Food is Food

Making delicious meatballs with fatty, flavorful beef is no great feat, but creating something as delectable using ground turkey is another story. As the old joke goes, it may be bland, but at least it’s dry. So, you’re going to need a very specialized strategy, and by “specialized strategy,” I mean some cold, leftover rice.

As these simmer in your sauce or soup, the grains of rice absorb moisture, swell up, and create a relatively tender, moist meatball. Above and beyond that, you’ll also want to look for ground turkey thigh meat (available at most of your higher-priced grocery chains).

By the way, like all meatball/meatloaf recipes, you can test your seasoning by cooking a small piece of the mixture before rolling your ball. Even though the meat hasn’t simmered in the sauce yet, at least you can see if it needs more salt. I’ll just fry up a little patty, and adjust if need be, and suggest you do the same.

I didn’t intend this recipe to be a Thanksgiving dinner alternative, but now that I think about it, these could actually work. Maybe you have a small group, or don’t like looking at a giant carcass on the table (hey, some people are weird like that), or your in-laws are Spanish, and you want to show them you can pronounce “albondigas.” Whatever the occasion, I hope you give these a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 20-24 small meatballs:

1 pound ground turkey thigh meat

1 packed cup cooked white long grain rice
3 cloves crushed garlic
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
1 large egg

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon olive oil

For the sauce (I didn’t measure these ingredients, so these are just guesses)

2 1/2 cups prepared tomato sauce

1 cup chicken broth, plus more as needed

1 teaspoon paprika

1/3 cup crème fraiche or heavy cream

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
2 tbsp chopped Italian parsley
salt and pepper to taste

I've made many a meatloaf in my day, but I had never thought of putting squash in it before. However I swear, you can google any two ingredients and a recipe will pop up, which is exactly what I did last night. By adding butternut squash (cooked in bacon, onion and sage) to this meatloaf, the flavors are off the chart. And now I talk like Guy Fieri from Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.

I used this recipe and made some minor changes. Instead of pork, I used ground turkey, I skipped the red pepper flakes (in case my kids wanted to try it, hahahaha, they did not), I didn't use an egg because I didn't have one (it turned out just fine), and before cooking it I topped it with a balsamic/ketchup combo (which I highly recommend doing). By the way, I like to use my hands to form the loaf and cook it on a baking sheet vs. a bread pan. I think it makes the exterior nice and crispy, which I love. I plan on turning it into a sandwich for lunch. Is it lunchtime yet??

Rutabaga might be the coolest word. Say it a few times (if you know how to pronounce it). Rutabaga. Rutabaga. Now say it with an Elvis accent, I don't know why, just trust me. Don't you feel cool? Or are you starting to feel extremely foolish? Ok, we'll move on.

It is a root vegetable, and when I went to that cooking class I talked about a few weeks ago, the chef prepared Rutabaga Fries. They were so good - not crispy like traditional fries, but that caramelized, roasted texture makes up for it. Rutabaga's taste similar to a turnip, and have a little of that horseradish flavor that I happen to love. Combined with the earthy rosemary, salt, pepper and good olive oil, these were a perfect side dish for this time of year.

Rosemary Rutabaga Fries

(Serves 4)

Printable Recipe

1 rutabaga

2 T chopped rosemary

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel and chop the rutabaga into 1/4-inch sticks. Place in a bowl, and drizzle with olive oil, rosemary and salt and pepper. Use your hands to toss, making sure everything is well coated. Place on a baking sheet, and roast for 15-20 minutes, shaking the pan a few times to ensure even cooking.

Our grandparents called them the winter blues, but nowadays we know this condition as Seasonal Affective Disorder; a melancholy scientifically proven to be caused by shorter, darker days.

Since fall and winter are full of those, we’re going to need some coping strategies, and this hearty Tuscan bean soup is one of the more effective. There’s just something about that combo of smooth, silky soup, and crunchy, crispy croutons that makes everything seem okay.

Speaking of shorter days, this recipe is also a fantastic base for creating even more substantial weeknight meals. Things like sausage, peppers, and/or maybe a handful of greens, always works in this.

I tried a new method prepping our veggies; pureeing them instead of dicing. I thought this might save time, possibly extract more flavor, and quicken the cooking. Hey, two out of three aren’t bad! It was faster than dicing, and the soup only had to simmer for 15 minutes, but I didn’t think the flavor was quite as good as the classic diced veggies method.

Either way, this soup is delicious, and guaranteed to fog up your kitchen windows. Smiley face sold separately. I really hope you give this Tuscan bean soup a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 servings:

1 onion, diced

1 stalk celery, diced

1 carrot, diced

3 cloves garlic
*As stated in the post, I prefer diced veggies to the ground ones I tried in the video, and if you do go for the traditional method and cut your vegetables in small cubes, you'll have to simmer you soup for about 30 minutes, or until they are sweet and very tender.

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter

salt to taste

freshly ground black pepper to taste

cayenne to taste

1/2 teaspoon chopped rosemary

1/2 teaspoon picked thyme leaves

2 (15-oz) cans white kidney beans aka cannellini beans

4 cups chicken broth

1/3 cup crème fraiche or heavy cream

1/2 lemon, juiced

- Garnish with fresh bread cubes fried golden in olive oil, tossed with Parmigiano Reggiano, and fresh Italian parsley.

I can really recommend a tiny little burger place in Stockholm - Franky's Burger. It doesn't look like much but it's really high quality. If you happen to be nearby, do make sure you drop by. The address is Sveavägen 77.

