Made a guess and it worked out! Had a bag of Paccheri Pasta. This pasta is shaped like large rings. I figured that I could turn it into something like a lasagna and not pre-boil the noodles and it worked out perfect. The cheese filling gets piped into the noodles with a pastry bag. This is just a basic sort of baked pasta recipe. Nothing fancy but it is a favorite of many. My idea of serving size will differ from your idea of serving size. For me this made 9 very small servings that you have to have with something else. I do note that I like smaller servings for a rich dish like this. So my guess is that for most people this might? make 6 servings that you still need with some vegetables or a salad.
Ingredients for around 6 servings
1/2 lb paccheri pasta (could differ slightly..depending on how it fills your pan.
1 cup grated parmigiana + extra for serving
4 oz mild or medium provolone cheese – grated (or you can use mozzarella) + extra if you want to melt some on for serving
1 lb all natural fresh ricotta (I usually make my own)
1 egg – lightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
couple grates fresh nutmeg
1 teaspoon parsley – chopped
around 32 oz tomato sauce (you can get a recipe here on The Forking Truth or use what you normally use + plus extra for serving
non stick spray
Directions
Set your oven to 375 degrees F.
Spray a springform pan with non stick spray. Use an aluminum lined baking sheet under the springform pan to catch leaks. (my pan always leaks)
In a large bowl mix together the parmesan, provolone (or mozzarella), ricotta, egg, white pepper, nutmeg and parsley. Mix well. Use a pastry bag and fill it with the cheese mixture. Put this to the side.
Pour 1/3-1/2 inch of tomato sauce in the bottom of the springform pan. Push in the pasta and try to get sauce up the edges when you push the pasta into the pan.
Fill the pasta rings with cheese.
Top this extra generously with the remaining sauce…Around 1/3-1/2 inch over the pasta.
Cover tight with foil.
This goes on the middle rack of a preheated 375 degree oven for 60 minutes. This needs to sit on the counter to cool down to room temperature. Then you refrigerate it over night to set up. You might want to reheat with some added grated cheese and maybe a little more sauce.
Popo’s is the busiest restaurant that I know of on the upper west side in Glendale Arizona. I don’t know of any other restaurant that is often on an hour wait at 4:30 pm. They are a Mexican Restaurant that offers appetizers, soups, salads, fajitas, chimichangas, combo plates, specialty plates, sides, American plates, eggs, lunch specials, a children’s menu and happy hour.
Even the bar is packed at 4:30
Two tables just left and another is getting seated.
I should note that this is an older former Garcias Restaurant and it is very large with multiple dining rooms and a large bar area with lots of tables. The place is packed. I can’t believe we had to wait to get seated at 4:30. I thought we’d get lucky and beat the crowd.
That means that Popo’s is doing something right.
Popo’s serves very good hot chips and the very best salsa in town.
Popo’s offers the STRONGEST CHEAPEST Margarita….in town…actually more like the strongest cheapest margarita in the FORKING UNIVERSE……I don’t know what that drink is made of. I know the drink is around $5.75 on the menu but we seem to hit the happy hour and get it for $4.00 lately….It is so STRONG it can FORKING DO PUSHUPS……..IT”S IMPOSSIBLE to drink more than two…..actually it’s hard to drink more than one. It’s like they seem stronger than straight booze…..
My husband ate his way threw maybe half the menu and tried many of the plates. (sorry I haven’t kept all the photos) His favorites are the carnitas, fajitas, and the beef picadillo.
Combo #1carnitasbeef picadillo
I’ve tried the fajitas, fish taco and the chile relleno. But after trying them I usually only order the Chicken Fajita salad with the cheese on the side no dressing because I use the delicious spicy salsa instead.
Chile RellenoInside Chile Relleno…..it’s egg battered……this day the pepper tastes like tin can so I never ordered it again.Usually the chicken fajita salad looks like this when I order cheese on the side…..This day they gave me tons of avocado…..and I got my husband’s side of guacamole
Today they forgot the avocado and I didn’t say anything because the last time they forgot the avocado they brought me a big bowl of avocado that was more than I could possibly eat.
Today the chicken was seasoned much better than the last few times. it’s not very moist today but I glad it isn’t real dry like the last time. (I find it differs greatly……so you just get happy when it’s good.)
Went back a couple months latter and got the chicken fajita salad again ($12.11).
