Rustic Country Meatballs
I needed a recharge day: full-on introvert, disconnect from the Interwebs, please leave a message at the sound of the beep. Beep. It was absolutely beautiful outside yesterday. Blue skies, cotton-puff clouds, crisp breeze, leaves blowing through the air and floating to the ground like an Autumn snowfall. I wanted to be out in it. Time for a nature recharge.
Since I feel like I have some catching up to do at the farmer’s market, my first stop was the Old Town Alexandria farmer’s market. It’s possible that I get unusually excited about the piles and piles of different apples and squash at the market this time of year. But, I really let out a ‘whoop whoop’ when I got to the Bon Vivant stand (my favorite breakfast spot in Del Rey, Alexandria) and found they were selling beef and chicken from Polyface Farm, located in Swoope, Virginia.
My friend, Stosh, tipped me off to Polyface Farm when my daydream of owning my own farm went off mute… More than the farm (that sells meat and eggs in the local area), my friend tipped me off to Joel Salatin, the owner of the farm and author of several books including Folks, This Ain’t Normal; Salad Bar Beef; The Marvelous Pigness of Pigs; and You Can Farm. I picked up a copy of You Can Farm: The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Start & Succeed in a Farming Enterprise because it “targets the wannabes, the folks who actually entertain notions of living, loving and learning on a piece of land.” If I’m going to dream, I might as well have a guide… More about this later… I grabbed 3 pounds of ground, grass-fed beef and went on my way. It was frozen solid, so I knew there was a little more adventure left in my day.
I took off from the market and drove south on the George Washington Memorial Parkway, through George Washington’s Mount Vernon, and then headed west to George Washington’s Grist Mill and Distillery. It was closed for the season, but I wanted to catch the colors and scope things out for a future visit.
From there, I headed north to Lake Accotink in Springfield, Virginia, for a quick walk around the lake.
I’d complete my giant loop by heading east for a stop at Nalls Produce. Nall’s Produce is another favorite. I stocked up on honey nut, delicata and acorn squashes; sweet onions; asian pears; and, of course, three overflowing mums for the front porch. On my way out, I stopped to check on Penny the Pig.
During the drive, I had plenty of time to contemplate big topics in my life. Like dinner. Like meatballs…in sauce…with crusty, toasted french bread plunged into the sauce.
This meatball bake is so easy. The meatballs come together quickly. The sauce isn’t pre-cooked; just some dicing, mixing and pouring over the meatballs after they’ve browned a bit in the oven. The goat cheese and ricotta dollops give a tangy, but smooth creaminess to the dish, and the Herbs de Provence perfectly tie the sauce, cheese and meat together. This recipe makes a healthy serving of meatballs. Make sure your family is hungry, invite some friends over, or get ready for some leftovers (ohhhh…they taste so good the next day too). You can serve the meatballs over a pasta of your choice or simply in a bowl with a side of toasted french bread drizzled with olive oil. Comfort food any way you serve it, and your house will smell divine for hours!
“The energy of the mind is the essence of life.”
~Aristotle
Ingredients
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cups torn french bread
- 2/3 cup whole milk
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 1 (28 oz) can whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes
- 1 (14.5 oz) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup oil-packed sun dried tomatoes, drained & chopped
- 1 sweet onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons Herbs de Provence
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- salt and black pepper
- 4 oz goat cheese
- 2/3 cup ricotta cheese
- fresh basil, chiffonade (thinly sliced), for serving
- pasta or toasted french bread drizzled with olive oil, for serving
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with olive oil.
Meatballs:
Place the torn bread in a small bowl. Add the milk and squeeze the bread and milk together with your hands, breaking up the bread into small pieces and helping the milk soak in. Let the bread soak for 5 minutes until all the milk is absorbed in the bread. Place the crumbled, milk-soaked bread into a large bowl.
Add the ground beef and egg to the soaked, crumbled bread and mix it all together with your hands. Roll and form the meat mixture into meatballs (about 2 1/2 tablespoons-- the meat ball should be on the larger side and fill the palm of your hand). This should make about 16-18 meatballs. Place the meatballs in the greased baking dish and bake for 20 minutes, until the meatballs are browned on the outside but not cooked through.
Sauce:
While the meatballs are baking, in a large bowl, add the San Marzano tomatoes and crush them with your hands (go a little slow as the tomatoes will squirt, which is fun but messy). Then add the fire roasted tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes, wine, onion, garlic, Herbs de Provence, oregano, red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt and black pepper.
After the meatballs have browned, pour the sauce over the meatballs. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes until the meatballs have cooked through. Remove the foil and add chunks of goat cheese and dollops of the ricotta throughout the sauce. Return the dish to the oven (uncovered) and bake until the cheese is golden on top, about 15 minutes (check at this point and add 5-10 more minutes, if needed, to brown the cheese).
Serve over pasta or with toasted french bread. Sprinkle with the basil.
