mixture heat for a minute or two and then remove the pan from the heat and gradually add in the milk, stirring constantly. Return the pan to medium heat and add two cups of the pumpkin puree, stir, then add the mustard, goat cheese, smoked Gouda and 1 cup of cheddar cheese. Stir until the cheese melts. Add the 1 TBS sage and cinnamon and season with salt and pepper to taste.

In a large pot, bring water to a boil and add a generous amount of salt. Cook the pasta until very al dente (about 5 minutes). Strain pasta and add to the cheese sauce, and pour into an oven-safe casserole dish. Top with remaining ½ cup of cheddar cheese and Sage Breadcrumbs. Bake, uncovered at 400 degrees until the breadcrumbs brown, about 30 minutes. Let cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Purple Potato-Leek Soup with Sorrel Puree

The other day I was at a farmer's market in Watertown. I was just about ready to leave empty handed when I spotted a giant leafy bunch of sorrel. I had only seen it in small packages at Whole Foods but never had I seen it like this before. At $2 a bunch, I couldn't resist and before I even got to the car, I plucked a piece of the leaf off to steal a taste - and I haven't been the same since.

Okay, maybe that's a little dramatic but I have never been so blown away by the natural, raw flavors of a vegetable before. Sorrel is a sturdy, leafy green with a certain hardiness to it and once you start chewing, this surprisingly vibrant lemony flavor gets released. Before I could stop myself, I was so smitten with this new find, I was eating it like candy and couldn't wait to get it back to my kitchen to experiment.

I wanted to really showcase the sorrel and give it a dramatic role on my dinner plate; it just felt like that's what it deserved. I had planned to make a classic potato-leek soup anyway and thought this would be a welcome addition.  Because of the sorrel's bright green hue, I opted to use purple potatoes instead - I just love the contrast of purple and green. I started by making the sorrel into a pesto with some garlic and olive oil but the results were too grassy for my liking. So I strained the pesto and was left with a beautifully flavorful smooth puree to drizzle over my soup. I had some leftover chicken on hand too so I neatly stacked it into the center of the bowl and then, for garnish, I crisped up purple potato peels in the oven.

The results of this dish were really something, if I do say so myself. The bright citrus flavors of the sorrel just cut through the rich potato base and the colors of this dish made it playful and artistic. Best yet? This was all pulled together in under an hour's time. Of course, regular russet potatoes work just fine here and if you can't find sorrel, fear not, a basil or cilantro would also work, just don't be shy with the lemon. But if by chance you can find the sorrel, I encourage you to try, it's totally worth it. (Quick Sorrel Tip: if you plan to use it, eat it raw and enjoy all of it's beautiful flavors. I found that when cooked, the flavors get muted.)

Purple Potato-Leek Soup with Sorrel Puree
- 3 purple potatoes, scrubbed, peeled and cubed, peels reserved
- 1 leek, white part only, cleaned well and sliced thin
- 2 TBS butter
- 1 cup cooked, shredded chicken
- Olive Oil for Drizzling
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Sorrel Puree (recipe follows)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Heat a medium-sized stock pot on medium heat. Drizzle olive oil into the pan and add the leeks and a generous pinch of salt. Heat until they soften and then add the potatoes and another generous pinch of salt. Add water to the pot, just until potatoes are covered and bring to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, reduce the heat to simmer and let the potato-leek mixture simmer until the potatoes are cooked through. Once the potatoes are cooked through, strain them and set aside to cool, being careful to reserve the cooking liquid. In a blender, puree the potatoes until smooth and then gradually add the liquid until the soup reaches a smooth and velvety state but still is relatively thick. (You may need to work in batches). Return the soup to the pot, add the butter and heat through, adjusting seasonings as necessary.

While the potatoes are cooking, lay the potato peels onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven until they are crispy. Remove from heat and set aside until ready for use.

Just before serving, reheat the chicken and set aside. In shallow bowls, ladle the soup into the bowls and stack the chicken into the center of the plate. Top with crispy potato skins and drizzle with sorrel puree. Serve immediately.

Sorrel Puree
- 1/2 cup sorrel
- 1 clove garlic
- Olive oil
Salt to taste

In a blender, combine sorrel, garlic and just enough olive oil to get the blender going. Season to taste. Remove the mixture from the blender and run it through a fine mesh strainer. Discard the pulp and reserve the puree for the soup.

