I'M BACK!!! - Spanish Meatballs and French Strawberry Shortcake

Now that the madness of Paleo is long over, it's time to get cooking again.
(the Paleo challenge involved eating no sugars, dairy, carbs and legumes for one month as a part of a challenge for my gym.  Needless to say, not a dutch friendly idea).

I was procrastinating on getting back into this and after I volunteered to watch a neighbour kid for dinner tonight, I figured no time like now as I cook better for company (even 7 year old company!).

Chose Spanish meatballs as I had an abundance of ground beef in stock and went with the French Strawberry Shortcake as it is strawberry season and this weekend is Stouffville's annual "Strawberry Festival"


Spanish Meatballs
1 lb lean ground beef
breadcrumbs (used about 2/3 cup)
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped celery (I omitted this as I don't like celery in my meatballs)
2 eggs
1 tbsp garlic salt
pepper
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 cup thinly sliced zucchini (I also added mushrooms, more on this later)
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp suar
1 tbsp cornstarch

Combine beef with crumbs, onion, celery, eggs, garlic salt and pepper.  Form in to small meatballs and brown in dutch oven.  Add other ingredients, except cornstarch and simmer for 5 minutes.  Blend cornstarch with a small amount of water or broth and pour into meatballs to thicken.  Simmer for 20 minutes and serve over rice.

Verdict
Quite tasty.   As you can see in the picture, I thought I had a zucchini in stock and found this disgusting thing in the fridge.

mmmm!

I was only able to salvage about 1/4 of it, so I added some mushrooms into the meatballs (thinly sliced). They were very good.   All the kids ate it up quickly.  It was a bit chunky which never goes over very well in this house, but no major complaints.  I would make this again.

French Strawberry Shortcake
1 1/3 cups bisquick mix
3/4 cup sugar
3 tbsp shortening
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups strawberries
whipped cream

Grease and flour a 9" round cake pan.  Mix bisquick mix and sugar.  Add egg, shortening and milk.  Beat for one minute (I just whisked this).  Add vanilla.   Pour into prepared pan and bake at 350 for 35 minutes.  Cool 5 minutes and remove from pan.
Wash, clean and slice strawberries.   Put a tsp of sugar on them so that they get juicy.
Serve cake with strawberries and whipped cream.

Verdict
At first, disaster!!!   I didn't realize that my pan is only 8" and the cake boiled over and made a freaking mess all over the oven.  GRRRR   (I just cleaned it on the weekend, isn't that always the way?)

Insert profanity here

However, all was forgiven when we ate it.  Super yum!!! and Super easy!!!   A hit with everyone.  Will definitely make this again (in a proper sized pan).

soon will be licking the plate clean