Super juicy burger, crispy and delicious fries and a smoky, spicy chipotle dip. Highly recommended

Here's what it looks like - just a small shack.

Yesterday I whipped up this Today Original Recipe with Willie and Natalie... Caramel Pumpkin Bread Pudding. I made it over the weekend, too, and it's truly ridiculous. Perfect Thanksgiving dessert turned into Black Friday Breakfast. I mean, if you're going to participate in that madness, it's probably best you carb-load that morning, am I right?

If you missed the segment or want the recipe you can check it out here.

For such a simple dish, I sure have a lot of additional info to cover regarding the construction of this beautiful bacon, cheddar, and spinach strata. First of which, is the somewhat unusual name. Whoever invented this recipe apparently thought it looked like layers of rock, known in geological circles as, “strata.”

I guess it sort of does, and probably would a lot more, if we used a deeper dish, and did more layers. Regardless, even with just one layer of filling in the middle, you’ll still be looking at a gorgeous casserole, which should thoroughly impress your brunch guests…bottomless Mimosas or no.

As I mentioned in the video, if you want something a little eggier, a little more quiche-like, just simply increase the amount of egg custard used. As long as your pan is deep enough, you could as much as double the eggs and cream in this.

Speaking of the cream, this is a very rich dish, so you may want to cut the cream with milk. In fact, many people use all milk for this, but I do enjoy the extra butterfat the cream provides. As usual, let your conscience be your guide.

Above and beyond that, this recipe just begs for personalization. I’m not sure what your favorite omelet ingredients are, but I do know they would work in this, and work really well. I hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 12 portions:

1 pound loaf of day old bread, cubed

12 large eggs

2 1/2 cups heavy cream, milk, or any combination thereof

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

pinch cayenne

pinch nutmeg

1 pound bacon, sliced and cooked crisp

1 pound fresh spinach, wilted, and squeezed dry (or enough thawed, drained frozen spinach to cover one layer)

12 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, divided (use 1/2 over the first layer of bread, 1/4 over the spinach, and the last 1/4 over the top layer of bread)

- Bake at 350 F. for 45 minutes or until set. Then broil for a minute or two to brown the top.

A few random links for you to enjoy on this Friday. Check out the first one... starting a new Instagram account and I want YOU to be a part of it!

Share your REAL LIFE moments on Real Moms Wear Grey.

I will not sleep until you sign up for the TODAY Food Club.

We've had some serious dance parties to Daniel Kim's Pop Danthology 2015.

Monster Cookie Dough Dip... because.

And while we're on absurd dips... S'Mores Dip. OMG.

Holiday candles like this one are my weakness.

Thanksgiving in a slow cooker?

And finally, more grey... these pajamas!

Yesterday I was honored to help launch the TODAY Food Club. If you're still unfamiliar with it, it's an online community where people can share recipes and connect with on-air talent, chefs and Today Show staff. It includes monthly challenges, weekly tips and meal-plan ideas (lord knows I need that), and the chance to win prizes and be featured on air! Instead of just an online place to find recipes, it will be a place to have a conversation and receive feedback. Food is my favorite thing to talk about (duh), so I couldn't be more excited about this!

Yesterday, I made the infamous Spaghetti Pie (which was Today.com's number one recipe for 2015), and Today Food Stylist, the lovely Alli Simpson, made her family's Ultimate Banana Bread (truly the best I've ever had). It was a treat to be there for such a special event. Go join the club, share your recipes, get your friends to vote for you, and maybe I'll see you on the Today Show someday soon :)

Alli and I (top) and some of the fabulous Today Food team (below)...

All photos by Samantha Okazaki

After making this insanely delicious Spaghetti Pie the other day (as seen on my Instagram page), I started imagining what other dinners I could make in a pie pan, and because it was Tuesday my mind instantly went to tacos! Taco Pie! But not just any taco pie, no, no... this particular dish is only disguising as comfort food (which is what it tasted like, oh man). This hearty but healthy casserole has lean meat, the protein and fiber from beans and the nutrients from a whole lot of squash you won't even know you're eating. By the way do beans have fiber? I don't know, it just sounded right to say.

At the last minute I decided to add a frozen package of cooked squash into the meat (the pureed kind). It melted beautifully, and balanced out the spice of the meat in a sweet and subtle way. My kids loved it (well, two of them did, not the middle one who would live off of Skittles if she could), and had NO idea I had tricked them into eating something healthy. And by the way, I ate two slices topped with avocado. IT WAS SO GOOD.

Taco Pie with Winter Squash

(Serves 8)

Printable Recipe

1 T olive oil

1 small onion, diced

1 lb. ground turkey

1 pkg. taco seasoning

1/2 cup water

1 12 oz. pkg cooked squash, thawed

1 8oz. bottle taco sauce

3 flour tortillas

1 can refried beans (you probably won't use it all)

2-3 cups Mexican blend grated cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and sauté for a few minutes, until onions begin to soften. Add ground turkey and sauté until no longer pink. Add taco seasoning and water and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, and then lower heat and simmer until sauce begins to thicken. Add thawed squash, and stir to make sure everything is well incorporated. Remove from heat. Spray a 10-inch cake or pie pan with cooking spray. Add a small amount of the taco sauce and spread with a spatula. Place a tortilla in the pan, and then spread a layer of refried beans on top with a spatula. Top with a third of the meat, then a third of the cheese and finally a third of the taco sauce. Place another tortilla down, and repeat with the beans, meat, cheese and sauce. Place your last tortilla down, top with beans, the rest of the meat, the rest of the sauce and ending with the rest of your cheese. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and golden.