Today it is moist (Whoo Hoo!) and nicely seasoned. They gave me a whole half of avocado today!
I have never been able to finish a Popo’s Fajita salad as it’s the most filling salad in the the Forking world.
I get about halfway and my stomach locks up
It’s like this salad cast a spell on those who eat it……and you get painfully full just half way threw. Since I’ve never been able to finish a Popo’s fajita salad sadly I’ve never tried a Popo’s dessert.
My husband had the 1/2 pound carnitas tonight ($16.42). He enjoyed them and had a little extra to bring home.
Popo’s Fiesta Del Sol in Glendale AZ might be the busiest restaurant in town. It’s often on an hour wait starting at 4:30 and longer after that.
www.PoposMexicanFood.com
Every THING is subject to change and your experience may or may not differ.
Here are most of the most memorable dishes that I ate out in Metro Phoenix in 2019 in no particular order. I do note that I haven’t been able to eat everywhere so MANY great gems are not mentioned even if I ate there last year.
The year started out really FORKING great! Every dish I tried at the Barrio Gran Reserva was truly FORKING amazing. We shared this incredible Aguachile. It was light, refreshing, SPICY with flavors and textures that POP and were electrifying.
Barrio Gran Reserva
My dinner had this rose petal mole on it and the best salsa I ever tasted in my life.
Even dessert knocked it out of the park and was a chocolate dome with orange mole and sesame seed crisp that were so delicious, tasty and light as air. Everything was Forking Amazing!
Many most memorable FORKING Amazing plates came from Confluence in Carefree.
The layers of flavors are astounding. Dinner here was a Red Sea bream with gnocchi and green beans. Everything is masterfully prepared. All the flavors and textures go so magically well together. I have no idea what they did to the green beans but they were transformed into something mind boggling.
The cabbage roll special from Cafe Chenar in North Phoenix were the best cabbage rolls I’ve ever tasted anywhere. They were unusually light and tender.
The discontinued Quinoa Ball from Meat The Ball in Phoenix was Forking incredible on my first visit…….Very flavorful and spicy…It was very delicious! The pasta and pasta sauces were also very good on both visits.
The FORKING TRUTH is that memorable can be bad……..I want to forget this but I can’t.
I went to a Chinese Restaurant in Glendale called D&Y Chinese. My first visit there was GOOD so I expected my second visit to be good. I will never know what they did to this fish but somehow they transformed a fish into rubber. We were very upset….Sometimes you get so upset that you don’t have the strength to complain. Then we really were sorry that we didn’t complain because they charged us $89.10 for this piece of rubber. That’s The Forking Truth!
Now for something FANTASTIC!
The food from Singh Meadows in Tempe was Amazing and memorable. This beet plate three ways taste as great as it looks. All the food we tried there was the best. The vegetables taste different and better than you can imagine…..You think you know what a green bean taste like…but then you don’t because a simple green bean never was so tender and sweet before…OH that is what a green bean is suppose to taste like! (same story with most of the vegetables from Singh Meadows) I think the tomatoes I tasted here might have also been the best tomatoes ever.
Another restaurant well known for incredible vegetable and other dishes is FNB in Scottsdale.
Every dish was incredible but it started with this plate of radishes, dates and pumpkin seeds with caper anchovy dressing that night. Every plate was stunning but I picked this plate because it was the prettiest.
The Burmese Fermented Tea Salad from FiGaMi Asian Fresh in Phoenix was refreshing memorable and delicious. (and only priced at $3.00 at the time) I also enjoyed the fish noodle soup there too. You should try it! This food is something special and different that is hard to find. I wish this place was closer to me so I could eat here more often.
The Vegan Tapa Tacos from Casa Terra Vegan Restaurant in Glendale were phenomenal. Off the charts with great flavors. I only wish that they were open for lunch or had a takeout window for these tacos….They were so delicious!
Never had Detroit Style Pizza till I went to The Rec in Peoria. WOW it’s delicious! Crispy cheesy ends topped with rich tomato sauce and a delicious blend of melty cheese. Wow really delicious!
Little Miss BBQ in Sunny Slope serves BBQ that will knock your socks off. Here is the turkey and the brisket…..It’s better than good….GOBBLE GOBBLE! The Turkey was even better than from the original….brisket was better for me because the fatty was less fatty than from the original location. I would go with the fatty Brisket from the the Sunny Slope Location.
The Bourbon Cellar serves me the best burger I ate this year. (I do note that I don’t eat many beef burgers out because I gave up commercial ground beef.) The beef burgers here are fresh prime filet ground in house kind of burgers. In came on an apple cider bun and I added a bourbon pickle and it was topped with a wasabi deviled egg. I’m so GLAD that a second location is opening at 83rd and Happy Valley! WOO HOO!
I must admit that The Hot Chick in Scottsdale makes a great clucking sandwich. I had the sandwich called the Hot Chick. It’s spicy, crispy, flavorful, moist, delicious. It’s among the top better chicken sandwiches that I’ve tasted in metro Phoenix. (the other one is from The Larder and The Delta but I ate something different on my last visit)
From The Larder and The Delta I had The Hopping John Dish…..WOW is it incredibly delicious! It full of flavors and textures. It’s sort of earthy and very tasty….you can’t stop eating it.
The Banana Leaf Platter from Vaigai in Glendale was very good. I especially enjoyed the Indian Beets…They were memorable and I made something similar at home.
The strawberry gelato from Fabio on Fire in Peoria can make angels sing…..I also highly recommend the Bufalina Pizza made with ultra delicious bufala cheese, arugula, reduced balsamic, San Marzano Tomatoes and olive oil. My other favorite are the spinach ravioli in walnut sauce….but I prefer when they make the sauce thin….one time someone made it thick but it was still really good!
Must mention this amazing Hiramasa Fish with Huitlacoche and Tamale from Confluence in Carefree. OMG YUM! It’s like not of this earth good…….It’s sweet, sour, salty, crispy, spicy….It got it all going on. Really really a masterpiece. Then I went back again not too much latter and had this INCREDIBLE Fried chicken dinner….OMG..YUM! One of the best fried chicken that I’ve tasted ever……really amazing! I could go on and on and on and on about dishes I had here The Chicken sandwich……OMG……maybe best of all chicken sandwiches everywhere….I mean EVERYWHERE!
The picture below does not do justice to how delicious…maybe life changing the food really was. The steak was not the star here.
Under the steak are these Forking Incredible Pupusas from Seydi’s Pupuseria in North Phoenix. OMG YUM you have to try them. They are almost like kicked up grill cheese sandwiches made of corn flour and yum! We shared a jalapeno and cheese pupusa and a flower and cheese pupusa…we liked the jalapeno one the best but both were delicious. They make around a dozen different kinds of pupusas. You eat them with this strong spicy slaw. Really delicious! You will be happy that you tried a pupusa here!
Had one of the very best dinners ever at J&G Steakhouse. It’s impossible to pick just one plate.
Black Truffle Cheese Fritters are mind blowing.
Salmon Toast silky and wonderful with the best tasting herbs I ever tasted.
Arctic char so custardy with a perfect seasoned crisp skin, wood sorrel, chanterelles and kohlrabi.
And a Forking Great Dessert too!
Also had an amazing dinner from Zinc Bistro in Scottsdale.
Dinner started with the most amazing French Onion Soup Ever……..I can tell by tasting it that this soup took many hours to prepare……..Never had onion soup that tasted like confit onions before.
It’s also very hard to pick one dish from Alzohour Market and Bakery in Phoenix.
Everything we tried here was delicious! Above is the frekah chicken. It’s fragrant and filled with exotic spices, almonds. It’s just FREKAH DELICIOUS! Again everything was great! and that tea was unbelievably delicious too!
Meat The Ball does it again but this time at the promenade in Scottsdale.
Everything was good but the meatball in the front was FORKING Amazing! It was the cauliflower (meatless) meatball in curry sauce. WOW it’s full of delicious flavors and it is spicy. It’s so delicious that I tried to make my own copy of it at home. I haven’t tried everything there yet so I don’t know what gems I am missing. (hope they kept the recipe the same so it stays just as great!)
Here’s another one I copied and made at home from The Larry in the downtown warehouse district.
It doesn’t look like much but it taste awesome. The Larry calls this Bang Bang Broccoli. It’s just ever so slightly coated and dusted with bonito flakes, Asian Seasoning and sesame seeds. It’s FORKING Delicious!
Desert Island Eatery in North Phoenix serves incredible food. The lentil balls taste like a different flavor falafel and really GREAT! The curry and jerk chicken are the best! Really great food from a tiny hole in the wall kind of place.
