Two from the Dispatch

Here’s a couple of recipes I found in the paper yesterday that looked tasty.

Porcupine Meatballs

Serves 4

1 pound ground beef
¾ cup instant or regular white or brown rice
1 1/3 cups water
½ cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon celery salt
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Mix beef, rice, ½ cup water, onion, salt, celery salt, and pepper. Shape into balls about 1 ½ inches in diameter and place into baking dish.

Mix sugar, Worcestershire sauce, remaining cup of water, and tomato sauce. Pour over meatballs. Cover dish with foil. Bake for 45 minutes, then uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes.

Notes from the Hare

Nothing for the meatballs – although I’m not entirely sure where they got the name ‘porcupine’ from.

Pasta and Bean Soup

Serves 2

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup sliced yellow onion
½ cup sliced carrots
1 cup sliced celery
2 ½ cups canned diced tomatoes, low sodium, undrained
3 cups water
1 cup sliced cabbage or lettuce
1 cup “short” pasta (fusilli, penne, etc.)
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
2 cups fresh spinach (or frozen)
1 cup rinsed and drained canned red beans
¼ pound lean smoked ham, cubed (roughly ¾ cup)
½ cup shredded cheese (cheddar, Monterey Jack, Colby, etc.)
Salt
Pepper

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Add onion, celery, and carrots. Sauté 2 to 3 minutes. Add tomatoes with juices and water. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to medium. Cover and cook 5 minutes. Add cabbage and pasta, increase heat and boil uncovered 8 to 10 minutes.

Stir vinegar into horseradish. Add to soup with the spinach, beans, and ham. Boil 1 to 2 minutes or until spinach is wilted and pasta is tender. Add cheese and salt and pepper to taste

Notes from the Hare

You can make the soup vegetarian by replacing the ham with more cheese, or leaving both out entirely You can also use a few drops of hot pepper sauce instead of horseradish