Panipopo

Panipopo is a Polynesian dessert that consists of lovely, soft bread dough covered with a sweetened coconut sauce and baked.  The sauce soaks into the outside of the bread giving it a soft, sticky, coconut exterior.  It's so good! My description is not doing it justice.  I make it every time I make Chicken Curry Buns because it's a great way to use up leftover bread dough and coconut milk and because it is delicious.

Curry Chicken Buns

I have long been a fan of Asian dumplings.  Unfortunately, they can be hard to find in many places across the US, which means I have to learn to make my own.  I love these curry buns, and they are one of my favorite meals.  Spicy curry chicken is wrapped in a soft, light bun and then brushed with a honey glaze, that little bit of sweetness contrasting to the spicy filling within.  They are amazing.

Italian Wedding Soup

I love this soup so much!  It's warm, delicious, hearty and comforting. I've always been a fan of Italian wedding soup, but I've found ordering it tends to be hit or miss.  Sometimes it's really good and sometimes not so much.  This is my first time making it, and I'll probably never order it again.  The homemade version was so much better than I could have ever expected and better than any version I've had in a restaurant.  I think this is due to the spinach.  When soup is held in a warmer the spinach keeps cooking and loses flavor.  At home the spinach is just barely cooked and tastes fresher. Seriously so good.  And this so easy to make when you already have the meatballs in the freezer.

This recipe calls for the frozen meatballs I wrote about in another post.

Adapted from: Smitten Kitchen

Serves: 4

7 oz cooked and frozen tiny meatballs
8 cups chicken or vegetable stock*
1 cup peeled and diced carrots
3/4 cups orzo
4 cups baby spinach

1. Bring the stock to a boil and add the frozen meatballs and carrots.
2. Once the stock is back to a simmer add the orzo.
3. When the carrots and orzo are cooked and the meatballs are heated through, add the spinach.  Cook until the spinach is just wilted.

*Better than Bouillon is a really good quality stock base that you can just mix with water to make stock.  It's super easy and convenient and available at most grocery stores.

Meatballs

I love meatballs, and these are my favorite.  Not only are they tender, flavorful and delicious, but they are versatile as well.  So far I have five different ways to serve them, but there will probably be more in the future.  The mix of meats is what makes these meatballs so delicious.  I find meatballs made only with beef to be a little dry and tough.  Adding ground pork and veal makes all the difference. I multiply this recipe by six, so I'll have plenty of meatballs for all these different applications

Difficulty: Moderate
Category: Simple Side
Column: EG & EH
Adapted from: Smitten Kitchen