Let's Cook

I am finally getting to posting some of those yummy recipes I've been telling you all about! These recipes are from Father Leo's Cook Book "Grace Before Meals"  My parents and I were able to see him in person last summer when he made the recipe I am going to share with you today! He was captivating and it was seriously none stop laughter! Not only is he a Priest and an amazing chef but he's hilarious too! So full of personality! He was on Iron Chef America as well, and won! So obviously he's an amazing chef!

Meatball's In Creamy Vodka Sauce

Meatballs

2 pounds ground beef

1 onion, finely chopped

1/2 t garlic powder

1/2 t salt and pepper

2 eggs

1/4 C Italian bread crumbs

2 T soy sauce

1 C all purpose flour

4 T olive oil

Use your hands to combine ground beef, onion, garlic powder, salt, pepper, eggs, bread crumbs, and soy sauce in a bowl. Shape into meatballs about the size of golf balls. Roll them in flour and shake off excess. 

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a skillet and add meatballs. Cook until brown on all sides. Set aside to cool. You can also freeze the meatballs at this point! Which is super nice because a whole batch was too much for me so I froze half of them. They were just as delicious after being frozen!

Here my Mom used the vodka sauce over chicken breasts.

Creamy Vodka Sauce

1 T. olive oil

2 garlic cloves minced

1 medium sized white onion minced

2 T fresh parsley, chopped

32 OZ tomato sauce

1 6 OZ can tomato paste

1 C heavy whipping cream

1/2 t salt

1/4 t black pepper

3 pinches red pepper flakes

1/2 C vodka

Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. saute garlic onion and parsley until onion becomes translucent. Add tomato sauce tomato paste and heavy whipping cream. stir well. Add salt black pepper red pepper flakes and finally the vodka. Continue to stir and let simmer for 2 to 3 min. or until the smell of alcohol is not as strong. 

I made the vodka sauce exactly to the recipe the first time and found it to be a little heavy for my taste. The second time that I made it instead of 32 OZ of tomato sauce I used 1 14.5 OZ can of tomato sauce, 1 14.5 OZ can of fire roasted diced tomatoes, and 3 fresh roma tomatoes along with the 6 OZ can of tomato paste. It was I thought much better and lighter than with just all tomato sauce. These recipes are easy to make and they don't take all that long either!

Bon Appetite! 

~Rachel