Kitchen Nightmares -- Ali style

So, I tried a new recipe tonight, which, for reasons that will become obvious in a minute, I have chosen not to share with you.

I followed the recipe to a T: cut the chicken breasts in half to make them thin, added fresh sage and freshly grated fontina cheese, rolled them and stuck them with toothpicks.  Then I heated the olive oil and garlic and browned the chicken.  I took the chicken out of the lightly spitting oil and added the required 1/2 c of white wine.  WHAMMO! The next thing I know, I'm hiding in the pantry, wooden stirring spoon in hand as the wine and olive oil mixture EXPLODES on the stove.  I'm not talking spitting here.  I'm talking Mount Vesuvius.  It was bubbling up in the middle and then blowing ALL OVER THE KITCHEN.  I kept thinking that it would be over, but no.  Another wave of wine flew across my path.  Braving the danger, I reached out with my wooden spoon and shoved the erupting pan across the stove, spraying wine mixture in its wake.  The eruption had ceased, but the damage was done.  Wine and olive oil mixture coated my entire kitchen floor, the stove, the microwave, the utensils nicely placed in jars next to the stove, the cabinets next to and above the stove, the counter across the kitchen from the stove, the olive oil bottle that sat (laughing at me, I'm certain) next to the stove.  So, mid recipe, I added the tomato mixture that was called for and grabbed the mop.  I spent the next 30 minutes alternating between the recipe and cleaning the kitchen.

All in all, a lesson was learned here tonight.  When the recipe says "simmer" you need to read carefully, process the word SIMMER and then TURN DOWN THE STOVE.  If not, you too might find yourself hiding in your pantry wondering if you will ever get out but thankful you have a wooden spoon to lick.

Turkey Meatloaf with Feta and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Turkey Meatloaf with Feta and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

time 45 min

yield 4 to 6 servings

category Turkey

cuisine American

ingredients

Cooking spray

1/2 cup plain bread crumbs

1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes

2 cloves garlic, minced, optional

2 eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons milk

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 pound ground turkey

directions

1. Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Spray a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.

3. In a large bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, parsley, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, if using, eggs, milk, feta, salt, and pepper. Add the turkey and gently stir to combine, being careful not to overwork the meat.

4. Carefully pack the meat mixture into the prepared pan and bake until the internal temperature registers 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and slice. Put on a serving platter and serve.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Spaghetti and Meatballs

from Tyler Florence

time 1 hr 30 min

yield 4 to 6 servings

category Pasta

cuisine Italian

ingredients

Extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh parsley leaves

1 cup milk

4 thick slices bread, crust removed

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

1 1/2 pounds ground pork

1 large egg

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 cups good quality tomato sauce

1/2 pound mozzarella cheese, cut into chunks

Leaves from 3 sprigs fresh basil

1 pound spaghetti

directions

1. Bring a big pot of salted water to a boil for the spaghetti. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and parsley and cook until the vegetables are soft but still translucent, about 10 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and let cool.

2. Pour enough milk over the bread in a bowl to moisten and let it soak while the onions are cooling. Combine the meats in a large bowl. Add the egg and Parmigiano and season generously with salt and pepper. Use your hands to squeeze the excess milk out of the bread and add that to the bowl along with the cooled onion mixture. (Hang onto the pan - you'll need it to cook the meatballs.) Gently combine all the ingredients with your hands or with a spoon until just mixed together. Don't overwork or the meatballs will be tough. Divide into 10 equal pieces and shape them into 10 nice looking meatballs.

3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

4. Heat a 3-count of oil in the frying pan over medium heat and brown the meatballs on all sides, about 10 minutes. Put them into a baking dish and spoon about half of the tomato sauce over. Shower with the mozzarella and drizzle with olive oil. Put the meatballs in the oven and bake until the meatballs are cooked through, about 15 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in the boiling water until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and put it onto a large serving platter. Pour on the rest of the sauce and mix well. Spoon the meatballs on top of the spaghetti and garnish with basil leaves. Serve immediately along with extra cheese.

notes: