Be Your Own Italian Grandmother

I don’t have an Italian grandmother (although I wouldn't trade my grandmas for the world), but if I had a bonus grandma, I think these would be a great approximation of what she would make.

The meatballs are lightened up a bit, using turkey instead of beef or pork. Sure, I'm too lazy to peel tomatoes, so I use the canned kind, but the sauce still tastes ten times better than anything you buy in a jar. Both recipes are easy, but make for a great dinner!

And even better, both are freezable and perfect for pulling out of the oven on a busy weeknight.

Pasta Sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 32 oz. can of whole tomatoes
3 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley leaves
3 tablespoons fresh chopped fresh basil
1 32 oz. can of tomato sauce
½ tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dried fennel seeds
½ tablespoon dried thyme
½ tablespoon dried oregano
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
1 cup dry red wine

In a large stock pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and sauté for 5 or 6 minutes until the onions are translucent.

In a food processor, combine the whole tomatoes (drained), Italian parsley, and basil, pulse several times until the tomatoes are broken up into very small pieces, but still have texture. Add to the pan with the onions and garlic, and then add the tomato sauce, red pepper flakes, fennel, thyme, oregano, and tomato paste. Bring to a bubble. Add the red wine and bring to a bubble again. Reduce heat to low and let simmer, stirring occasionally for two hours or as long as you can take it. The longer it cooks, the better it tastes, but honestly, it tastes pretty good as soon as you add the red wine.


Turkey Meatballs

1 small onion, grated

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 large egg

1/4 cup dried bread crumbs

3 oz (half a small can) of tomato paste

1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dried fennel seeds
1 teaspoon oregano

1 pound ground dark turkey meat (Don’t use the super-lean turkey or they will turn out very dry. I think if you used a mix of lean and dark it would probably turn out okay, though.)

2 tablespoons olive oil

Add the onion, garlic, egg, bread crumbs, tomato paste, parsley, Parmesan, red pepper flakes, fennel seeds, oregano, salt and pepper to a large bowl and blend. Mix in the turkey. Shape the turkey mixture into 1 1/4-inch-diameter meatballs. Place on a large rimmed baking sheet covered in foil and sprinkled with the olive oil. Roll the meatballs around in the olive oil. This keeps them from sticking to the foil and helps them brown in the oven. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.

Bake for 10 minutes, then pull them out and turn them over. Bake another ten minutes. Add to heated pasta sauce and let simmer for 10 minutes or so until they are completely cooked through. Serve over pasta.

The Oceanaire Reviewed

Who was there?
Both times we went for dinner, the crowd was older and leaning toward the moneyed, Highland Parkish demographic. I’m fairly sure that we were the youngest people in there both times. At least, we were the youngest that weren’t dining there with our parents.

How were the drinks?
They have a fairly extensive, affordable wine list for both white and red varieties. We tried a couple of tasty Marlborough Sauvignon Blancs that were less than $40 a bottle and went great with the seafood.

What were we eating? How did it taste?
I would like to say right away that I am a little biased here because I am an absolute freak for seafood. This is why I chose the Oceanaire for my b-day dinner.

We started with a variety of oysters chosen by our waiter. They were all incredibly delicious, but our favorites were some small, briny gems from Prince Edward Island and some larger, succulent pieces from Duxbury, Connecticut. The only slight I saw with the oysters was that the horseradish spiked cocktail sauce was too delicious to resist putting on the oysters—which unfortunately masked their taste.

Hands down, the crab cakes at Oceanaire are the best that either my husband or I have ever tried. They are made of the sweetest jumbo lump crab meat imaginable and are held together by just enough bread crumbs to keep them together. After we shared one, I found myself wishing I had just ordered them as my main course so that I could have two of them all to myself.

Of the main courses we tried, the Stuffed Texas Gulf Flounder was the biggest hit. Stuffed with shrimp and crab, they were drizzled with a lemon butter sauce that my husband was practically licking off the plate. I had to admit, it was just that good.

Probably the weakest of the dishes we tried was the sashimi style tuna with wasabi, a ginger-soy reduction and seaweed salad. The fish was fresh and flavorful, but the wasabi was very bland. There were also just a few drops of the soy reduction on the plate, and I definitely would have liked more. Overall, I was pretty underwhelmed. Especially since it directly followed the heavenly crab cake.

How was the service?
Our waiters on both visits were energetic and passionate about seafood. They had good suggestions with the oysters and the wine, and they were very nice about answering questions.

For my birthday, the restaurant also gave us a specialty menu that read “Happy Birthday Robin” at the top. Of course, all I could think about was direct address and how there should be a comma between “Birthday” and “Robin”, but that’s just me. It was still a nice touch.

They also brought us a free dessert on our b-day visit, which was the Baked Alaska. After sampling the Key Lime Pie on our last visit, which was tart, HUGE and delicious, the Baked Alaska was a little disappointing. The ice cream inside was kind of bland, and the marshmallow on the outside wasn’t quite burned enough for my taste. But it was very thoughtful of them.

How much did it cost?
The place is definitely quite expensive. Main courses range from $20-$40, and the oysters go for $2.50 a pop. However, the portions are enormous, and you can easily get two meals out of almost anything on the menu—especially if you fill up on oysters and crab cakes before your main course.

Was it worth it?
Every penny.

Better for a date or a night out with the girls?
Definitely better for a date. It’s too old-fashioned for a night out with the gals. It makes for a very romantic date, though. Especially if you start with the oysters.

Would you go there again?
Heck yes. I’m not sure if I can wait until my next b-day, though.

Meat and Buns

Meat and Buns

For the single ladies: recipe for a rousing success.

(originally appeared in CORE Dallas Magazine)

Did your last romantic dinner leave you cold? After planning down to the smallest detail, did you end up alone under the covers with only your peekapoo to keep you warm?

I have a question for you: Did the aforementioned dinner involve micro greens? reduction sauce? napkin rings? Be honest - did you put in a Norah Jones CD?

Repeat after me: Meat. Buns. Consider your target audience; it's just that simple. Tonight I guarantee a rousing success.

Hot Sloppy Joes

2 lbs. Ground beef (10% fat)

2 cups ketchup

2 1/2 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp white vinegar

1 tbsp yellow (plain) mustard

1 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tbsp chili powder

splash of beer

salt to taste

Brown meat in a large skillet or saucepan. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Simmer over lowest heat for 15 minutes and serve on white hamburger buns with plenty of beer on the side. Please, no napkins.