Mozzarella Meatballs

In the mood for something a little different this weekend? Well why not try making your very own mozzarella meatballs! Paired with spaghetti, courgetti, some sweet potato wedges, or even a mixed salad, these babies can be devoured with a number of different sides. Brought to my attention by my boyfriend, we put our meatball making skills to the test last weekend. Due to tasting so good, we had to share!

Recipe: Mozzarella Meatballs

Ingredients (serves four):

• 500g ground minced beef (I recommend you use lean mice)
• 500g hot Italian sausage (de-skin individual spicy sausages if you can't find hot Italian sausage meat)
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp salt to season
• 1 tsp black pepper to season
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese (shavings or grated works best)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
• 1/4 cup of finely chopped onion 
• Mozzarella cheese (we used a medium sized ball of Mozzarella)
• Italian herbs (I added Italian herbs into the mixture too)
• A large jar of tomato sauce (or two medium sized jars  - depending on how many meatballs you're making. We used two medium jars and made about 14 meatballs in total.)

What you'll need:

• A slow cooker (set to high)
• A large bowl

Method:

1. Cut low moisture mozzarella cheese into 3/4 inch cubes (a little bigger than the size of a dice) and set to the side, or place in the fridge out of the way.
2. Prep the meat: In a large mixing bowl add the ground beef, hot Italian sausage, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, eggs, whole milk, chopped parsley, chopped onion, and the Italian herbs all together. Toss the meat around, mixing the ingredients with your hands creating a meaty mixture which stays together when pressed into one big lump.
3. Roll golf ball sized balls with the meat mixture. Push the mozzarella cube/s into the centre of the ball and pull the edges of the meat ball (shaping it into a new ball again) with the cheese tucked away inside. Be as generous as you like with the cheese, but don't over do it as the meatball may open up whilst cooking if too much cheese is inside.
4. Put a layer of tomato sauce on the bottom of the slow cooker and arrange the meatballs then cover in tomato sauce. We had two layers of meatballs in the slow cooker and they were all consistent so don't be afraid of layering up.
5. Cook on high for 2 to 2.5 hours, then serve with your preferred side dish, garnishing with a sprinkling of finely chopped parsley.

Fast forward two and a half hours later...

Voila! Mozarella meatballs. Fun and very easy to make, and they don't only look delicious, they taste extraordinarily scrumptious too. An ideal dish if you're treating friends to a hearty home-cooked meal, or if you're looking to impress the family with something a little different.

  For Now...

Just Julia

Some flipping good healthy pancake recipes

A few weeks ago my boyfriend came home and shared with me one of the easiest, and most delicious dessert/snack/breakfast recipes I have ever heard of; Banana pancakes.

Sharing the recipe with my work colleagues, who are now mad about the healthy snack too, I've decided to reveal the quick and easy recipe along with a few others, ahead of Shrove Tuesday this week. Some flipping good #pancakeinspo below if I do say so myself, however, the keen baker I am not!

What equipment you'll need:

• A bowl
• A pan griddle or frying pan
• A fork
• A spatula (or anything which will help you flip your pancakes)
• Some low calorie spray oil for the pan

Banana Pancakes

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe banana
• 1 large egg

Method:

1. Mash the banana with a fork in a bowl and crack the egg in, stirring the mixture until it becomes a smooth, mushy paste with no lumps. (Do not blend).

2. Heat a lightly greased griddle or frying pan on a medium heat and pour out two large or four small pancakes.

3. Once bubbling on top, or brown on one side, carefully flip the pancake onto the other side and cook until both sides are lightly browned.

4. Enjoy on their own or add some fresh berries, a dash of honey, or a sprinkling of coconut shavings on top.

Blueberry Pancakes

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe bananas
• 1 large egg
• A pinch of cinnamon
• Blueberries (as many as you want to use!)

Method:

1. Mash the bananas with a fork in a bowl and beat in the egg, stirring the mixture until it becomes a smooth, mushy paste with no lumps. (Do not blend).

2. Mix in the cinnamon into the banana mixture.

3. Heat a lightly greased griddle or frying pan on a medium heat and pour out two large or four small pancakes and top with blueberries as one side cooks.

4. Once bubbling on top, or brown on one side, carefully flip the pancake onto the other side and cook until both sides are lightly browned.

5. Repeat stage 3 if you would like a stack of pancakes or are cooking for a second person (the perfect Valentine's breakfast!). Stack, stack, stack 'em up.

6. Enjoy on their own or add some extra fresh berries or a dash of honey. I decided to add some blueberry and elderflower yoghurt too, yum!

Coconut Pancakes

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe bananas
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• A pinch of cinnamon
• 1 tsp of coconut oil

Method:

1. Mash the bananas with a fork  in a bowl and beat in the egg and the coconut, stirring the mixture until it becomes a smooth, mushy paste with no lumps. (Do not blend).

2. Mix in the cinnamon into the banana mixture.

3. Heat the coconut oil in the griddle or frying pan on a medium heat and pour out two large, or four small pancakes.

4. Once bubbling on top, or brown on one side, carefully flip the pancake onto the other side and cook until both sides are lightly browned.

5. Enjoy on their own or add some extra coconut shavings and dried or fresh fruit. I decided to create a fresh, Spring pancake and used raspberries, passionfruit and flower petals to add an aromatic kick to the pancakes (when using flower petals only a small amount is needed - the rest use for decoration!)