Personally, a large bowl of meatballs and sauce with toasted french bread (to sop up the sauce) is my favorite! If serving with french bread, after you remove the meatballs from the oven, leave the oven on. Place diagonal slices of french bread drizzled with olive oil on a baking sheet and cook in the 450 degree oven for 5 minutes (or until lightly toasted).
Enjoy!
https://www.travelynneats.com/2018/11/04/rustic-country-meatballs/Stuffed Squash Blossoms
Time can get away from you when you’re not paying attention. There it is. Eighteen months since my last post. Sooo tempting to think of all the excuses “but, I broke my camera” (ah yes, the casualty during a trip to Israel with my mom last April) … “my job is too busy right now” … “I’m distracted with this relationship” … “oh, I’m changing jobs, I’ll just… maybe when I settle in…” And, suddenly, summer was nearing its end and I realized I hadn’t even been to the farmer’s market this year. So, I did one of those Saturday morning-yoga pants-messy bun (no, that sounds cute… this was a post-workout, sweat dripping, hair frizzed out)-kind-of-farmer’s-market-morning. It struck me that morning how much I had missed it. There’s just this feeling at the farmer’s market that I love of connecting to community, to local farmers, to fresh food. There is also something really special about the transition of the market between the seasons. Squash blossoms are one of those treats during the summer to fall transition. Looks like I picked the right time to dive back in.
Squash blossoms. So beautiful. So delicate. So ready to be stuffed with ricotta. Yes, holding that fragile flower and wondering how in the world you’ll stuff and fry it without decimating it is a completely valid thought! Don’t be intimidated though; it’s really quite easy. There are a few little tricks. But, I’m telling you–you got this! Stuffed squash blossoms make a beautiful appetizer, they lay perfectly on top of a salad, and talk about an impressive side dish…! My problem was keeping them long enough to “properly” serve these gorgeous buds. My “I’ll try just one” turned into an “oooh, hot hot hot…” breathing out of a mouth full of fried flower cheesy goodness. I ate all of them…right off the paper towel…didn’t even make it to a plate. I’d love to show you the final product, but there are a few things that get rusty after not blogging for over a year (my appetite was not one of them…).
“And suddenly you know: It’s time to start something new and trust the magic of beginnings.”
~ Eckhart Tolle
Ingredients
- Squash blossoms:
- 1 cup whole-milk ricotta
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1/4 cup finely cut basil
- 2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
- 12 to 16 zucchini squash blossoms
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup chilled seltzer or club soda
- Approximately 3 cups vegetable oil for frying
- Tomato sauce:
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 28 oz can of San Marzano tomatoes, chopped
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
Instructions
Make tomato sauce first:
Cook garlic and red pepper flakes in oil in a 2 quart heavy saucepan over medium heat until garlic is golden (30-45 seconds). Add chopped tomatoes, water, sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer (uncovered) for 30 minutes (stirring occasionally) until thickened.
Prepare the ricotta filling:
While the tomato sauce is simmering, stir together the ricotta, egg yolk, thinly sliced basil, 1/3 cup parmesan, and 1/8 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Place the ricotta filling in a pastry bag or in a plastic ziplock bag with a small tip cut off one of the corners of the plastic bag.
Prepare squash blossoms:
Carefully open each blossom. This can be a little tricky as they are delicate. Gently open the petals (lightly untwist the petals, there are four...don't pull too hard as you don't want to rip the petals down to the base). When you open the flower petals, you will find the stamen or pistil. You can use your fingers or small scissors to carefully remove it. At this point, you can remove the blossom from the baby squash or stem (I keep the stem on mine to use as a handle when turning in the pan, but the texture is a little tough so you may not want to eat it later). Lightly rinse under cool water and drain on paper towels.
Fill the blossoms:
When the blossoms have dried off a bit, open the petals again and fill the blossom with approximately 2 teaspoons of ricotta filling by gently squeezing it from the bag into the open blossom. Then, gently twist the end of the blossom to close the filling inside. Note: You will probably have some filling left over. I squeezed my leftover ricotta filling into my scrambled eggs the next morning 😉
Whisk together the flour, remaining 1/3 cup parmesan, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and seltzer water in a small bowl.
Fry the stuffed blossoms:
Heat 1/2 inch oil to 375°F in a 10-inch heavy skillet. While the oil is heating, dip half of the blossoms in batter to thinly coat. Fry the coated blossoms, turning once, until golden (1 to 2 minutes total).
With tongs, transfer the fried blossoms to paper towels to drain. Coat and fry the remaining blossoms. Season with salt and serve immediately with the zesty tomato sauce.
https://www.travelynneats.com/2018/10/28/stuffed-squash-blossoms/
Farmer’s Market: Dupont Circle, Washington DC
The Dupont Circle Farmer’s Market is a lively spot! I’ve been meaning to visit and decided today was the day! I love Dupont. It’s quirky and fun. Now one more reason to go: the FARMFRESH farmer’s market …and it’s year round. Year round! During the peak season, there are more than 50 farmers with fruits and vegetables, pastured meat, poultry and eggs, cheeses, baked goods, fresh pasta, pickled everything, jams, locally roasted coffee, local beers, wood-fired pizza, dumplings, soups and sandwiches, cut flowers, soaps, and so much more. Did I mention the Red Basil and Tarragon infused lemonade? Ohyesplease…
The Dupont Farmer’s Market is held on Sundays, 8:30 am to 1:30 pm (Apr through Dec) and Sundays, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm (Jan through Mar). Get out there!
