Guest Post: Asian Meatballs over Sesame Soy Noodles

Hi Ovenless Cheffies. My name is Kristen Ramirez and I'm from the great
state of Texas. Lindsey has granted me the privilege of being a guest author on her blog for her ovenless foodies. I am a mom of 2 beautiful girls and stay at home right now, but in my pre-child life, I was a professionally trained chef. I don't get paid to cook anymore, but someday soon again I will. Lindsey asked me to create something for her followers and after much thought on what is available overseas, I came up with a play on spaghetti and meatballs Asian style. Sesame and soy noodles, colorful veggies, and gingery, garlic meatballs.



Asian Style Meatballs over Sesame Soy Noodles

For the Meatballs:

1 lb ground pork
6 garlic cloves
1 1/2 inch piece fresh ginger
1/4 onion-feel free to use a few green onions instead
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 Tbs ketchup
1 tsp Sriacha or other Asian hot sauce (use more if you like it spicy)
1 Tbs cooking oil of your choice

For the Sesame Soy Noodles

8 oz long noodle of your choice. I used linguine, but spaghetti, buckwheat
or soba noodles would work fine too.
1 cup carrot, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups snow peas, thinly sliced
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 Tbs soy sauce
1 Tbs sesame oil*

1. In a large bowl, combine all meatball ingredients except oil. Mix
well. Shape meat into 1 1/2 inch balls.

2. Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Bring several quarts of
water to boil in a large stock pot. Once your sauté pan is hot, pour in 1
Tbs oil. Brown up your meatballs in 2 batches. You will cook them about
1 1/2 minutes on all sides. Reserve them on a plate lined with paper towels while your second batch is browning. Set aside when done. In the same sauté pan, add all the vegetables.

3. Once water is boiling, cook pasta according to package directions.
While pasta is cooking, keep an eye on your veggies, stirring frequently.
Season veggies lightly with salt and pepper. They will cook 5-10 minutes
depending on your crunch preference.

4. Drain pasta leaving about 1/3 cup pasta water in pot. Put noodles
back in pot. Drizzle in the soy sauce and sesame oil. Add the meatball and
cooked vegetables to the noodles. Toss to coat and serve immediately.



*my oldest daughter has a sesame allergy, so I used 1 Tbs of bottled
Teriyaki sauce instead. If you can find toasted sesame oil, use that.

courtesy Kristen Ramirez from grabafork.blogspot.com

A big thanks to our first ever guest post blogger, Kristen... for more gourmet meal options, check out grabafork.blogspot.com and become a follower! :) (You won't regret it!)

10 Ways to Eat Ramen for Dinner

image courtesy babble.com

1. Veggie Ramen (pictured above) . Toss a tablespoon of butter into a skillet. Add 2 tablespoons each of thinly-sliced carrots, frozen green beans, frozen white corn, and edamame. Cook just until softened. Add a packet of Pork Ramen, 2 cups of water, and cook until the noodles are cooked through, about 6 minutes. Add seasoning packet. Serve and enjoy.

2. Egg Foo Ramen. In a small bowl, whisk an egg with 1 tablespoon of water until well beaten. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a small saucepan. Pour egg into the water, then add the noodles. Cook just until tender. Season with seasoning packet. Garnish with sliced green onions.

3. Chinese Chicken Salad. Shred 1/4 a head of cabbage, 1 breast of chicken, and 1/4 white onion. Add 1 package of crushed Chicken-flavored Ramen. In a small bowl, whisk together the seasoning packet, 2 tablespoons of oil, 2 tablespoons of white vinegar, and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Toss dressing into salad, serve and enjoy.

4. Ham Fried Ramen. A simple take on Fried Rice, cook a packet of Pork Ramen until the noodles are tender. Drain completely. In a skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of sesame oil and 1 tablespoon olive oil until sizzling. Add 1/4 cup diced ham and 1/4 cup of frozen peas & carrots to the oil. Immediately toss in the noodles. Crack an egg into the mixture and stir until well cooked and distributed around the noodle mixture. Season with soy sauce, garnish with a handful of diced green onions.