Chocolate Chip (or Double Chocolate Chip) Pancakes

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe banana
• 1 large egg
• A few handfuls of Chocolate chips (add as many as you want!)
• You could always add 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder if you'd like to create double chocolate chip pancakes, however, be sure to add another egg and half of a banana to ensure the egg can contain the mixture together. (The rest of the banana can be used as a topping).

Method:

1. Mash the banana with a fork in a bowl and crack the egg in, stirring the mixture until it becomes a smooth, mushy paste with no lumps. (Do not blend). If you would like to create the double chocolate chip pancakes, then this is when you should ass the cocoa powder, and the extra egg and half banana.

2. Heat a lightly greased griddle or frying pan on a medium heat and pour out two large, or four small pancakes and top with chocolate chips whilst cooking.

3. Once bubbling on top, or brown on one side, carefully flip the pancake onto the other side and cook until both sides are lightly browned.

4. Enjoy on their own, or add some of the extra banana to top it off. With Easter in mind, I decided to add a few mini eggs for decoration and a dollop of Nutella with strawberries - best for those with a sweet tooth.

You'd be flipping mad not to try these out, and if you're feeling naughty, you could always add a splash of maple syrup with bacon rashers or even Nutella to any of the pancakes above! 

Happy flipping!

  For Now...

Just Julia

10 ways to put Christmas cheer into your prosecco

Twas a few days before Christmas, when up on the blog,

Came a feature so fizzy you'd possibly explode;

So read if you dare, the secrets I share,

What else can fare with Prosecco and glassware!?

Prossecco is one of my favourite tipples, that is, alongside gin, cocktails, and Champagne obviously. The way the bubbles tickle my tongue always makes me giddy, and the only time better to have bubbles (than all the time) is the festive period! I love to celebrate everything and anything with my family and friends, be that birthdays, promotions, new jobs, engagements, anniversaries, you name it. So, with that in mind, and with the month of festive celebrations already underway, it would have been rude not to have pulled together a number of 'quirky' prosecco tipples for y'all to indulge in over the festive period. It is Christmas after all! 

CHRISTMAS MORNING

For those who like to kick-start the festivities bright and early

1. Terry's Not-So-Chocolate Blood Orange:

Squeeze and strain the juice of a ripe blood orange and pour 50ml into a tall flute glass. Top up with ice-cold prosecco and garnish with a slice, or twist, of the orange. The perfect way to start off Christmas morning, especially when accompanied by eggs Benedict and smoked salmon, delicious!

2. Oh-So-Classy Buck's Fizz:

Pour 1/3 of fresh orange juice into a Champagne flute and top up with 2/3 prosecco. Add 1/2 teaspoon of grenadine and garnish with a twist of orange peel.

JUST FOR FUN

For those who love a little bit of Christmas quirk, and are avid Instagrammers #proseccoparty

3. Rocking Around the Christmas Tree

Fill a champagne flute with prosecco, and add a flavoured rock candy stick into the prosecco. The flavour is completely up to you, however, to create a variation of different tastes add two different flavours together and experiment with your tastebuds before, or even after Christmas dinner.

AFTERNOON/DINNER

For those who enjoy a spicing up the festive period

4. Spicy Santa-Tini:

To a glass of prosecco add 1 shot of chilli infused vodka and 1 shot of chocolate liqueur. Dust cocoa powder round the rim of the glass. Ho, Ho, Ho.

5. Cranberry and Pear Prosecco Cocktail:

Pour one or two shots of pear vodka (Absolute Vodka has a fantastic one), and top up with prosecco, garnishing with fresh cranberries. Decorate the rim of the champagne flute with sugar and cinnamon. (Put one tablespoon of sugar and a teaspoon of ground cinnamon, mix, and then dip the glass rim into the mix).

AFTER DINNER GAMES:

For those feeling a little adventurous...

6. Rudolph's alcoholic water bucket:

Every hard-working reindeer needs to replenish after a long night at work.

Slice lemons and limes and squeeze into a punch bowl, add 200ml of Edinburgh Gin's Raspberry Liqueur, and 100ml of Vodka alongside one cup full of raspberries (preferably frozen) to the punch bowl and top up with a bottle of prosecco. Top up with prosecco, raspberry liqueur and vodka as and when.

7. The Grinch:

Grab a champagne flute, add one shot of Midori and a dash of lemon juice, top up with prosecco - oh so sweet and not so sour, just like The Grinch (in the end that is!)

8. Jack Frost:

A glass of your finest prosecco with a shot of Blue Curacao (decorate by putting coconut shavings on the rim of the glass)

LATE, LATE EVENING

For the traditional Christmas lover;
someone who will usually be seem sporting a variety of Christmas jumpers throughout the day...

9. Mrs Clause Bakewell Fizz:

Place a tablespoon of Kirsch into the bottom of a champagne flute and top up with one part Amaretto Disaronno and three parts prosecco. To garnish, add a Kirsch-soaked cherry into the glass, the more the merrier!

10. Gingerbread Bellini:

Before you get started, get those mini gingerbread men at the ready!

Put 1 tablespoon of ginger cordial, or gingerbread syrup and a dash of lemon juice into a cold champagne flute. Add splash of hazelnut liqueur in and top up with prosecco, voilà!

Tip: If you want to keep those wee gingerbread men standing tall, roll up a tiny piece of icing sugar and place on the rim of the glass, it works a treat!

For Now...

Just Julia