Quinoa Veggie "Meatballs"

I'd like to ask you to consider the meatball for a moment.  Humble in stature, it doesn't receive nearly as much attention as it deserves.  Instead, it's usually an afterthought.  Sometimes a poorly flavored concoction, sadly bubbling away in a crock pot at a buffet or just a meaty decoration to adorn a pile of pasta, the meatball suffers from some poor PR.  What is failed to be recognized is how convenient and versatile meatballs are.  Cute little round vessels of flavor, the meatball can be oh so much more than the traditionally Italian flavored meat rolled into a ball.  In fact, dare I say, it can even be delicious as a vegetarian dish.

A couple months back, I made my first version of a vegetarian (eggplant) meatballs and I fell in love.  In addition to my affection towards this recipe, I think it opened my eyes to a wide world of possibilities and flavor combinations.  The eggplant meatballs that I made are a lighter cousin to a traditional meatball but doesn't sacrifice flavor (usually the flaw in a well-meaning lighter version of a recipe).  However, being the self-competitive person that I am, I wanted to see if I could one up myself and create a completely different vegetarian meatball.

Mission accomplished, I must say.  I was thrilled with the way they came out and found myself liking them even more than my eggplant meatballs.  What really made these so good was the texture.  "Poppy" and slightly crunchy quinoa was very welcoming and a nice change of pace as well as was a great compliment to the tender mushrooms and sweet roasted red pepper bits.  I also added a couple pinches of crushed red pepper flakes just to keep things interesting and heat things up a bit (of course you can just leave those out if you're not into heat).

For serving, I thought these worked quite nicely in traditionally meatball parm. sub form, with lots of mozzarella melting down the sides and good quality crusty sub rolls.  These would also be a popular guest a party.  Served in a more miniature form, they could be accompanied by a simple marinara sauce and I guarantee they'd be a favorite as well as a conversation starter as I find there's still a good population that hasn't had the pleasure of being introduced to quinoa yet.

I loved this recipe so much that I've decided that it is worthy of being categorized in as a Recipe I Love.

Recipe is featured after the jump!

Recipes I Love

Not that long ago, my good friend Keith had suggested that I create a new category for my blog that highlights some of my very favorite recipes.  Not a bad idea, I think.  His reasoning was that at this point in my blog career I've categorized so many recipes, but if he were to call me and ask for advice on what to make for (insert occasion here), what are some of my best/favorite recipes that I would talk to him about? 

As about 95% of the recipes that I make on here are my own and something that I'm making for the first time, there's some that I just really fall deeply in love with.  So, in the spirit of today's hearts and love holiday, I'm introducing a new category, "Recipes I Love".  This will include things that I make that I think are particularly good.  That's not to say that I don't like my other recipes (if I don't like something, it doesn't get posted until it's just right) but these are just my favorites and things that I would definitely recommend to anyone to make.  I'll be constantly adding to the list and I'm going to be picky about it too.  Not many will make this elite status and something's gotta be extra special to make the list (I smell a personal challenge brewing).  Hope you enjoy, happy love day!

Perfect Sunday Brunch: Spicy Poached Egg Over Cheddar Fried Potatoes

Dinner with Friends? Philly Cheesesteak Mac and Cheese

Great Cold or Hot: Pomegranate Cranberry Quinoa Salad

Not your average pizza: Apple and Sausage Pizza with Pumpkin Beer Sauce

Eggplant "Meatballs"

Perfect for a party: Baked Beer Battered Buffalo Onion Rings

Summer Veggie Cakes (*Sigh*)

Eggland's Best Featured Recipe: Spicy Poached Egg over Cheddar Fried Potatoes

Scrambled, fried or folded over into an omelet, over easy, sunny side up and poached into a neat little pocket, eggs are incredible.  Often my go-to option when I'm so exhausted from hours on my feet at culinary school I can't even see straight, there's nothing more satisfying then whisking together some eggs and grabbing some bits of this and that from the fridge to make an effortless, light, yet still satisfying dinner.  That being said, a quick scramble might be all fine and good for a night when I'm eating my dinner standing up in my kitchen sporting my most comfortable sweatpants, but sometimes I think there needs to be a little more pomp and circumstance.  Sometimes that egg just needs to be shown a little more respect and given more attention and made into the type of meal you sit at the table for and heartily enjoy.