5. Parmesan Ramen. Cook a packet of ramen noodles. Save the flavoring packet for another day. Once the noodles are cooked, drain the water from them completely. Top with a pat of butter, a bit of freshly-shredded parmesan, and some chopped parsley.

6. Chicken Noodle Ramen. Boil 3 cups of water, 1/4 cup carrots, 1/4 cup of celery, and 1/4 cup shredded chicken. Once the carrots and celery are softened (about 6-8 minutes), add a packet of Chicken Ramen and the seasoning packet. Cook until the Ramen is tender.

7. Chili Lime & Shrimp Ramen. Cook a packet of Chili Ramen according to package directions. Toss with 1/4 cup diced scallions, 1 cup of cooked shrimp, and a lime wedge.

8. Easy Ramen Lasagna. Place 4 squares of uncooked ramen noodles into the bottom of a 9×11 baking dish. Cover with a layer of cooked and crumbled Italian sausage, your favorite canned spaghetti sauce, and a layer of cottage cheese mixed with chopped spinach. Top with an ample amount of spaghetti sauce. Cover with a hefty bunch of shredded mozzarella. Cover and bake in an oven preheated to 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Remove the foil 10 minutes before baking is finished to brown up the top of your cheese.

9. Pad Thai Ramen. Cook a packet of Pork Ramen according to package directions. Just before you add the flavoring packet, drain most of the water from the pan (leaving about 2 tablespoons worth of water), then add 1/2 teaspoon cream peanut butter, the juice of 1 lime, 1/2 teaspoon of vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce, a pinch of garlic and onion powder, and a drizzle of sesame oil. Mix together until very well mixed. Garnish with chopped cilantro and peanuts.

10. Mandarin Ramen Salad. Cook Chicken Ramen according to package directions. Drain water completely, reserve spice packet for dressing. Toss cooked ramen with 1 small package of coleslaw mix, 2 stalks of diced celery, 1 can mandarin oranges (drained), and 2 tablespoons of white vinegar mixed with the flavoring packet and 2 tablespoons sugar. Garnish with diced scallions.

***You can find a variety of non-Korean/not so spicy ramen flavors at your local asia mart! :) Have fun experimenting with your ramen!

courtesy babble.com

Alfredo Giardino

image courtesy Grab a Fork
Alfredo Giardino (Garden Alfredo) Serves 4

8 oz fettuccine noodles
1 Tbs olive oil
1 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced
1 yellow squash, quartered lengthwise and sliced
1 red bell pepper, diced
8 oz sliced mushrooms
1 cup frozen green beans (Costco)
1/4 tsp salt
pinch of pepper
1 cup jarred Alfredo sauce (most large stores carry this in the sauce aisle)
grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

While the noodles are boiling, heat a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the oil. Cook the veggies in the oil, stirring frequently, until veggies are tender; about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Toss with 8 oz cooked fettuccine and 1 cup sauce. Top with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Serve with cooked chicken breasts sliced and put on top, go meatless or add cooked shrimp.

courtesy Kristen Ramirez at Grab a Fork

Italian Pasta Salad

1 lb farfalle or spiral pasta (450-500g)
1 onion, small dice (red or yellow onion)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 C chopped spinach
1/2 C shredded carrot
1/2 C chopped bell pepper (red, yellow or orange)
1/2 C chopped cucumber
1 - 1 1/2 C quartered cherry tomatoes
1/2 C parmesan cheese
1 C Italian dressing
1/4 C Balsamic Dressing
2 T lemon juice
Pepper and Salt to taste

1. Boil pasta to al dente, or just before tender.
2. In large bowl, combine all chopped veggies.
3. Add pasta once cooked and drained.
4. In separate bowl, combine Italian dressing, Balsamic dressing, lemon juice, and parmesan cheese.
5. Pour dressing over salad and stir until fully coated.
6. Season to taste.
7. Set in refridgerator for at least two hours.
8. Drizzle with olive oil if too dry before serving.

This works great for big batches as well as make ahead lunches. You can easily add meat such as diced chicken or tuna. Enjoy!

Courtesy ovenlesschef.

Pizza Pasta

2 C uncooked pasta (penne, rotini, farafalle...)
1 T olive oil
1 lb Seasoned Sausage
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 C cherry tomatoes, cut in half
2 C spaghetti sauce, homemade or jarred :)
1 C shredded mozzarella
Parmesan cheese for topping

1. In pot, bring water to boil and cook pasta until al dente.
2. In large skillet, brown sausage and drain.
3. In same skillet, saute onions for 1 minute on medium heat, then add garlic.
4. return meat to skillet and add tomatoes, drained pasta and spaghetti sauce.
5. Allow sauce to get up to temp, then turn off burner and add mozzeralla cheese. Stir, then serve while hot with bread and butter!
Top with shredded parmesan! (And crushed red pepper if you have it!)

Optional additional add ins:
Black olives (you can find at homeplus)
mushrooms
bell pepper
spinach
1 C pepperoni ( nicedeli.com)

*This is great for a quick dinner and makes for good leftovers. :)

Courtesy Lindsey Lett

Spinach Pesto Pasta

You will need a blender for this sauce.

2 Chicken breasts
1/2 C diced onion
2 large cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 C water
1 tsp italian seasoning
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
2 C chopped fresh spinach
2 T lemon juice
1/2 C parmesan cheese
2 C sliced mushrooms
*1/2 C cream *optional

1 pound your choice pasta... penne, spaghetti, farfalle

Cook pasta to "al dente" or until there is still a slight chew to it. Drain and set aside.

1. In skillet, saute chicken with a little olive oil.
2. Remove chicken to plate after cooked through, and add water to pan on medium low heat without rinsing.
3. Saute onions and garlic in water and add pepper, salt and italian seasonings. Cook until onions are transluscent.
4. Remove skillet contents to blender. Add a handful of spinach and blend. Keep adding spinach until all is blended. Add lemon juice and parmesan cheese to blender mix as well.
5. Saute mushrooms in olive oil on meduim heat until browned.
6. While mushrooms brown, loosely shred chicken and add to pan with mushrooms.
7. Pour in sauce, bring up to heat and add pasta. Toss until fully covered.
8. **If you would like a creamy pesto sauce, add the 1/2 C cream just before serving.

Plate up a pile of pasta and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese! Serve while hot. Enjoy. :)

Courtesy ovenless chef. Modified from recipe off allrecipes.com

Spaghetti Sauce with Meatballs

MEATBALLS
1 pound lean ground beef or pork
1 cup fresh bread crumbs (you can toast two slices and crumble)
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 egg, beaten
no salt(the meatballs will absorb the salt from the sauce.)

SAUCE
3/4 cup chopped onion
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 T olive oil
2 (28 ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes
1 teaspoon brown sugar (optional)
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
6 T butter (makes sauce creamy and smooth!)
1 bay leaf
3/4 teaspoon dried basil
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp thyme
pinch of rosemary
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Salt to taste, but most canned tomatoes and pastes have salt added... so taste first!

Directions
1.In a large bowl, combine ground beef, bread crumbs, parsley, Parmesan, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, garlic powder and beaten egg. Mix well and form into 12 balls. Store, covered, in refrigerator until needed.
2.In a large saucepan over medium heat, saute onion and garlic in olive oil until onion is translucent. Stir in remaining sauce ingredients. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 30 minutes. Add meatballs and simmer 30 minutes more. Serve over pasta.

This is a great crock-pot recipe... so utilize it if you've got one by making the meatballs the night before and then loading up the pot the next morning... place it on low and let it do the work! ;)

Courtesy Lindsey Lett

Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce

Image courtesy thepioneerwoman.com

2 T Olive Oil
2 T Butter
1 whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced
4 cloves Garlic, Minced
2 cans (15 Ounce Each) Tomato Sauce Or Marinara Sauce
Salt And Pepper, to taste
Dash Of Sugar (more To Taste)
1 cup Heavy Cream
Grated Parmesan Or Romano Cheese, To Taste
Fresh Basil, Chopped
1-½ pound Fettuccine

Preparation Instructions
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.