The next restaurant doesn’t look special…nor does the food look special but the taste is OFF THE CHARTS!
Another hole in the wall kind of place that serves incredible food is Fe La Cubana in Glendale. On the day of my visit they only served seven items that were either beef or pork. The three items we tried don’t look amazing but really did taste out of this world incredible. The food is full flavored tender and delicious. You won’t go wrong with the oxtail, ropa or the pork and garbanzo soup.
Haru Sushi and Grill from The Upper West Side in Glendale serves the best sushi in this part of town. But they serve more than just sushi. They serve yummy Korean style wings, yummy poppers, delicious unique rolls and other things but cooked fish there is OMG AMAZING too! Up above is a sea bass that just melts in the mouth like no other. It really is amazing. Love the bento boxes especially the one with salmon….best salmon in town. The hamachi collar and other collars are up there among the very best! You can’t get better fish than from Haru Sushi on the upper west side.
Some honorable mentions and local loves need to be added.
The Key West Chop Chop from Little Cay in Phoenix. Delicious layers of salad with chicken rice and beans and more! It really POPS when you add the house vinegar.
From Perseption in Phoenix.
The wood grilled steak with black eyed peas, tostones and chimichurri. Delicious and a great value and MIGHTY delicious.
I’ve been to The Vincent Market Bistro a number of times but I’ve never had the stuffed poblano pepper with goat cheese and mushrooms before. It’s incredible and so perfect. It’s really delicious and you should share it with someone as a really great appetizer to a lovely meal that awaits. Possibly the best value dining restaurant in Metro Phoenix.
Banh Mi Bistro in Phoenix is a favorite. Great fresh tasting banh mi sandwiches, rice plates, curry chicken, yummy dumplings and the very best $5.00 Chicken cabbage salad anywhere. A really great value restaurant with super nice owners.
$8.00 Happy Hour Vegetable Plate from Bottega Pizzeria Ristorante
Another favorite is Bottega Pizzeria Ristorante in Glendale. They do treat you like family. I love the extra thin Milano pizza they usually offer as a special with Calabrian Peppers. I love the grilled Happy hour vegetable plate. It’s so much better than something fried or something wings that most restaurants offer. The house made pastas are great and I like that this restaurant offers more proteins like chicken…so I can come in for a nutritious salad now and then when I want one. They also come up with interesting specials like pasta-free squash manicottis and always serve very good Neapolitan pizzas. My dogs also enjoy the food here because they are dog friendly.
I go to Cucina Tagliani semi regularly because they are officially dog friendly and because of the food they offer. They try to please everyone and offer the usual American Italian gut busting favorites but they also offer many healthy and vegetable alternatives that I like. They offer noodle cut zucchini and spaghetti squash as a healthy alternative to pasta. Other healthy dishes are the strawberry goat cheese salad, quinoa, asparagus, spinach, broccoli, spaghetti squash, mixed vegetables and the baked spaghetti squash. I don’t think any other American Italian restaurant offers so many healthy vegetable options. I don’t eat it often but the chocolate marscapone cake might be among the best desserts in the west valley. It’s delicious and I usually don’t enjoy chocolate desserts out.
Sala Thai in Peoria deserves some credit. They actually infuse the basil flavor in their dishes. Most Thai Restaurants do not do this in the area or even use nearly enough basil. I LOVE the spicy Thai Basil with pumpkin dish that they offer. I think it might be the best Thai dish of the west side.
The Breaded Chicken Thigh Sandwich from CHZBURGR in Glendale is quite good! It was juicy crispy and flavorful….sauces here are very above average. Actually everything we tried from CHZBURGR was very good….burgers, fries of two kinds and a hot dog.
“We got a no onion CHZBURGR that we loved!”
Even my dogs have tried CHZBURGR! Why haven’t you?
These were the most memorable of what I tried in 2019.
Here’s to 2020…Hoping for a FORKING GREAT YEAR!
Every FORKING THING is subject to change and your experience may or may not differ.
You need to make turkey stock when you prepare foods for Thanksgiving. You need the stock to make gravy and you also need the stock to add to the stuffing.
