Weekly Favorites 02/10/19 to 02/16/19

Every Saturday, I scroll through Twitter to find my favorite #foodblogger posts! These are this week's

favorites!

My wife and I love to make Roasted Butternut Squash soup. It's one of our favorite things to make. It's so simple and full of flavor. We have our own recipe for it, but I'm always curious to see other people make theirs.

My butternut squash soup after it has been blended.#soup #vegetarian #food #FoodBlogger #recipe #HealthyEatinghttps://t.co/tqsmdDGtyL pic.twitter.com/jBfRF3DdcP

— Ferret chef (@chef_ferret) February 13, 2019

A good bread can make or break a meal. I've never been really good at baking bread, though I have tried a few different recipes. This ciabatta bread looks like one I may have to try.

Create some relaxation in the kitchen this weekend with this Ciabatta recipe which also makes the kitchen smell amazing!https://t.co/HdYoC5q7WD#nerdthatcooks #recipes #ciabatta #ciabatta #bread #baking #sundayrelaxation #newrecipe #newblogpost #foodblogger #food pic.twitter.com/qMqB72BQDL

— nerdthatcooks (@nerdthatcooks) February 16, 2019

Grilled cheese always takes me back to when I was a kid. Now, as an adult, I like to play around with different cheeses, adding different meats, and maybe even some pickles.

Ultimate Grilled #cheese Sandwich. #foodblogger https://t.co/PZiXAIE0eE pic.twitter.com/Sl6HcQXd4E

— Nadia Melford (@NadiaMelford) February 16, 2019

I think by now, you all know that I am a sucker for sweets and baked goods, especially chocolate! This chocolate cake recipe looks amazing.

La Petit Chocolat Cake Recipe
IT'S SOOO GOOOD!!!!!#RecipeOfTheDay #chocolate #Aldiswine #PetitChocolate #recipe #food #foodie #simplerecipe #blog #blogger #foodblogger #wine #chocolatewine #sweetred https://t.co/uu3WgXbgQ1 pic.twitter.com/yBk0PS6yQR

— Spice (@Spiceandnnn) February 16, 2019

I always like to see restaurant reviews. It's a good way to plan a trip or a night out and know what it is you can expect when you get there!  Granted, I'm not planning a trip to Manchester any time soon, but this does give me a few ideas if  I ever do!

Full review of The Ivy Asia.... what a fantastic place: https://t.co/utAQ8sr9bC @weareindigouk #manchester #theivy #foodblogger pic.twitter.com/NI5nNqxh7M

— Emma Campbell (@WhatEmmaDid_) February 14, 2019

To go along with the perfect grilled sandwich above, nothing pairs better than a delicious tomato soup!

Want to know how to make the perfect bowl of to tomato soup? Read my latest blogpost titled: Tomato Soup https://t.co/0qcS7oH4bY #tomatosoup #blogger #blogpost #blog #foodblogger #blogging #soup #food #foodie pic.twitter.com/WdG9iMpOm3

— WriterElsaJoseph (@writerelsa) February 16, 2019

Rye Bread Recipe

For as long as I can remember, I've loved rye bread. I remember my dad always having a loaf of rye bread in the pantry. So, it's probably an association thing for me. Nostalgia. It brings back memories.

Rye Bread Fresh from the Oven

Back in college, I got really in to making various types of bread. There were French breads, multi-grain breads, and then rye. My recipe is the result of a lot of internet research and base off of several recipes that I found, one from Emeril specifically. This


The Recipe

The Ingredients:

Rye Bread Dough, Waiting to Rise

• 1 Envelope Yeast
• 1 Tablespoon Sugar
• 4 Tablespoons Melted Butter
• 2 Eggs
• 1 Cup Warm Milk
• 1 and 1/2 Teaspoons Salt
• 1 Cup Rye Flour
• 2 and 1/2 Cups Bread Flour
• 1 Tablespoon Caraway Seeds
• 1 Teaspoon Olive Oil
• 1 Large Egg, Beaten

The Method:

Combine the yeast, sugar, 2 eggs, and milk with a dough hook. Add the salt, rye, flour, and caraway seeds. Beat on medium until the dough forms a ball. Using the olive oil, grease a large glass bowl. Place the dough ball in the bowl and cover. Let sit to rise for one hour

Risen Rye Dough

Knead the dough into the desired shape. I prefer something short and fat that I can slice and make sandwiches out of. Place the shaped dough in to a bread pan and let rise another hour. 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees with a water bath. A water bath can be as simple as a pot of water on the lower rack of the oven. Wash the dough with the beaten egg and sprinkle with caraway seeds. Bake for 45 minutes. Let cool on a baking rack.

Happy eating!

Meatball Sub!

Meatball Sub

This past weekend, I had to house to myself. This typically allows me to just cook what sounds good in the moment, without having to worry it something that the kids will eat. I decided to take my meatball recipe and my quick tomato sauce recipe, and turn it in to a meatball sub! Be sure to check out the post on Spaghetti and Meatballs to find some ideas for the kiddos!

Here are the recipes!