Heat butter and oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute for a minute or so. Pour in tomato sauce and add salt, pepper, and sugar to taste. Stir and cook over low heat for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat and stir in cream. Add cheese to taste, then check seasonings. Stir in pasta and chopped basil and serve immediately. (Thin with pasta water before adding basil if needed.)

recipe courtesy thepioneerwoman.com

Yummo as a side for pan seared Chicken... or parm crusted chicken! :)

Shrimp Scampi

1 (8 ounce) package angel hair pasta
1/2 cup butter
4 cloves minced garlic
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup dry white wine
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Directions
1.Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Stir in pasta and return pot to boil. Cook until al dente. Drain well.
2.Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in garlic and shrimp. Cook, stirring constantly, for 3 to 5 minutes.
3.Stir in wine and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook for 30 seconds while stirring constantly.
4.Mix shrimp with drained pasta in a serving bowl. Sprinkle with cheese and parsley. Serve immediately.
(courtesy allrecipes.com)

Chicken Scampi

1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 boneless chicken breast halves, sliced lengthwise into thirds
Directions
1.In a skillet heat the butter or margarine and oil over medium high until the butter/margarine melts. Add the parsley, basil, oregano and garlic and salt and mix together in the skillet. Stir in lemon juice.
2.Then add the chicken and saute for about 3 minutes or until white. Lower the heat and cook for about 10 to 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear. More butter/margarine can be added if needed.

(courtesy allrecipes.com)

Easy Lemon Pasta with Chicken

1 pound dried penne
2 chicken cutlets, cut into fingers
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
2 lemons, juiced
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Directions
Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, until al dente. Drain well.

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a large grill pan over medium high and add chicken. Grill until golden and completely cooked. Remove to a plate and slice.

Add the garlic and red pepper flakes to a saute pan with 3 tablespoons of olive oil and saute until fragrant. Add the cooked pasta and turn heat off. Mix all together.

Remove pasta to a large bowl. Add chicken to the warm pasta and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle in chopped parsley. Add the juice of 2 lemons and mix. Before serving top with Parmesan.
(courtesy foodnetwork.com)
*this would probably be good with Shrimp too!

Macaroni Salad

Ingredients
2 cups cooked elbow macaroni
3 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
1 cup diced celery
1/4 cup diced green bell pepper
2 tablespoons diced green onions
1 tablespoon chopped pimento
1 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
1 teaspoon House Seasoning, recipe follows
1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Directions
Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl. Cover and put into the refrigerator until ready to serve.


House Seasoning:
1 cup salt
1/4 cup garlic powder
1/4 cup black pepper
Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
( courtesy Paula Deen/foodnetwork)

Quick Skillet Tomato Beef Pasta

6 oz. uncooked small pasta, any shape

1 lb. ground beef

1 onion, chopped

14.5 oz. can French-style green beans, drained

14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano



Cook pasta according to package directions; drain well. Meanwhile, brown beef in large skillet; drain fat. Add beans and tomatoes; mix well. Add pasta and heat through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with Parmesan, if desired.
(courtesy Rebecca Navokovich)

Spinach pasta toss

1 can (14-1/2 oz.) Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cups multi-grain penne pasta, uncooked
1 cup water
1 pkg. (9 oz.) baby spinach leaves (7 cups)
1 cup KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Italian* Three Cheese Blend

Make It!
BRING tomatoes, pasta and water to boil in large saucepan; stir. Cover; simmer on medium-low heat 10 min. or just until pasta is tender.

ADD 1/2 of spinach; simmer, covered, 2 min. or until wilted. Stir. Repeat with remaining spinach.