I make a double batch with about two turkey carcass but you can half the recipe if you want. I used my two biggest pots… I used a 8 gallon pot and a 10 gallon pot. I used raw carcass that I roasted but you can use cooked carcass and skip the roasting. When you roast the carcass you will collect a bunch of turkey fat at the bottom of the pan that has a lot of flavor. You might want to save that fat for your gravy (when you make a roux) and also for your stuffing….instead of butter or oil.
Ingredients for about 16 cups of stock
2 turkey carcass raw – and then roast at 350 degrees f for two hours
2 very large onions – quartered
4 celery ribs rough cut
4 regular size carrots – rough cut
12 sprigs fresh parsley
6 garlic cloves
4 small bay leaves or 2 large
8 sage leaves
6 thyme sprigs
2 teaspoons telicherry black peppercorns
Directions
Either use one really big pot (maybe a 20 gallon pot) or two bigger pots I used a 8 gallon and a 10 gallon. If your using two pots split everything up between the two pots.
Cover with water.
Bring to simmer uncovered.
Once it simmers let it continue simmering for three hours.
After it simmered remove all the carcass and vegetables that you can get out with a slotted spoon or a thong.
Then strain the broth.
Let it cool on the counter.
Refrigerate and use within three or four days or freeze and use when you need it.
The azcentral Food & Wine experience is a two day event food & libation festival. Around 50 different Arizona Restaurants and many wines, beers and spirits are there for sampling. The headlining attraction was Martha Steward and cooking demos.
We were finally at about an average temperature for November and were at around 80 degrees with ZERO chance of rain. Guess what…..it rained for a short time and then it poured but only for a short time.
My Forking Gripes……
For the most part most of the food I tried was good. I was very disappointed with the wines I tried. Even the VIP ticket didn’t bring on as fine wine as we had in years past. After trying three wines that sucked I didn’t want anymore wine. The VIP bathrooms were really great last year and it seemed they used a different company and the bathrooms were air-conditioned but not much different than porta potties. Another gripe were the stemless wine glasses they used this year. Stemless glasses are for swirling at a table and are not good to be carried around for long periods of time. My wine sling doesn’t work with a stemless glass and it was difficult to carry a glass and get food.
Now I’m over most of the gripes and now I am on the food.
Well lets see some of what I saw and some of what I tasted.
There was a nice little layered dessert and octopus by Match Cuisine and Cocktails. (I thought this was from Match Cuisine….but in the newspaper it reads that this was from The Boulders????) I didn’t take notes so my bad if I am wrong.
Mowry and Cotton at the Phoenician offered Lamb Tacos and fancy Charred Tuna.
One tequila, two tequila, three tequila…..FLOOR!
The Crepe Bar didn’t serve crepes….?…..They served a Liver Mousse with Buttery Fancy Radishes……
This Pasta and Cheese was from AJ’s. Is a very impressive display. They used what is maybe a hallowed out $1,000 dollar wheel of cheese to serve pasta in. But plain pasta with just cheese is very boring even if it is expensive delicious cheese.
More libations.
This I didn’t try but it was maybe the most unusual offering at the festival. A push pop with duck liver mousse, apple, dates, pistachio, some sort of gel and apple sorbet. It came from PY Steakhouse.
A very tasty Steak with tabasco onions from Bourbon & Bones Chophouse & Bar
AJ’s Pork Tacos
Handlebar Diner offered Duck Tamales
Chef Christopher Collins really brought it on with Wally’s Fried Chicken Sandwich, Grassroots Short Rib over super SPICY HOT Jalapeño Cheese Grits, Twisted Grove Shrimp Salad and Sweet Provisions Lemon Tart and his Super Magic Bar…..WOW what a spread he brought. I think half the food I ate came from here and it all was great!
The Market by Jennifer made a really nice little spread too! Really good Potato Chips with Pimento Dip, Korean Style Beef, Yummy Little Chicken Drums and Milk & Cookies.
Some of Aj’s Fine food offerings……This might have been in the VIP tent. Maybe I’ll ask if they will sell me some finger limes…..None of the AJ’s near me carry them….. 🙁
It was really hot and crowded in the AJ’s VIP tent…..hope my deodorant didn’t fail.
AJ’s offered a fancy couscous salad that was made with this bottle oil, vinegar, lemon and herb dressing. It actually was amazing. The salad and the dressing were really surprisingly good.
