French Onion & Wild Mushroom Soup

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 3 large onions, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
• Salt and pepper
• 4 cups beef broth
• One 1-ounce package mixed dried wild mushrooms
• 1/2 cup white cooking wine
• thick slices crusty bread
• 1 large clove garlic, halved
• 1/2 pound munster cheese, shredded

In a heavy soup pot, melt the butter with the olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-heat. Stir in the onions and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until the onions are softened and browned, 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, bring the beef broth, mushrooms and 2 cups water to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the mushrooms and slice.

Preheat the broiler. Pour the wine into the onions and cook over medium heat, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in the mushrooms and hot broth.

Toast the bread under the broiler, rub with the garlic and top with the cheese. Broil until melted. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve with the toasts.

Things I learned from this recipe-

1. you need to cook the mushrooms & onions a loooooooooonnnnggg time... longer than the recipe says, cook them until they are basically wilted ... and i would say chop the mushrooms up pretty fine too because they are kind of rubbery

2. the little cheese toasts combined with this soup is AWESOME

Rating: YUM-O!

Steakhouse Chili

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 4 slices lean, smoky bacon, finely chopped
• 2 pounds ground sirloin beef
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 4 tablespoons chili powder
• Salt and pepper
• One 15-ounce can tomato sauce
• 1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce
• 2 cups beef stock
• Sour cream, for topping
• 1/2 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, for topping

In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the EVOO, 1 turn of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until the fat renders, about 2 minutes. Add the beef and cook, stirring, until browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and chili powder, a little salt and lots of pepper.

In a bowl, stir together the tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar and hot sauce. Stir into the chili. Stir in the beef stock and bring to boil, then lower the heat and cook until thickened, 6 to 7 minutes.

Serve the chili in bowls. Top with the sour cream and parsley.

Things I learned from this recipe-
1. super easy, super fast, super hearty & super tasty!
2. worcestershire sauce rocks

Rating: YUM-O!

Bocconcini-Stuffed Meatballs with Tomato-Pesto Sauce

• 4 slices of stale bread, torn up
• milk (to moisten bread)
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 pound ground pork
• 3 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
• 2 tablespoon dried parsley
• 3/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese(divided)
• 1 egg
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 bocconcini (mini mozzarella balls) or ball cut into 16 pieces
• 2 tablespoons EVOO - Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus 1/4 cup for sauce
• 1 28-ounce can plum tomatoes
• 1 tsp grated lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon dried basil

Pre-heat the oven to 425ºF.

Place the torn bread in a small bowl with the milk (make sure all the bread is submerged) and reserve.

In a large bowl, combine the ground meats, 2 cloves of garlic, 1 tblsp parsley, half of grated Parmigiano Reggiano, egg, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Squeeze out the excess milk from the soaking bread (it should be loose and in small pieces) and add it to the meat mixture. Mix everything with your hands to combine.

Divide the meatball mixture in half and score each half into eight sections with the back of your hand. Take one of the portions of the meatball mix and slightly flatten it out in your hand. Place a ball of mozzarella in the center and evenly wrap the meat around, completely encasing it in the meat, repeating and making 16 meatballs total.

Transfer the stuffed meatballs to a baking sheet as you make them. Coat meatballs in 2 tblsp of olive oil and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown and firm to the touch.

While the meatballs are cooking, place a saucepot over medium-high heat add the canned tomatoes and break them up with the back of a spoon. Add a little salt and pepper, bring up to a bubble and simmer while the meatballs are cooking.

Meanwhile combine 1 tablespoon basil, lemon zest, 1 tablespoon parsley, 1 clove minced garlic, salt, pepper & 1/4 cup of olive oil to make pesto.

Once the meatballs are ready, remove the tomato sauce from the heat and stir in the pesto.

Ladle the sauce into shallow bowls and top with meatballs and sprinkle with remaining grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.

Things I learned from this recipe-
1. this original recipe calls for ground veal too... i left it out because veal is EXPENSIVE!
2. these meatballs are the bomb!

Rating: YUM-O