Belly of the Beast

[jandirigma]

Food is fuel, just that sometimes staying fueled feels like a chore. I know it sometimes gets really boring when you closely monitor what you eat. From time-to-time, I get a little stroke of genius in the kitchen to spice up my usual diet. Most of the time, the recipes I come up with are random, coming from random stuff in the kitchen that I happen to put together in order to meet my needs. Hopefully the recipes that I'll post here will help add some new flavor to the fuel for a beast's belly. Cook, serve, devour.

[jandirigma]

Here's a really random main course. Unusual, but tasty. Hopefully your tastebuds agree.

Ingredients:
1 large Angus Patty
3 large Parma Ham Strips
1 tbsp. Lean Bacon Flakes
5 large slices Monterey Jack
Chili Flakes

Directions:

1) Grill or pan-fry angus patty until desired texture is achieved.
2) Place patty on a plate and top with Monterey Jack.
3) Microwave for two minutes on high heat or until cheese melts on the patty.
4) Add parma ham and bacon flakes on top of the patty with melted cheese.
5) Add chili flakes to taste.
6) Serve and eat with carb source of choice.

[jandirigma]

I call this "fake stew", since I separately cook the meat, frankly because I was very hungry when I came up with this and couldn't wait to eat something. Out of pure "randumbness" in the kitchen, I came up with a pretty good idea to fuse Thai and Filipino flavors.

It was a pretty good idea to get something hot and soupy on the rainy day that I made this. Play the Tagalog song "Tuwing Umuualan at Kapiling Ka" when cooking and eating this thing, and you've got yourself the perfect rainy day lunch.

Ingredients:
2 Sole Fillets
1/2 Cup Whole Thai Basil Leaves
1 Small Can Coconut Milk
Chili Flakes
Lemon Juice

Directions:

1) Pan Fry the sole fillet until cooked and tender. Do not make the outside crusty.

2) Get a big bowl that you can heat on the stove and pour coconut milk and basil leaves in it.

3) Add the fish into the bowl and let the whole thing simmer at low-med heat for 15 minutes. You should be able to smell the basil leaves by then.

4) When done, place everything in a bowl and serve with the desired amount of chili flakes and lemon juice.

[jandirigma]

A huge lamb shank reminds me a lot of huge quads, hehe! This simple dish will take some time to cook, but when done properly, should be worth the wait.

Ingredients:
1 Whole Lamb Leg
Olive Oil
Herb Mix (Thyme, Oregano, Rosemary)
Salt
Pepper

Directions:

1) Get the leg and cover it up with olive oil to lock in its juices while cooking.

2) Add salt and pepper to the entire leg as desired.

3) Generously cover the leg with the herb mix.

4) You may want to apply just a little more olive oil if desired, so that the herbs don't get to crusty when baked.

5) Bake lamb in the oven at med-high heat. Bake for about 40 minutes or until meat gets cooked yet still tender (never well-done).

[jandirigma]

This is a "hybrid" nacho as I call it. I use nachos, but is made almost like a taco with a little of my own personal flavor in it. This is a pretty heavy meal.

Ingredients:
Olive Oil
1/2 kg. Lean Ground Beef
1 Large Onion
2-3 Small Tomatoes (Not Cherry Reds)
5 Tbsp. Old El Paso Taco Sauce
Grated Parmesan Cheese
Kesong Puti or Feta Cheese
1 Regular Tostitos or Whole Wheat Tortilla Chips
8 Drops Tabasco Sauce
Chili Flakes

Directions:

1) Slice onions and tomatoes into small squares.

2) Lightly coat a frying pan with olive oil.

3) Fry beef in pan until done.

4) Add onions to beef and fry on medium heat for about 3 minutes. Be careful not to burn the beef. The onion when done should not be crunchy and should not be very sour.

5) Slice some feta cheese or kesong puti. Set aside parmesan cheese.

6) Place chips in a bowl and top with the cooked meat and onions.

7) Add parmesan and the feta/kesong puti cheese, taco sauce, tabasco, and chili flakes to the bowl with the beef and chips.

8) Place the bowl in microwave and heat on high for 2 minutes or until cheese melts.

9) Add the tomatoes on top of everything.

10) Serve.

[zubda345]

Nice meals... Gotta try them all ASAP! keep posting new n new random plans....

[jandirigma]

Nice meals... Gotta try them all ASAP! keep posting new n new random plans....

Thanks, man! Hope you have a great time tryin' 'em out!

