Meatloaf-Meatball Stroganoff

Meatballs

In a big bowl mix:

1# ground elk

1# ground bison

1# turkey sausage

8oz. crushed crisps

2 lg. pasture raised eggs

1c - 1-1/2c beef broth

Chop the following and add to the bowl:

2 stalks celery

1 med. purple onion

2/3c green part of aSt leek

1 med. carrot - grated

Mix well with a heavy wooden spoon or clean hands. Form into meatballs, place on a parchment covered baking sheet and bake until nicely browned, 30-40 minutes. I made these ahead and froze in a gallon zip-type bag.

Stroganoff

Bring 2-3 quarts of water to a boil then add 1# thin spaghetti. Once the pasta boils a few minutes, add 1-2oz. finely chopped curly kale. When the pasta is al denté, drain then put it back into the pot. Add 1 can Cream of Mushroom soup, stirring gently to coat the pasta. Add 2# of frozen meatballs, also stirring them in.

Chop the vegetables:

1/2 lg. purple onion

1/3 green bell pepper

1/3 orange bell pepper

8-10oz. small mushrooms

1oz. EVOO roasted garlic

Sauté these until crisp tender, in 4T of butter, adding the chopped garlic at the very end, then stir them into the pot of pasta and meatballs.

Stir 2c beef broth into 12oz. sour cream and pour over all these ingredients, then toss to mix and coat everything.

Chill several hours, then warm it up again. This changes the pasta making it a resistant starch. This will improve the flavors and also reduces the glycogen level of the pasta making it much healthier than eating it right after the initial cooking. . .Lin

Smokey Cabbage Soup

2 big carrots

4 stalks celery

1 med. head green cabbage

2T butter

4c water

smokey salt and pepper

1½ c slice-chopped colorful peppers

1½ c sliced leeks
chopped celery tops

2T Better Than Bullion - vegetable

Chop or slice the first 3 ingredients into a 4-5 quart pot with the butter.  Saute' a few minutes then add water a little at a time.  I used Lapsang Souchong tea instead of water this time!  This is a smokey black tea that I really love and felt it would add another dimension of flavor.  It did!

Add seasonings, the peppers, leeks and soup base.  Simmer about 20 minutes when all the ingredients are in the pot.  Serve with crusty bread or croutons. . .Lin

Mashed Potato - Leek Vegetable Soup

5 sm.-med. red potatoes - small cubes 

1 sm. yellow onion - finely chopped

5" green leek top - sliced-chopped

a little salt, red and black pepper

1T butter

8 cloves of garlic

yellow-green celery tops

5 oz. fresh spinach or a spinach blend

Combine the first group in a large pot, sautés and sizzle until the scents are released, maybe 5 minutes.  Add 3c water, cover and simmer 10 minutes.  Mash, then add the next 3 ingredients, simmer another 5 minute, then set aside.

In another pot, combine the chopped vegetables below, and saute' for 5-15 minutes until slightly translucent and your kitchen smells great.

1T butter

2 carrots

2 stalks celery

⅓ lg. orange pepper

5" white leek bottom

1 med. Anaheim pepper

1-2T Sicilian blend seasoning

1-2T mushroom Better Than Bouillon

Toward the end of the saute' time, begin adding another 3c of water as needed. After another 10 minutes simmering time, taste the soup and add whatever is needed. This is when I stirred in the mushroom soup base. Add the vegetables to the mashed potato and greens and again stir and check the flavors. This is a good and quick soup. Low in fat because the texture comes from the mashed potatoes rather than dairy of any type.

Be Creative! Cooking Is Art - Food Is Your Medium.  Happy Cooking! . .Lin