AJ’s offered Butternut Squash Risotto that came from a box. It was horrible. AJ’s also offered another appetizer……It looked pretty but I got a raw crisp slice of sweet potato with some toppings. These were the only things I tried that were Forking Awful…..both not edible…YUCK!
But then AJ’s had a killer cheese table….so MANY HIGH END cheeses…….so I guess they redeemed themselves after the previously mentioned dishes.
That was Day One of the azcentral Food & Wine experience 2017.
******UPDATE NO LONGER A RESTAURANT***NOW OPERATES AS A FOOD TRUCK*******Nonna Urban Eatery is a small restaurant located in the heart of Old Town Scottsdale on Main Street. You might miss it as the small restaurant is tucked inside a small group of stores that are nestled together in the street like a tiny mini mall. Nonna Urban Eatery offers a small daily changing menu that is mostly Italian but mixed with global dishes.
The small dining room is sort of classic or traditional in style with lots of dark wood and lots of bright sunshine during the day.
They start us off with complimentary bread and good quality olive oil.
We started out by sharing the Cucumber Lollipop Rolls.
The rolls were filled with clean tasting Tuna, Yellow Tail, Salmon and a tiny piece of Avocado. They were AMAZING! So light and tasty…who knew? The plate was garnished with a cleansing salad of Arugula dressed with an intense ginger dressing. This plate was magic.
For our meal we shared the house made Campanelle. The pasta was dressed in a creamy but light lemony sauce and was studded with asparagus and salmon.
This dish was very mild with flavor. The salmon had a nice sear on it but was a little off. The pasta was made nicely and the asparagus seemed fresh.
Did I tell you how great those Tuna Lollipops were? I’d come back for them!
Cute little restaurant…could be a gem!
******UPDATE NOW OPERATES AS A FOOD TRUCK******
www.NonnaScottsdale.com
Everything is subject to change and your experience may…or may not differ.
Over the weekend I noticed that we had many recalls on well known popular brands of foods this week. Campbell’s Soup (mislabeled ingredients), Lay’s Potato Chips (possible salmonella), Banquet Brand Frozen foods (Salmonella) A bat in packaged salad and a scorpion in another packaged salad..Rubber in a brand of bread I never heard of…..and the FORKING STRANGEST thing I ever heard was about the recall for McCain Hash Brown Potatoes. (puttatoes) for being harvested with golf balls.
Golfballs don’t look like potatoes. How can this happen?
FORKING GOLFBALLS mixed with Potatoes = PUTTatoes!
Do we par-boil the Puttatoes before grilling?
I heard on the news that a golf course is next to where the potatoes were harvested and the machinery gathers them both.
This past Friday according to www.GolfballDigest.com McCain Foods U.S.A. announced on the U.S.F.D.A.’s website of a voluntary recall of two different brands of hash browns. “Despite our Stringent Supply Standards The Golfball Materials “May Have Been Inadvertently Harvested” with potatoes.
Part of El Panzon Y Frida Restaurant Menu located in Old Town Scottsdale AZ
When I hear about a new restaurant or a restaurant that is new to me the first thing I do is look at the menu to see if the menu appeals to me. I found out about this new restaurant that recently opened in Old Town Scottsdale AZ called El Panzon Y Frida. I saw Fish Cakes on the menu and thought I haven’t had a Fish Cake in ten years since I left the east coast. I could sure go for a fish cake………. but not the one on El Panzon Y Frida’s Menu……… as it’s Buffalo Worm Crusted……… I do admit I have some food hang ups and don’t partake in eating worms or bugs. I am aware that in many countries it’s a part of normal life to include insects in one’s diet but I have to be honest and admit it’s not something I’ll ever relish.
Usually if you find a bug or a worm in your food the restaurant takes it the Fork off your bill and apologies. On this menu you pay for worms in your food…who knew?
www.elpanzonyfrida.com
I also looked at a Fish and Chip Restaurant called Mandy’s Fish in Chips with three locations in Phoenix AZ. I saw……
Mandy’s Fish and Chip Restaurant in Phoenix AZ
Bean Pie….. I never heard of Bean Pie. WTFork is Bean Pie?
I read on Wikipedia that Bean Pie was created in the 1930s and is of African American Muslim Cuisine. The Pie is made of mashed beans that are usually navy beans but can also be great northern or pinto beans in a custard based pie similar to pumpkin pie.
www.mandysfishandchips.com
Bugs in food that you pay for and Bean Pie…..Who The Fork Knew?
