My Minestrone with Chicken Meatballs - Kid Friendly Food

Once again always looking for Kid Friendly Food
I found a recipe on The Epicurious Website and adapted it for my kids
Added vegetables that they like… e.g. Broccoli instead of just Spinach
Onion instead of leeks and I also added courgettes
So here's My Minestrone with Chicken Meatballs

It was very popular, the kids devoured it.
Will make this again
The meatball recipe made around 48 little balls
I cooked them all and froze half for next time

Meatballs
600 gms ground chicken (2 cups)
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
6 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan
4 garlic cloves,  minced,
5 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
2 large eggs, whisked to blend
Sea salt,
Freshly ground pepper
The Broth
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 red onion finely sliced 
3 cloves garlic peeled and finely sliced    
1 large carrots, finely sliced
1 courgette finely sliced

1 cup corn
1 litre chicken broth
2 cups water
1 cup Orecchiette Pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small head of broccoli finely sliced and or spinach, I used both
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Garnish
Chopped fresh basil
Extra Grated Parmesan

To make Meatballs
Mix chicken, breadcrumbs, Parmesan,garlic cloves,
Chives, eggs, Sea salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl.
Form into little meatballs
I used a melon baller. Nice size

Heat oil in a pot over medium heat.
Cook meatballs until golden all over, about 3 minutes (they will finish cooking in soup).
Transfer to a plate;
Set aside.

 

To Make Broth
Add onion to pot and cook,
Stirring often, until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes.
Add thinly sliced garlic cloves; cook for 1 minute.
Add carrots and courgettes, cook for another 3-4 minutes

Add broth and water; bring to a boil.
Stir in pasta 
Simmer until pasta is almost al dente, about 8 minutes.

Meanwhile in another pan heat 1 tablespoon olive oil to medium heat
Just lightly saute the corn and the Broccoli and or Spinach for about 2

minutes

Add meatballs to soup
Simmer until pasta is al dente and carrots are tender, and meatballs are cooked through,
About 3 minutes.
Add cooked broccoli
Season with salt and pepper.

Ladle soup into bowls.
Garnish with chopped Basil and Parmesan

Don't waste Food - Make something for your freezer. Egg, Cheese and Ham in a Tasty Sauce

I'm about to go away for a few days. I went to clean out my fridge. There were so many bits and pieces tucked away in there
Spring onions, red and green pepper, celery in the Vege bin
Some shaved champagne ham, 3 eggs, milk just on it's last legs, and some chunks of old cheese
A few cherry tomatoes

Surely I can do something with this.

Yes I can!
Here is the finished dish ready to go into the freezer, for a meal when I get home
I will either cook up some yummy mashed potatoes and smother the sauce with them
Or Might just cover it with a Golden Puff Pastry Lid
Going to be tasty, no matter what

To fill this plastic container
I used
75 gms butter
75 gms Flour
450 mls of milk

salt and pepper

1 small green pepper chopped
1/4 red pepper chopped
3 spring onions chopped
2 sticks celery chopped
6 cherry tomatoes cut in half

Handful of shaved ham chopped
2 hard boiled eggs peeled and chopped
1/2 cup of chopped leftover cheese

Over medium heat, melt butter
Add chopped vege
Season with Sea salt and Ground Black pepper
saute about 3-4 mins till tender

Add flour
Stir well
Cook for about 2-3 minutes to get the rawness out of the flour

Add the milk
Keep stirring till sauce is thickened
Let cook again,
You may need to add more milk, don't want it too gluggy
Add the protein

Gently fold in, then I plonked it into a plastic container, and it is now in the freezer

Yumo

Joyce's 7 Layer Dip - Perfect for Drinks Party - Gluten Free as well

 
In the early 80’s, ...our friend Joyce Baker, (pictured below, on the right)... note the 80's hair styles... from California, came to stay with us here in Auckland
In those days, New Zealand was a bit behind the eight ball, with current food trends.

We decided to have a party while Joyce was here, (as we did), Tex Mex Food was beginning to
rear it’s head. Up till then, I could make a good chili.
Gilli’s Chili, it got called in fact.
I’ll post it one day, still like it...however, we weren't really together, with some of the real flavours of Mexico.

On this particular visit, Joyce introduced us to the Famous 7 Layer Dip
Joyce was amazed that we didn't have Cilantro here
Of course, that was a language problem
You couldn’t google it then
We finally worked out that Cilantro, in American English,
was, in New Zealand English…Coriander
Plus, I don't think we could get refried beans
So I think we just squashed up some red kidney beans, with some garlic
But now, all of these ingredients are readily available

We were very impressed with this dip and have been making it since

In fact, I selfishly, didn't pass on the recipe, to anyone but our family
Don't know why I did because as it turns out, it came from
a Californian Food magazine and is widely known in the States
So anyone can find it and make it
But we prefer to call it Joyce’s 7 Layer Dip
Very Simple

For the basic recipe of 7 layers
You need
1 tin refried Beans
Guacamole, your favourite recipe
Salsa… Spicy is good. Any good brand
Grated Tasty Cheese
Fresh Tomatoes, finely chopped, seasoned with S & P
Sour Cream flavoured with Taco seasoning
Spring onions and Coriander, chopped  Handful of each
This time, I changed a couple of things,
I made my own Salsa
1 punnet of cherry tomatoes, finely chopped
3 spring onions, finely chopped
1 cob fresh sweet corn, Pop in Microwave for 3 minutes
Slice the kernels off
Add to onions and tomatoes
1 red pepper finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped coriander
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
A little olive oil
Mix well

I could only buy ready made Guacamole
Not as good as homemade unfortunately
To improve it… I mixed it in with the salsa, which also helped the salsa to stick together
So 2 layers became 1!

In fact the Dip this time, was only 5 layers, but still tasted pretty good
To assemble this particular version

Find a nice flat dish about 4 cms (1 1/2 inch) deep
Cover the bottom with the refried beans

Cover with Salsa

The Grated Cheese

Mix the Sour Cream with 3-4 tablespoons of  La Morena Taco seasoning

Spread the sour cream over the grated cheese
Top with the chopped herbs

Best to make a few hours in advance for the flavours to meld

Serve with Taco Chips
Excellent