Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Well, I don't know what the weather is like where you are, but here in Calgary it has been getting chilly! Know what that means? Time to use the oven again! But whether you're hot or cold, who couldn't use a ball o' meat?!

Sweet and Sour Meatballs
You can use this sauce on other meats, such as pork or chicken. Alternatively, you can make the meatballs with a regular beef gravy and serve with mashed potatoes.

Meatball Ingredients:

• 1 ½ lbs ground beef
• 1 med onion, finely diced
• ¼ cup milk
• ½ cup bread crumbs
• Salt and pepper
  

**if you are making these meatballs to go with beef gravy, try adding a tsp of allspice - my dad calls these “Swedish” meatballs, and they’re really good.**

Sauce Ingredients:

• 1 large can crushed pineapple
• 2 cans mandarins (or two fresh mandarins), chopped small
• ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
• ⅓ cup ketchup
• ⅓ cup white vinegar
• 2 tsp yellow mustard
• 1 tsp salt
• ¼ cup cornstarch, with a little water

Preheat oven to 375º.
Combine all meatball ingredients in large bowl, take off your rings, and squish it all together.
Roll out meatballs and place on parchment paper lined baking sheet with sides. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until browned.

In large saucepan on stovetop over medium-high heat, add all sauce ingredients, except for the cornstarch and water. Let bubble away for a few minutes to let everything melt and meld.
Put the cornstarch into a jar or glass and dissolve it in a little water (to prevent lumps). Add this to the sauce, stir, and watch it thicken. Remove from heat.

Pour meatballs and sauce into a lidded casserole dish (use a cake pan if you don't have one) and replace in oven set at 350º.

Bake, covered (use foil if you have to) for a half an hour. Remove lid and stir gently (don’t bust up those meatballs!) and bake uncovered for another half an hour. Check periodically to make sure it doesn’t need to be stirred again.

Enjoy!

The Best Green Beans

My parents have always grown yellow and green beans in their garden. Fresh vegetables from your own garden are always a treat. I miss that garden (sigh), except for that weeding part.

So, what's better than growing your own? Eating of course!

I would like to share a fantastic, and very simple, recipe with you that has kept me eating beans for a long time now:


The Best Beans Ever:

• 450g or 1 lb fresh green or yellow beans, cleaned and trimmed


• 1 or 2 garlic cloves, crushed using a mortar and pestle or the back of a heavy knife (alternately you can buy crushed garlic in a jar, use about 3 tsp)


• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar


• 3 tbsp olive oil


• Salt and pepper

Boil beans until quite soft, about 8 minutes, or until desired tenderness. Drain. Add all other ingredients, toss and serve.

**If beans are unavailable you can use broccoli - adjust the cooking time to 3-5 minutes, you want to retain the colour and some crunch.

FYI:

"Green beans are ready in July and can be enjoyed all summer. Choose bright green beans that are long, slim, and do not have large seed protrusions—this indicates an older, tougher bean. Avoid beans with very noticeable blemishes, or a withered look. Store them in the refrigerator in a clear plastic bag. They will last three to five days. "
From: http://www.foodtv.ca/

Enjoy!