SERVE topped with cheese.
(courtesy kraftrecipes.com)

Mac N' Cheese

Ingredients
1 pound uncooked elbow macaroni
1/2 cup low-fat or fat-free sour cream
12-ounce can evaporated skim milk
4 ounces grated sharp Cheddar (about 1/2 cup)
4 ounces grated Monterey Jack (about 1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 to 2 drops hot sauce, optional
Ground black pepper and salt
1/4 cup plain dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
Directions
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. While pasta is still hot, stir in sour cream and set aside.

Scald milk by heating in a small saucepan over medium heat until tiny bubbles just appear around the edges.

Add Cheddar and Monterey cheeses, mustard, nutmeg, hot sauce, pepper and salt to scalded milk. Simmer until cheese melts, stirring constantly.

Fold cheese mixture into pasta and transfer mixture to a serving platter.

Combine bread crumbs and Parmesan in a skillet over medium heat. Toast 1 to 2 minutes, until golden brown. Sprinkle mixture over macaroni and cheese and serve.
(Courtesy foodnetwork.com)

Weeknight Lasagna Toss

1 lb. lean ground beef
2 green peppers, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 jar (26 oz.) spaghetti sauce
1-2/3 cups water
1/4 cup KRAFT Zesty Italian Dressing
12 oven-ready lasagna noodles, broken into quarters
1 cup KRAFT Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese

BROWN meat in large saucepan; drain.

ADD peppers, garlic, spaghetti sauce, water and dressing; bring to boil. Stir in noodles; cover.

COOK on medium-low heat 10 to 15 min. or until noodles are tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with cheese; cover. Let stand 5 min. or until cheese is melted.
(recipe courtesy of kraftrecipes.com)
Not sure how easy lasagna noodles are to find in SK, but you could substitute for different pasta. Serve up with some toasted bagette bread and you are golden! :)

Slow Cooked Korean-Style Short Rib Soup

Ingredients
Ribs:
12 English-cut short ribs (about 6 pounds)
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons finely grated peeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoons Korean red chili paste or sambal oelek, plus more for serving
2 tablespoons dark (toasted) sesame oil
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 bunch scallions (white and green parts, separated), thinly sliced
Noodles and Garnishes:
10 to 12 ounces medium-thick rice noodles (also called rice sticks or jantaboon)
1 carrot, finely grated
1 small Kirby cucumber, thinly sliced
1/2 cup cilantro leaves, torn
2 limes, cut into wedges
Directions
Remove any silver skin from the surface of the short ribs, and then make 2 cuts across the grain, through the meat down to the bone. (See how-to photo.) Put the ribs in the slow cooker.

Whisk together the broth, soy, sugar, ginger, chili paste, sesame oil, garlic, and scallion whites. Pour over the ribs. Cover and cook on HIGH for 6 hours.

About 30 minutes before serving, put the rice noodles in a bowl with hot water to cover. Soak until tender and pliable, about 30 minutes.

Skim any fat that may collect on top of the beef broth and discard.

Divide the noodles among 6 large shallow bowls and ladle the broth over top. (Cut the meat from the ribs if desired.) Divide the meat evenly among the bowls. Garnish as desired with the carrots, cucumber, cilantro, lime and the remaining green parts of the scallion and more chili paste, if desired.

Copyright (c) 2007 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved

Jap Chae Korean Glass Noodles

Ingredients
1/2 pound Korean dang myun noodles
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons white sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup thinly sliced onions
2 carrots, cut into match-stick size pieces
1/2 pound asparagus, thinly sliced
3 green onions cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked until soft, then sliced into strips
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
Directions
1.Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the dang myun noodles, and return to a boil. Cook the noodles uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the noodles have cooked through, but are still firm to the bite, 4 to 5 minutes. Rinse with cold water and drain well in a colander set in the sink. Toss noodles with 1 teaspoon of sesame oil. Set aside. Whisk soy sauce and sugar in a small bowl. Set aside.
2.Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the garlic, onion, carrots, and asparagus; cook and stir until the vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in green onions and shiitake mushrooms and continue cooking and stirring for 30 seconds. Pour in the soy sauce mixture, then add the noodles. Cook and stir until the noodles are warmed through, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and toss with sesame seeds and the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil.
(Recipe courtesy of allrecipes.com)