These are your basic meatballs that come out juicy and tasty and are very easy to prepare. I didn’t add milk or cheese to the meatballs because you don’t have to. I used mostly dry spices because that is what I usually have but I feel you always need at least one fresh herb so I used fresh parsley. I do also note that it seems odd to use granulated garlic instead of fresh when fresh is better but when you are only using a very small amount granulated is better in a big batch because it spreads out more evenly. I also prefer not to fry the onions and leave them raw so the onions add their flavor to the beef and help to make the meatballs juicy.
Ingredients for about 14 servings
3 lb ground beef
6 XL eggs – beaten
3 cup whole wheat panko
3 Tablespoons kosher salt – or sea salt
1 Tablespoon black pepper
1/2 sweet onion – chopped fine
1 1/2 cup water
1/2 cup fresh parsley – chopped well
2 Tablespoons basil (dried)
1 Tablespoon oregano (dried)
1/4 teaspoon garlic (granulated)
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Non-stick cooking spray
Directions
Set your oven to 350 degrees F and spray your baking sheets with non-stick spray.
it’s easier to add the meat to a large mixing bowl.
Add onions and mix.
Then add all the spices to the liquids and mix.
Lastly add the panko and mix.
You might want to do a sample meatball. Make one meatball and cook it in the oven till it’s cooked threw (about 10 minutes) when it’s cool enough to taste then taste it and then make any necessary adjustments.
Get a small scoop and your sprayed baking sheet and make your meatballs till you run out of meatball mixture.
Put your pans in a 350 degree oven till the meatballs are cooked threw.
(about 12 minutes)
Enjoy them however you like. Leftovers freeze well.
Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery $8.00 _The Chicken and Rice Plate -Phoenix AZ
There’s BUNCHES of very good and great deals for you to dine on in the Metro Phoenix area where the meals can run $10.00 or less. I’m picking a few of my favorites in no particular order that I enjoyed this year. I also must note that prices are subject to change and on the prices I don’t remember I went to the websites and hoped the prices are up to date.
Everything on the Banh Mi Bistro – Vietnamese (Pho-Free) Eatery is under $10.00 and just about everything is wonderfully delicious! For me the biggest value is the Chicken and Rice plate that is served with Jasmin Rice, an egg roll and salad garnish with house vinaigrette. This has to be among the tastiest $8.00 meals you can get anywhere. The chicken is so moist and flavorful with exotic Asian flavorings. The salad looks simple but is light and refreshing.
For more information on Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery please visit www.BanhMiBistroAZ.com
A Taste of Buffalo – Glendale AZ – Beef on Weck Sandwich that includes- pickle, horseradish, au jus and a side order $10.00
At A Taste of Buffalo in Glendale AZ offers a signature sandwich that is seldom served outside of Buffalo NY. The Sandwich is the Premium Roast Beef on a hard Kummel Weck Roll that is a kaiser roll topped with corse salt and caraway seeds. The hearty sandwich is served with hot horseradish, au jus, a pickle and a generous side like house made potato salad or house made chips. $10.00.
For more information on A Taste of Buffalo please visit www.ATasteofBuffalo.com
Huitlacoche Machete – $7.99 -Azteca Estilo DF Phoenix AZ
For only $7.99 I think you can feed two people with one of the Machetes that Azteca Estilo DF in Phoenix offers. I enjoyed the Hutlacoche Machete. It’s a folded giant corn tortilla that was packed with melty mild white cheese and what’s called the Mexican Truffle, also called corn smut and Hutlacoche. Corn Smut is considered a delicacy. It’s mushroomy it’s woodsy and was kind of special and delicious!
For more information on Azteca Estilo DF you can find them on FaceBook.
Rocket Burger Phoenix AZ
Rocket burger is well know for their massive world of sodas and of certainly for their many sizes and varieties of their hand packed angus burgers. This year I got to know the Breaded Cod Sandwich with house made sauce with lettuce and cheese. It was a very tasty massive sandwich on an above average fluffy and eggy roll for only $6.49.
For more information on Rocket Burger in Phoenix AZ please visit www.RocketBurger.com
Cheezheads Peoria AZ – Cheese Steak – $9.99
Cheeseheadz of Peoria AZ is a Wisconsin themed Pizza and Sandwich eatery. They serve up thinly sliced tender, flavorful Ribeye steak on their house baked rolls with peppers and onions for $9.99. I didn’t actually have the cheese with my cheese steak but it was just as delicious. I used this picture that my husband ate because the sandwich comes with cheese.
