Verna Bender’s BBQ Meatballs . . . high marks for these tasty morsels

“Totally Homemade"— Verna Bender's style of cooking falls into the category of "totally homemade." She has cooked at several restaurants—the home-style ones where they cook food from scratch.

For her husband’s recent birthday, she must have cooked for days! An array of his favorite dishes literally covered a large buffet table: fried chicken, mashed potatoes and cream gravy, chicken and noodles, meatballs, baked beans, a layered lettuce salad, a gelatin-based salad, and homemade rolls . . . for the main course. Birthday cake for dessert . . . and four different kinds of pies—two fruit, coconut cream and banana cream with meringue, all encased in melt-in-your-mouth pie crust!

It was an amazing meal, and Verna was kind enough to share her meatball recipe. I must admit that I am picky about meatballs and rarely order them at restaurants as I have had way too many disappointments. And, I must admit I was a little reluctant the first time through the buffet—I cut one in half but it took only one bite and I was back to reclaim the other half. These meatballs are DELICIOUS!

Verna Bender's BBQ Meatballs     Makes 20 (¼ cup capacity) meatballs

Meatball Mixture

3 lbs. ground beef (I used 80-85% lean)

2 cups oatmeal  (I used old-fashioned but the quick-cook variety would work, too)

1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk

2 teaspoons salt

½ teaspoon pepper

2 eggs

½ cup chopped onion

½ teaspoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons chili powder

BBQ Sauce

2 cups ketchup

½ cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons liquid smoke

½ teaspoon garlic powder

1. Meatballs: Mix ingredients well. Shape into balls and arrange on a baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes (longer for larger balls).
   
   
   

   

   I used a 1/4 cup capacity scoop to form uniform sized meatballs.

2. While meatballs bake, combine ingredients for the sauce.
   
3. Remove from oven, cover with sauce and bake another 20 to 30 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through.

   

   Covered with sauce and ready to go back in the oven
   for another 30 minutes of baking .

Note: This recipe freezes well . . . at any stage (raw meatballs, partially cooked with sauce added or after being baked).

Recipe without photos . . .

Verna Bender's BBQ Meatballs     Makes 20 (¼ cup capacity) meatballs

Meatball Mixture

3 lbs. ground beef (I used 80-85% lean)

2 cups oatmeal (I used old-fashioned but the quick-cook variety would work, too)

1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk

2 teaspoons salt

½ teaspoon pepper

2 eggs

½ cup chopped onion

½ teaspoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons chili powder

BBQ Sauce 

2 cups ketchup

½ cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons liquid smoke

½ teaspoon garlic powder

1. Meatballs: Mix ingredients well. Shape into balls and arrange on a baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes (longer for larger balls).
2. While meatballs bake, combine ingredients for the sauce
3. Remove from oven, cover with sauce and bake another 20 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through.

Note: This recipe freezes well . . . at any stage (raw meatballs, partially cooked with sauce added or after being baked).

Collard Greens . . . cooking up a "mess of greens" from our garden!

This was my first attempt at cooking collard greens . . . and Barry's first attempt at growing them! After picking a "mess of greens," I washed them, cut out the stem, chopped them in thin strips and . . .

Collards growing in
our garden

Collard Greens
4 slices of bacon, cut into 4 to 5 pieces
1 yellow or white onion, diced
A "mess of collard greens" (that translates to about 3 big handfuls), stem cut out & then chopped into thin strips
1/4 cup+ chicken broth
Salt & pepper—about 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt & 1/4 teaspoon pepper. or to taste
2 to 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 to 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
Drizzle of hot sauce

1. Add bacon pieces to a hot skillet (medium-high temp), cook until brown and crisp, rendering off the fat.
   
2. Remove bacon and add onions; sauté until they are tender and translucent.
   
3. Add stemmed and chopped collards, turn to coat in bacon fat.
   
4. Add 1/4 cup chicken broth, salt and pepper, apple cider vinegar, sugar and a drizzle of hot sauce. Put lid on skillet and simmer for 45 minutes or until greens are tender. Add more chicken broth if needed. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
   
5. Topped cooked green with the crisp bacon.
   
   
   

   

   We served our collard greens with baked fish filets.

Recipe without photos . . . 
Collard Greens
4 slices of bacon, cut into 4 to 5 pieces
1 yellow or white onion, diced
A "mess of collard greens" (that translates to about 3 big handfuls), stem cut out & then chopped into thin strips
1/4 cup+ chicken broth
Salt & pepper—about 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt & 1/4 teaspoon pepper. or to taste
2 to 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 to 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
Drizzle of hot sauce

1. Add bacon pieces to a hot skillet (medium-high temp), cook until brown and crisp, rendering off the fat.
2. Remove bacon and add onions; sauté until they are tender and translucent.
3. Add stemmed and chopped collards, turn to coat in bacon fat.
4. Add 1/4 cup chicken broth, salt and pepper, apple cider vinegar, sugar and a drizzle of hot sauce. Put lid on skillet and simmer for 45 minutes or until greens are tender. Add more chicken broth if needed. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
5. Topped cooked green with the crisp bacon.