When Eggland's Best contacted me and asked me to create a recipe featuring their eggs, I, being fresh off of a couple of weeks at school focusing solely on the egg and feeling particularly geeky, wanted to first find out if their eggs truly were superior (and worth the often additional cost) when compared to the average grocery store variety.  Buying one carton of generic large grocery store eggs and one carton of large Eggland's Best Eggs, both bearing approximately the same expiration date, I got home and cracked one egg from each carton and separated the whites from the yokes to test for freshness.  I found that the Eggland's Best had the whites clinging to the yoke much more firmly (this indicates freshness).  The Eggland's Best egg also was a significantly deeper and brighter shade of yellow, usually indicating the chicken's diet and additionally making for a more flavorful egg and much more beautiful presentation, proving that these are the types of eggs you buy to enjoy as the main part of a meal, not hide into a baked good.

Once I was done playing mad scientist in my kitchen, I got to work creating a recipe featuring the Eggland's Best Egg.  Lately I've been obsessed with poached eggs, I just love the theatrics of them.  They sit there, all soft and delicate until a small pierce from a  fork releases the yoke, which rushes out in a waterfall of thick, creamy deliciousness.  I had always been intimidated by poaching eggs, it seemed so tricky but it's actually quite simple.  As long as you carefully slide an egg into a salt and vinegared almost-boiling water bath (steam should be coming off the surface and little bubbles should be streaming to the top) then you'll be totally fine and well on your way to a deliciously poached egg.

I particularly like this recipe because it starts with a bed of ultra crispy red potato disks topped with melted tangy sharp cheddar cheese and then the star of the show, the poached egg, is delicately placed on top and fiery chipotle-tomato sauce is lightly spooned on top while vibrant green parsley tumbles over, providing a light accent of fresh flavor.  These are the types of eggs that mornings were made for.  

Check out the recipe (and more pictures) after the jump!


Post disclaimer: the content of this post reflects my views and thoughts on Eggland's Best Eggs.  I was no compensated for the statements made and although had been asked to create a recipe for them, was not asked to compare and contrast their eggs versus average grocery store eggs.  That's just a result of my own geekiness and me wanting to share :)

Philly Cheesesteak Macaroni and Cheese

Philly Cheesesteak Mac and Cheese

Last week I did a demo at the Coolidge Corner Meat House featuring my Philly Cheesesteak Dip. Once I had made the dip and had set it out for people to sample, I got to staring at it and sort of zoned out, totally mesmerized by the way the cheese was perfectly coating the paper thin slices of steak and the diced mushrooms.  I then started to, as I do with most things I find to be particularly delicious, think of other ways I could use them to create a new dish.  With little effort, I started to see noodles swirling in the cheesy, beefy mixture and then I imagines a crispy crust made from fresh homemade breadcrumbs and within minutes, I was on my way to creating a killer mac and cheese recipe - Philly Cheesesteak Mac and Cheese.

Cheese, sweet cheese!

This recipe is certainly a simple one but it does require a couple of important key steps.  First off, it's important to use cheese with exceptional melting qualities (i.e. don't even think about using low-fat anything in here!).  There certainly is some room for creativity when selecting your cheeses but for this particular mac and cheese, I used three cheeses - a mild cheddar, sharp cheddar and American cheese.  I like to include American cheese because it's so great at melting down into a fine and naturally thick sauce without giving off an overpowering flavor.

Next, to ensure a saucy and very cheesy mac and cheese, it's important to bake the pasta in way more sauce than you think you need.  The noodles will absorb the sauce while baking and the biggest fail of a homemade mac and cheese is having it be dry.  Additionally, to get a nice crisp crust, I like to make my own breadcrumbs using a couple pieces of day old bread and toasting it up to get all the moisture out.  Not only is it easy but it adds such a great flavor and added crispy texture.  I also like to finish my mac and cheese with a pinch of salt and a hit of fresh chopped parsley right before serving to help wake everything up.

Mmm, is there anything better than a piping hot bowl of cheesy mac and cheese on a dark and stormy Boston day?

Check out the recipe after the jump!

Pomegranate Cranberry Qunioa Salad, Plus 13 Random Pomegranate Facts

Pomegranate Cranberry Quinoa Salad

Fair warning dear reader before I share my recipe for Pomegranate Cranberry Quinoa Salad, I'm going to get a little geeky on you.  When I sat down to write this post, I had so many different angles in mind on how I wanted to approach the subject of the pomegranate and I guess that's just a testament to how flippin' cool this winter fruit is.  Not only does it provide an amazing element of surprise to a dish, with it's deep ruby red exterior and burst of a combination of tart and tangy yet sweet juice that explodes on contact with biting down teeth, this fruit is chock full of a rich history.  Because I was personally curious, I thought I'd dig up some fun facts on the pomegranate:

1. The pomegranate is one of the oldest fruits
2. It is believed to be native to Iran
3. Pomegranates were a symbol of fertility and were planted outside temples because their leaves were green year round, symbolizing eternal life
4. Due to it's high nutrition content, the pomegranate is said to bring about emotional an physical peace
5. Pomegranates were prominently featured in early Egyptian and Greek art
6. Pomegranates play a role in Greek mythology and came to symbolize marriage in Greece, with married women wearing headdresses made of pomegranate leaves to signify their marital status
7. In Buddhism, the pomegranate is considered to be a blessed fruit and one of the greatest gifts
8. In early Japanese art, the pomegranate is often depicted as something used to ward off evil spirits
9. In early European days, the pomegranate was a symbol more than a food.  Depicted in art, literature and most prominently in medicine
10.  Henry VIII is said to have planted the first pomegranate tree in Britain
11. Pomegranates were also heavily depicted by such famous artists as Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali 
12. The first Pomegranate plants in North America were planted in Mexico 
13. Thomas Jefferson planted them in Monticello and attempts were made to plant them in New England colonies but harsh winters prevented them from growing (bummer)

Source

See? Wasn't that fun? I'm a total sucker for the symbolism and unique food history.  Through in some myths and magic and superstitions and I'm hooked.  Nerd alert, right? Anyway, the real point of this post is not to go on and on with the history of Pomegranates (as fun as that was) but to provide you with my latest little creation utilizing them.  This has all the makings of a favorite recipe.  It's easy to make, doesn't include a crazy long list of ingredients, it looks impressive and most importantly, it's insanely delicious.  Oh, and it's healthy too if you're into that sort of thing.  Not to mention, this packages up perfectly for a nice little work lunch and it's delicious hot or cold.  Enjoy!

Pomegranate Cranberry Quinoa Salad
*Serves about 4

- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups chicken stock (I like Kitchen Basics the best)
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- Juice of 1/2 an orange
- 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
- 1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tbs slivered almonds

To make the quinoa, you can use one of two methods: rice cooker method or on a stovetop.  (You cook quinoa the same way you cook rice: using a two parts liquid to one part quinoa.) For the stove top method, start by bringing the chicken stock to a boil.  Add the quinoa, cover and reduce head to low.  Let the quinoa simmer until the liquid has evaporated.  For the rice cooker method, add the stock and quinoa cover and hit start.

Once the quinoa is done, set it aside and let it cool slightly.  Add some olive oil to prevent clumping.  Once the quinoa has cooled slightly, add the orange juice and cranberries.  Toss to combine, salt and pepper to taste.  Gently mix in the pomegranate seeds and top with almonds.  Serve either warm, room temperature or cold.  In addition, pulled chicken would be great in here or for an entirely vegetarian option, you could sub vegetable stock for the chicken stock.

What Would Happen if an Eggplant and a Meatball Had a Baby?

Eggplant Meatball Sub

Sweet deliciousness, that's what would happen!  I came across this little creation from fellow food blogger friend, Kerry, from Kerry's Cooking Chronicles, a while back and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it.  It's genius really.  Eggplants dressed up as meatballs?! Can you say yum?  I've been on a big eggplant kick lately and the idea of transforming those giant pear shaped vegetables into a familiar and comforting Italian staple was just too hard to pass up.  While these had been on "my list" of things to try, I decided to give them a go on a whim.  I was wandering around the grocery store aimlessly and growing increasingly hungry when I spotted some shiny eggplants, just laying there next to the bin of green beans and I just knew, today would be the day.

Simmering down the eggplants

With this being unprocessed month and all, I wanted to do everything as natural as possible.  It took me a while, but I was able to track down a freshly made and preservative free baguette to make breadcrumbs.  Halfway through the dancing around through the store, (yes dancing.  What can I say? Meatballs make me happy?) I stopped short and realized that once created, I had no game plan for these little guys.  Immediately I thought about spaghetti.  I pictured these little guys rolling around in a mountain of noodles and a river of marinara sauce.  Then I scratched that.  It sounded good, but I wanted something different. Craving something sandwichy and realizing I already had a nice little all natural baguette in my cart, I thought that a great way use up my "meatballs" was via sandwich.  I envisioned the end result to be sort of like what would happen if an eggplant parm and a meatball sub had a baby.  Ohhhh yeahhh...

Fast forward through making breadcrumbs, simmering down chunks of eggplants, mixing it all and shaping it into balls, baking and placing on a sub roll with soft mozzarella cheese just oozing out the sides and I was left with pure eggplant magic.  It was messy magic (keep lots of napkins with you!) but straight up deliciousness and a great way to look at something completely differently.  Give 'em a shot.  You'll like 'em.