For the Meatball Sub

One Recipe for Quick Tomato Sauce
One Recipe for Meatballs
Loaf of Italian Bread
Parmesan Cheese

Cut the bread to size and split down the middle. Cut the meatballs in half and line them up inside the bread. Top the meatballs with tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!


Quick Tomato Sauce

Olive Oil
1/2 onion - diced
4 garlic cloves - minced
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1 Tbsp sugar
Tsp oregano
Tsp parsley
salt and pepper
spinach (optional)
crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 Cup red wine (optional)

In a sauce pan, heat olive oil. Saute the onions and garlic with salt and pepper over medium-high heat. When the onions turn translucent, reduce the heat. Add the canned tomatoes, oregano, parsley, and sugar. The sugar will help to counteract the acidity in the tomatoes. I like to add it, but it is optional. I also like to shake in some crushed red pepper, but it depends on who is eating with me. Cook for about thirty minutes. To sneak in some extra vitamins for the kids, you can throw in a handful of spinach leaves. Put the sauce in a food processor, or use an immersion blender if you have one, and blend until smooth.


Italian Style Meatballs

1 lb ground beef
1 egg
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs (I make my own. Look for the recipe below.)
1/2 cup Italian cheese
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp parsley
salt and pepper

The meatballs are super easy to make. Add all of the ingredients to a bowl. Add in a few drops of water. Mix together with you hands. This is the most effective way. When the ingredients are well mixed, roll out the meatballs and place on a sheet pan. Make sure the meatballs are not any bigger than about 2 inches to make sure they will cook through. Please the sheet pan under the broiler and cook until the meatballs are browned. Flip the meatballs over and cook until brown.

Cheesy Garlic Bread

Cheesy Garlic Bread

I've always loved garlic bread. The toasted bread. The butter. The garlic flavor! But the plain garlic bread can get boring, so I wanted to experiment with some flavors and ingredients to see what would make it better. I came up with the idea of adding lemon, Parmesan cheese, and parsley, and all of a sudden garlic bread was on a whole new level! Try serving it with Linguine and Red Clam Sauce!

The Recipe:

• 3 Tablespoons Butter
• Juice of Half a Lemon
• 1 Tablespoon Fresh Parsley - Chopped
• 1 Tablespoon Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 3 Garlic Cloves - Minced
• Salt and Pepper
• Italian or French Bread

Cheesy Garlic Bread Under the Broiler

Combine the butter, lemon juice, parsley, garlic, Parmesan, and salt and pepper. Slice the Parmesan in to two halves. Spread the mixture evenly on the bread. Try to spread it as thick as possible. Place the bread under a broiler set to low. When the bread is toasted to a light brown, it is ready. The cheese and butter will likely not be melted.  

Linguine and Red Clam Sauce

One of my favorite classic Italian dishes is Linguine and Clams, especially with red sauce. I'll settle with the white or cream sauce, but I definitely prefer the tomato based sauce.

The Recipe:

Linguine and Red Clam Sauce Served with Cheesy Garlic Bread.

• 3 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1 Shallot -  Diced
• 3 Garlic Cloves - Minced
• 1 Can Whole Clams
• 1 Can Diced Tomatoes
• 1/4 Cup Clam Juice
• 1/4 Dry Chardonnay
• Juice of 1 Large Lemon
• 1 Package Linguine
• 1/4 Cup Chopped Parsley to Garnish
• Salt and Pepper
• Crushed Red Pepper
• Parmesan Cheese (optional)

Sauté the garlic, shallot, crushed red pepper, salt, and pepper in the butter and olive oil. Add in the clams and tomatoes. Stir until heated. Add in the the lemon juice, chardonnay, and clam juice. Cook until the liquid reduces by half. Stir into linguine and garnish with chopped parsley. You can top the pasta with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese as well. Sometimes I like to get fancy and  add some shrimp, scallops, or fresh clams. If you go this route, add them at the very end. They will cook very quickly. For the fresh clams, add a lid to the pan. Once the clams open, they are done. 

Italian Bread Dipping Oil

A Mason Jar is great for storing extra
Italian Bread Dipping Oil Spice Blend!

Growing up, one of my favorite parts about going to eat at an Italian restaurant was the oil for dipping the bread in. Sure other restaurants had bread and butter, but there was something about the olive oil with herbs and spices that made those Italian places something to look forward too! As I got older, I decided to try my hand at making my own spice mix to add to the olive oil. Sometimes I'll make a big batch and store it in a jar to add olive oil to later. I don't add salt to mine. I have found that the olive oil does not need any salt added. It can be added as an option.

The Recipe:

• 1 Teaspoon Pepper
• 1 Teaspoon Onion Powder
• 1 Teaspoon Dried Minced Garlic
• 1 Teaspoon Basil
• 1 Teaspoon Oregano
• 1 Teaspoon Parsley
• 1 Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper
• 1 Teaspoon Salt (optional)

Italian Bread with Italian Bread
Dipping Oil Spice Blend

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Add a spoonful to a small plate and drizzle enough olive oil to cover. Sometimes I'll add some fresh grated Parmesan to the mix. I found that the best way to make it is to have equal parts of each ingredient. The bread is meant to the be the star and shouldn't be overpowered by the spices.