Kale & Cannellini Bean Stew

Generally the term "stew" refers to a combination of meat and vegetables cooked slowly in a covered pot or dish. The stew substitutes cannellini (white kidney) beans for the meat. The resulting dish is rich and flavorful . . . and we didn't miss the meat!

Kale & Cannellini Bean Stew
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow or white onion, chopped
2 to 3 teaspoons fresh thyme sprigs
2 cups stemmed & chopped kale (I used Red Russian but any variety works)
1 quart broth (chicken or vegetable)

Chopped kale.

1 teaspoon+ ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon+ garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon+ dried red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon+ Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon+ coarsely ground pepper
2 Russet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 can cannelloni (white kidney) beans -- do not drain
1/2 cup roasted red peppers

1. Heat oil; add onions and thyme and sauté until tender and translucent.
   
2. Add chopped kale and stir to coat with oil.
   
3. Add most of the quart of broth. Cover and simmer on low heat for about 1 hour or until kale is tender; add remaining broth if needed.
   
4. Add potatoes and all the spices. Cover and cook on medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
   
5. Taste and add more seasonings if needed.
6. Add beans and red peppers and cook to heat through.
   

Other recipes at this site featuring KALE:

Petite Chick Pea Steaks (Falafel) w/ Kale Salad & Cucumber Sauce

Kale-and-Blueberry Slaw w/ Buttermilk Dressing

Braised Kale & Leeks (a side dish)

Other soup recipes include:

Kale, Potato & Bean Pot w/ Ham Hocks

Kale, Chicken & Orzo Soup

Kale, Sausage & Potato Soup

Kale, Sweet Potato & Sausage Soup

White Bean & Sausage Soup

Recipe without photos . . .
Kale & Cannellini Bean Stew

2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow or white onion, chopped
2 to 3 teaspoons fresh thyme sprigs
2 cups stemmed & chopped kale (I used  Red Russian but any variety works)
1 quart broth (chicken or vegetable)
1 teaspoon+ ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon+ garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon+ dried red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon+ Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon+ coarsely ground pepper
2 Russet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 can cannelloni (white kidney) beans -- do not drain
1/2 cup roasted red peppers

1. Heat oil; add onions and thyme and sauté until tender and translucent.
2. Add chopped kale and stir to coat with oil.
3. Add most of the quart of broth. Cover and simmer on low heat for about 1 hour or until kale is tender; add remaining broth if needed.
4. Add potatoes and all the spices. Cover and cook on medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
5. Taste and add more seasonings if needed.
6. Add beans and red peppers and cook to heat through.

Roasted Red Pepper & Garlic Hummus -- a quest for the "perfect" hummus

We are definitely hummus fans. However, we find that a lot of recipes call for way too much lemon juice and that the garlic is sometimes overpowering! So, I've been experimenting with the basic ingredients . . . my quest for the "perfect" hummus. Here's what I've come up with so far.

Roasted Red Pepper & Garlic Hummus
1 (15 oz.) can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained & rinsed
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
2 to 3  large cloves of roasted garlic* (roasting adds a touch of sweetness)
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/8 to 1/4  teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika + extra for topping
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 to 1 cup roasted red pepper, chopped (reserve some for topping / I just used jarred peppers)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil + more for serving (use the "good" stuff for added flavor, such as The Tasteful Olive's EVOO)
Chopped parsley for topping (I used the flat leaf variety)

1. Add half the garbanzo beans to the food processor; process about 1 minute.
2. Scrape sides of work bowl; add remaining garbanzo beans and process another 1 to 2 minutes until mixture is smooth.
   
3. Add remaining ingredients, except for the parsley) and process until smooth. 
   
   
   
   
4. Taste, adjust seasonings as needed. Add additional tahini and/or olive oil if needed for both flavor and to achieve a creamy consistency. At this point, the hummus was still a little to textural for my taste, so I experimented by adding the mixture to our NutriBullet and I thought this helped create a slightly creamier mixture.
5. Pour mixture into a serving bowl. Drizzle with additional EVOO, chopped roasted red pepper, chopped parsley + lightly sprinkle with paprika.

   

   We served the hummus with pita chips and black bean chips.

To ROAST GARLIC:
Preheat oven to 400°. Slice off the very top of garlic head. Place in a square of  foil and drizzle lightly with 1 to 2 teaspoons olive oil; sprinkle lightly with Kosher salt. Seal foil, creating a packet; place packet on a baking pan and bake 35 to 40 minutes or until garlic is tender and fragrant. Once cool, simply squeeze the head of garlic and the cloves will pop out.

