Moroccan Meatballs

By Andrew Hunter
For The Family Table, a blog for busy families

Meatballs are made for boys and maybe for girls, too, but in our house boys rule the roost, except for Marilyn, of course, who’s really in charge. In addition to being an accomplished maker of spaghetti and meatballs, she experiments with a variety of seasonings, sauces and meat blends.

It’s always fun to watch Ben and Nick when Marilyn announces that dinner is meatballs; their faces light up, they typically yelp with joy a few times and Nick often breaks into a dance, or lately, does a break dance. Meatballs are also a fun interactive family dinner because the boys roll the meat mixture into balls and other odd shapes.

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Corned Beef and Cabbage Leftovers

By Lori Powell
For One or Two Bites, a blog for singles and couples

As mentioned before, my mom’s a Murphy so when St. Patty’s Day rolls around, we all get cooking some corned beef and cabbage.

I’m lucky enough to have a store up the road that corns its own beef and even luckier that I got the last piece they had. Only problem was that it was a five-pound piece and not really conducive for one or two bites.

I do love great leftovers and this dish just gets better with age. Only thing is, after two nights of the same, I needed to change it up a bit. I confess I did freeze part of it to make some old-fashioned corned beef hash for a great weekend breakfast or brunch, but what to do with the rest of the bits such as the little bit of corned beef and then the broth, cabbage, carrots and potatoes?

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A Last Hurrah for Apples

By Ben Mims
For Cooking Newbie, a blog for beginner cooks

Now that winter is finally on its way out, and spring is almost upon us (quite literally, both in calendar time and with daylight savings time in effect), I wanted to make a last-ditch effort to save the last load of apples I’d gotten from the market and kept around all winter. Because while it’s getting warmer, we’ve still got plenty of cold days and nights ahead, as mother nature likes to remind us this time of year.

My favorite thing to make with apples, and there are many, is a simple apple butter. Although it’s name says so, there is actually no butter in this sweet preserve, best served on biscuits or scones, spread across hot pancakes and waffles, or eaten as a complement to peanut butter on a sandwich.

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Home Again

By Sandy Hu
The latest from Inside Special Fork

I’m fortunate that my business takes me to extraordinary cities and provides an opportunity to enjoy sensational meals. But after a trip that includes a few days of fine dining, I’m ready for something simple when I get home. That was my culinary state of mind when I returned Friday night from New York City.

Japanese home cooking is a good antidote for fancy meals and one of my favorites is Oyako Donburi. “Donburi” means “bowl,” and donburi meals consist of a big bowl of rice with seasoned toppings. So that is what I made for dinner Saturday night.

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Celebrate Asparagus Season with Soup

By Jennifer Knapp
A new video for Video Friday

I have been watching and waiting since the end of February for the first California asparagus to show up at market. Sure, you can find asparagus that's been grown in Mexico any time of the year.

However, I am a San Francisco Bay Area transplant from New England who no longer observes the passing of the years based on fall foliage, the first snowstorm, spring daffodils and humid summer beach days. Instead, I simply enjoy the subtle changes in weather and temperature that allow a year-round growing climate, and I mark the seasons in my kitchen as new fruits and vegetables arrive at the market.

Not only is it better for the environment when you can buy produce that has been grown locally and in season, the flavor can't compare with that which has been shipped thousands of miles.

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