Getting to the Dupont Farmer’s Market is surprisingly easy. The Dupont metro stop drops you right in the center of the market. I gathered up the courage to drive into the city and was pleasantly surprised with the parking situation. Parking is free in the city on Sundays.
Eat your fruits and veggies…
Dupont Circle: a vibrant city space.
Farmer’s Market: Del Ray Neighborhood, Alexandria, Virginia
Tucked away on the north end of Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, is the cutest darn little neighborhood you could imagine. Craftsman style homes, generous porches, young urban couples pushing babies in strollers, dogs playfully walking alongside their owners, coffee shops, “unchained” restaurants, and a charming little farmer’s market. Del Ray: fun, quirky, lovable.
The Del Ray Farmer’s Market is open EVERY Saturday 08:00 am – 12:00 pm. It’s located at 203 East Oxford Avenue, Alexandria, Virginia at the corner of Mount Vernon and Oxford Avenues.
At the height of the season, there are around 20 farmers and vendors selling fruits, vegetables, meat, poultry, fish, eggs, cheeses, breads, fresh pasta, baked goods, cut flowers and home-made dog treats. You can grab your Saturday morning coffee there, and a young man on the north end of the lot sells incredible Salteñas, a Bolivian baked empanada. The Salteña is a little different than the empanada though. Inside a perfectly crisp pastry shell is a stew-like filling of meats, peas, and potatoes with a slightly sweet flavor. Mine was a breakfast Salteña, so there was also a bit of scrambled eggs inside. It’s slurpy. Hold it upright, nibble the edge, and get lots of napkins from the Salteña guy. I sat under a tree and got lost in my Salteña and iced coffee. I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand for effect…
If you drive, there is street parking on Mount Vernon and the side streets (you’ll be better off looking on the side streets). There is a paid parking lot across Oxford Avenue behind the Virginia Commerce Bank. You can also take the bus; there is a bus stop at the market (Mount Vernon and East Oxford) for both Metro and DASH buses. You could also take the metro to the Braddock Road Metro stop, but you’ll have a fairly decent 20-minute walk.
For additional information, and to check out the list of vendors, take a look at the Del Ray Farmer’s Market website.
Farmer’s Market: Baltimore, Maryland
It’s my favorite time of year: farmer’s market season. It’s a thing. Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring, Farmer’s Market.
The Baltimore’s Farmer’s Market is certainly worth a visit. It’s filled to the brim with seasonal fruits, vegetables, poultry, seafood, beef, pork, lamb, bison, goat, rabbit, fresh baked goods, flavorful herbs, organically produced milk, yogurt, butter, eggs, cheeses, flowers and vegetable seedlings for your garden. It’s literally a cornucopia as far as farmer’s markets go. To top this, there are numerous food vendors dotted throughout the market. Pit beef sandwiches, omelets, breakfast burritos, crepes, wood-fired pizzas, pies, quiches, soups, noodles, dumplings and mushrooms (more on this later). Vegan items are sold as well, which may not have been obvious yet… Crafts, candles, organic dog treats, art, retro clothing, kombucha and kimchi.
It’s the largest producers-only market in Maryland. The market is sprawling and, interestingly, located underneath the highway overpass. Great for a rainy day, shielding from the summer sun, and adding an edgy, if not gritty, Baltimore feel to the market.
Eat, shop, be merry. What are you waiting for?…
The market is held on Sundays from 7:00 am – 12:00 pm between April – December. Many Sundays also feature live music performances and cooking demonstrations. The market is located below the Jones Falls Expressway at Holliday & Saratoga streets.
Parking is surprisingly convenient and free (for 2 hours) at the Mercy Medical Center across the street in the Mary Catherine Bunting Garage at 330 Guilford Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21202. Ensure you bring your ticket to the Market’s Welcome Tent to get a validation stamp. Without the stamp you will find yourself sweet-talking the garage attendant out of a $10 parking fee. Yeah, I still got it…
Art at the Farmer’s Market … it’s a permanent collection
Amazing food at The Mushroom Stand
What’s to eat at The Mushroom Stand? Your favorite fungi, baby!
More specifically,…..
Oyster Mush Fritters. Blue Oyster mushrooms dipped in beer batter and fried in peanut oil, topped with hot sauce and a healthy dose of feta cheese, served on a bed of lettuce.
Portabella Salad. Marinated and smoked portabella served over mixed greens and topped with feta and hot sauce.
The Portabella Sandwich. Marinated and smoked portabella with mixed greens in a toasted pita and topped with feta cheese and hot sauce.
Three choices; one hard decision. I opted for the Oyster Fritters. F.A.N.T.A.S.T.I.C.
Bread at the Farmer’s Market … plenty of carb-lovin’ options
Veggies at the Farmer’s Market