Eggplant Meatballs before the oven

Eggplant Meatballs after the oven: golden brown and ready to be sauced

Mmmm...

Eggplant "Meatballs"
- Makes about 10 medium-sized meatballs

- 1 eggplant, peeled and chopped into cubes
- 1 baguette, cut in half
- 5-6 button mushrooms, finely chopped
- A small pat of butter for frying the mushrooms
- A couple handfuls of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- A handful of fresh basil, shredded
- Salt and pepper
- Fennel seeds (optional)
- Flax seeds (optional)
- 1 egg
- Salt and pepper

Pre-heat the oven to 400.  Start by turning the bread into fine breadcrumbs by using a food processor or a blender.  Make sure that the breadcrumbs are as fine as they can be.  Place them in a pan and lightly toast them, just until they have a little crunch to them.  Set them aside.

Meanwhile, brown the mushrooms in a little butter and set aside,  Next, place the eggplant cubes into a pot and add some salt.  Cover and simmer the eggplant until it become very tender and mushy.  Run the mixture through a fine mesh strainer or use paper towels to remove any excess water.  Add the eggplant mixture to a bowl and toss in breadcrumbs, mushrooms, basil, fennel and flax seeds.  Mix thoroughly.  Add some salt and pepper to taste, then add the egg and combine.  Shape the eggplant mixture into little balls with your hands.  Place on a greased pan and bake until they start to brown.  Serve immediately or keep in the fridge in an air-tight container for a few days or freeze.

Baked Beer Battered Buffalo Onion Rings with Buffalo Dipping Sauce

Baked Beer Battered Buffalo Onion Rings with Buffalo Dipping Sauce

Growing up, there was no question about it, Sundays during the fall and early winter were devoted to football, and more specifically, the Pat's and nothing (and I do mean nothing) got in the way of that.  Beautiful fall days where the amber colored leaves are almost twinkling in the sunlight?  No chance were we spending it outside picking apples, the Pats were playing the Jets.  A friend of mine calling to gossip and chatter on about how the most popular guy in school knew her name?  Sorry pal, no time for that right now, the Pat's have a big game against the Colts and it's almost kick-off time.  (Call you at 4:30?)

Suffice it to say, football ruled all Sunday happenings.

From the time I asked, "Daddy, what color are the outfits of the team you like?" all the way through college, where Sunday after Sunday, I was the girl that maintained a firm spot on the beat-up couch with my guy friends, and up until now, where I still spend my Sundays cheering on the Pats, football has been a big part of my life and I like that.  Yelling at the TV (just like my Dad taught me), I love to spend my Sundays curled up on the couch, watching the game.  And of course, along with the game, comes game day food and today, with it being the Pat's opener, some classic sports watching food was certainly in order.

Buffalo Dipping Sauce

Aren't beer and buffalo sauce the perfect combo?

Today I created baked beer battered buffalo onion rings with a buffalo dipping sauce.  And, let's just put it this way, if you don't make these at some point during the season you are sorely missing out.  Taking a healthy twist on this game day fave, I dredged the onion rings through a beer batter and some breadcrumbs and then baked them up until they crisped up and the ring of onion on the inside got all soft and sweet.  When you combine that with a hot tongue stinging buffalo sauce it's game day cuisine at its finest.

Go Pats!

Baked Beer Battered Buffalo Onion Rings With Buffalo Dipping Sauce

For the onion rings:

- 1 -2 onions, peeled and sliced thin
- 2 eggs
- About 1 tbs of buffalo sauce (I used Archie's Moore's Original)
- About 1 cup flour
- About 1 cup breadcrumbs
- About 1/4 c. light beer (I used Miller Lite)

For the dipping sauce:

- About 1 cup sour cream (I used fat free)
- About 1/4 cup buffalo sauce
- Sliced chives or green onions (optional)

Start by mixing the two eggs, 1 tbs of buffalo sauce and the beer into a large bowl.  In separate shallow bowls, place the flour in one and the breadcrumbs in the other.  Dredge the onion rings through the beer batter and then into the flour.  Return the onion rings to the beer batter and then dredge them through the breadcrumbs.  Lay onto a large baking pan and bake at 400 degrees until the edges crisp up.

While the onions are baking, combine the sour cream with the buffalo sauce.  Top with the green onions and serve alongside the hot onion rings.  For best results, enjoy with a frosty beer and the Patriots on TV.