Recipes without photos . . .
Roasted Red Pepper & Garlic Hummus
1 (15 oz.) can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained & rinsed
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
2 to 3  large cloves of roasted garlic* (roasting adds a touch of sweetness)
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/8 to 1/4  teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika + extra for topping
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
 3/4 to 1 cup roasted red pepper, chopped (reserve some for topping / I just used jarred peppers)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil + more for serving (use the "good" stuff for added flavor, such as The Tasteful Olive's EVOO)
Chopped parsley for topping (I used the flat leaf variety)

1. Add half the garbanzo beans to the food processor; process about 1 minute.
2. Scrape sides of work bowl; add remaining garbanzo beans and process another 1 to 2 minutes until mixture is smooth.
3. Add remaining ingredients, except for the parsley) and process until smooth. 
4. Taste, adjust seasonings as needed. Add additional tahini and/or olive oil if needed for both flavor and to achieve a creamy consistency. At this point, the hummus was still a little to textural for my taste, so I experimented by adding the mixture to our NutriBullet and I thought this helped create a slightly creamier mixture.
5. Pour mixture into a serving bowl. Drizzle with additional EVOO, chopped roasted red pepper, chopped parsley + lightly sprinkle with paprika.

To ROAST GARLIC:
Preheat oven to 400°. Slice off the very top of garlic head. Place in a square of  foil and drizzle lightly with 1 to 2 teaspoons olive oil; sprinkle lightly with Kosher salt. Seal foil, creating a packet; place packet on a baking pan and bake 35 to 40 minutes or until garlic is tender and fragrant. Once cool, simply squeeze the head of garlic and the cloves will pop out.

Kale-and-Blueberry Slaw with Buttermilk Dressing

The menu for Erin Payne’s high school graduation dinner was a collection of her favorite dishes. Uncle Barry fixed the Shrimp Scampi, I made the Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Swirl Cookies—Pizookies (casserole cookies), and her mom, Marla Payne, made this salad for a family gathering.

Southern Living magazine (my sister’s go-to recipe source) definitely created another winner.

Kale-and-Blueberry Slaw with Buttermilk Dressing Print

6 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

3 tablespoons grated onion

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon hot sauce (such as Tabasco)

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 Granny Smith apple, grated

1 cup buttermilk

6 tablespoons mayonnaise

6 tablespoons sour cream

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh tarragon

1/2 to 1 tsp. kosher salt

1/4 to 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/4 to 1/2 tsp. sugar

6 radishes, thinly sliced

4 medium carrots, cut into thin strips (Marla cut her into coin shapes)

1 bunch kale, trimmed and thinly sliced

1/2 small head red cabbage, shredded

1 cup fresh blueberries

1 cup fresh raspberries

1. Stir together first 6 ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid; let stand 5 minutes. Add buttermilk and next 3 ingredients. Cover jar with lid; shake vigorously until blended and smooth. Add salt, pepper, and sugar to taste.

2. Toss together radishes, next 5 ingredients, and 1/2 cup dressing in a large bowl; let stand 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with remaining dressing.

Cheesy Cauliflower Casserole -- make ahead and bake later

Creamy, cheesy sauce over cauliflower, baked in the oven until the edges get crunchy and bubbly. It’s like a healthier version of mac and cheese.

Oven baking allows you to make this dish ahead, and then bake when needed. However, you can forget the oven and simply eat the creamed cauliflower after pouring the cheese sauce over the cooked cauliflower if you prefer.

Yet another way to use versatile white sauce!

Cheesy Cauliflower Casserole    4+ servings

1 head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets

1 tablespoon salt

2 tablespoon butter

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

½ teaspoon dried red chili pepper flakes

½ teaspoon thyme leaves

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon Kosher salt, or to taste

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

2 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 ½ cups milk

8 oz. sharp Cheddar, grated (equivalent to about 1 cup)

Bread crumbs

Ground paprika, Hungarian or smoked

1.  Preheat oven to 400°.

2.  Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Add the salt and the cauliflower, reduce heat to medium and simmer until crisp tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Or, if you are not going to bake the dish, cook until tender.

3.  Meanwhile, use extra butter (or spray) a large baking dish (large enough to comfortably fit all the cauliflower).

4.  Drain the cauliflower and add the florets to the baking dish.

5.  To make the cheese sauce:

a. Melt the butter in a saucepan on medium heat.

b. Add the garlic, chili flakes, thyme leaves, mustard, salt and pepper; cook for about 1 minute.

c. Add the flour and stir constantly. This flour-butter mixture is called a roux. You want the roux to get just a little brown; this will probably take another minute. Also, during this added cooking time, the flavors develop so as to avoid a raw flour taste.

d.  Slowly add the milk to the pot, stirring constantly.

e.  Continue to cook until the mixture thickens (it should coat a metal spoon).

f.  Taste the sauce and additional salt and pepper as needed.

g. When mixture is thick, add the cheese. You should have a creamy, smooth, savory sauce at this point.

6. Pour the sauce over the cauliflower.

7. Top with a light coating of bread crumbs and a sprinkling of paprika.

8. Place the dish in the oven for 40 minutes, or until top is brown and bubbly.