For more information on CheeseHeadz of Peoria AZ please visit www.Cheezheadz.com
Leo’s Island BBQ – Peoria AZ – The Chicken and Short Ribs Combo – $8.89
Leo’s Island BBQ specializes in the Hawaiian Plate Lunch. At the time of this publication all the plate lunches are less than $10.00. A Hawaiian Plate Lunch is typically lots of meat, lots of rice and creamy macaroni salad served in Styrofoam. The Chicken and short rib combo is one of the examples of what Leo’s Island BBQ serves for under $10.00. It’s a bunch of steamed cabbage and broccoli under the meat. You get a normal person’s lunch portion of Katsu or breaded chicken, a portion of BBQ chicken, short ribs, a double scoop of rice and creamy macaroni salad. They also offer Hawaiian favorites like the Grilled Spam Moco with Grilled Spam, Gravy and Eggs and the slow roasted Kalua Pork. The food is always fresh and served hot. They offer about thirty different variations of the Hawaiian Plate lunch to pick from.
For more information on Leo’s Island BBQ in Peoria AZ please visit www.LeosIslandBBQ.com
La 15 Y Salsas – Phoenix AZ – Combo De Chile Relleno $9.00
It was hard to pick between the two dishes I recently tried because both were very good but I went with the Combo De Chile Relleno ($9.00) because it was more textures and more layers of flavors than the also exstreamly good chicken enchiladas topped with a blanket of dark mole called enmoladas. This creation is tender moist flavorful chicken with raisins and nuts in a battered chile that’s topped with spicy tomato sauce, served with seasoned rice, beans and hot steamy tortillas. La 15 Y Salsas is one of the best restaurants in the Metro Phoenix Area for Oaxaca Mexican Food.
For more information on La 15 Y Salsas in Phoenix AZ please visit them on www.15YSalsas.com
New Asian Kitchen – Cantonese Chow Mein $8.95 Phoenix AZ
My favorite Take Out Chinese Food comes from New Asian Kitchen in Phoenix AZ. A new favorite dish that they prepare is the Cantonese Chow Mein ($8.95). If you like take out Chinese Food you will love this dish that layered in interesting flavors and textures. Their vegetables are always fresh and crisp. The meats are always moist and tender. They even offer the hard to come by and impressive Dry Sautéed Beef Chow Fun a more difficult dish to prepare. No other Take Out Chinese compares to New Asian Kitchen for several miles around.
For more information on New Asian Kitchen please visit www.NewAsain.com
Hummus Xpress – Tempe AZ- The most expensive item called The Plate $9.95
Hummus Xpress is a casual Middle Eastern Style Fast Food behind a hot and cold salad bar kind of place. Meals range in price from $6.45 for a pita sandwich, bowl $7.95, salad, $8.65 to The Plate. $9.95. I don’t get to eat here often because Tempe AZ is pretty far for me so I always get the largest size that is the plate. The plate is under $10.00 (at this time) and often I get two meals out of it. I always have many choices to pick from but what I typically would fill my plate with starts with seasoned rice, Aleppo Brisket, Lebanese Falafels, Moroccan carrots, eggplant, Two kinds of hummus like lemon ginger and usually plain, or beet, Tabbouleh, fresh made pickled beets, pickles, a few other toppers, Shrug Sauce and a fresh made whole wheat flat bread. The food is so healthy that you never feel weighted down and everything is delicious. The owner is a formally trained chef and all the food is delicious!
For more information on Hummus Xpress please visit www.HumusXpress.com
An honorable Mention goes to the little Taiwanese Food Stand in the Lee Lee Market in Peoria AZ.
Taiwanese Pancake Stand
I was very impressed with the 75cent Taiwanese Pancake I tasted made fresh and hot to order. I picked the one filled with beans. The pancake was hot and airy with crispy ends and the beans seemed like they were fresh made. It wasn’t sweet like I was expecting. It was a surprise!
Depending on your appetite you only need one or two of them to feel full. For more information on Lee Lee Supermarket please visit www.LeeLeeSupermarket.com
These were some of the best of what I remember having in 2016 of $10.00 or less in the Metro Phoenix Area.