[zubda345]

I think I am gonna give them a try right now... LOL

[jandirigma]

Just an easy appetizer to make when in a rush. Spinach is a natural source of beta-ecydsterone, a plant sterol which may assist protein synthesis, thus aiding muscle growth. The salmon is a good protein source as well as a natural source of DHA and naturally-occurring healthy fats such as omega-3's which have a plethora of benefits such as brain and heart health, increased metabolism, and joint integrity. Try this smart start to a nice healthy meal.

Ingredients:
1 bowl Spinach Leaves
1/4 cup Button Mushrooms
1 small pack Smoked Salmon
8 pieces Vitaweat
Dressing of Your Choice

Directions:

1) Toss ingredients into a bowl.
2) Toss the salad.
3) Eat. Simple.

[jandirigma]

Here's another original and random recipe I made for my lunch (just had to pack carbs separately). While my grocery sells the salad packs with the different greens mixed together, I'll list down the individual greens and leave it up to you to decide how much of each to put. Note however, that the endives and brassicas add a bit of pepperiness and bitterness to the salad, so if you don't like bitter, don't put to much. Since not many of you may have Manuka smoked ham like in NZ, you can settle for regular smoked ham. The Manuka smoked one though has a distinct flavor and aroma. The aroma almost reminds me of smoked salmon, so it's pretty interesting.

Ingredients:
European Brassicas
Asian Brassicas
Endives
Red Lettuce
Iceberg Lettuce
5 slices Smoked Ham
Handful Unsalted Macadamias
1-1/2 tbsp. Vinaigrette Dressing (any flavor)
Pepper


Directions:

1) Take all the leaves of the greens in the amounts you want and place in bowl.
2) Cut ham slices to shreds and top on the greens.
3) Add macadamias.
4) Crack pepper as desired.
5) Add dressing.
6) Serve.

[Bruiser]

I haven't had a chance to try these yet. They all look amazing. Keep feeding us recipes (pun intended)

[jandirigma]

I haven't had a chance to try these yet. They all look amazing. Keep feeding us recipes (pun intended)

Thanks, mate. As long as I have a stomach, there shall be recipes, hehe!

[jandirigma]

Easy eating. Rip open some containers and get a good meal filled with the anabolic goodness of fatty fish and spinach. Period.

Ingredients:
1 large bowl Spinach Leaves
1 large pack Smoked Salmon Slices
1 slice lemon
1 tbsp. Olive Oil
5 tbsp. Sour Cream (Fat-reduced)
Capers
Chili Flakes

Directions:

1) Place spinach in a bowl.
2) Add salmon.
3) Whip some sour cream over the salmon.
4) Add capers and chili flakes to taste.
5) Squeeze the lemon all over.
6) Add olive oil.
7) Serve. Eat. Grow...just add some carbs to this baby on the side.

[jandirigma]

Here's my obra maestra (so far), which I cooked by the batch for my next few meals for the day. It combines the spice of curry, smoothness of cream and spinach, tang of lemon, savoriness of meat, and the mild acidity of vinaigrette. I just have so many ideas now, since it's easy to find easy to cook and find fresh items in NZ supermarkets. Although I used pre-sliced chicken and beef, packaged spinach, feta, cashew, lemon cream, and pre-mixed greens, I'll make a "scratch" recipe here instead.

Ingredients:
1/2 kg. Chicken Breast Strips
1/2 kg. Beef Tenderloin Strips
Spinach
+ Red Lettuce
+ Iceberg
+ Brassicas
1/4 cup Feta Cheese
1/2 cup Ground Cashews
3 Lemon Slices
4 tbsp. Curry Powder
3 Bay Leaves
6 tbsp. Spinach Cream Dip
+ White Wine Vinaigrette/ Vinaigrette of Your Choice
4 tbsp. Olive Oil
2 cups Water

Directions:

For Meat:

1) Mix beef and chicken together.
2) Coat meat in curry powder.
3) Get wok and add olive oil.
4) Pan fry meat for about 3-5 minutes or until slightly cooked.
5) Add water and bay leaves and heat on medium. Cover the wok and allow to stew for about 8 mins. or until meat is fully-cooked and tender.
6) Drain the water and place meat in a bowl.
7) Set aside.

For Dressing:

1) Place cashew in bowl.
2) Add feta cheese.
3) Mash and mix feta and ground cashews into paste.
4) Add spinach cream.
5) Squeeze lemons on the mix.
6) Mix all of these ingredients together.

For Salad:

1) Combine the lettuces, spinach, and brassicas in the amounts you desire.
2) Top with the meat you cooked.
3) Top it with the dressing you mixed.
4) Add vinaigrette and pepper to taste.
4) Mix and serve.

[jandirigma]

Gotta love a nice meal with lots of spices and herbs. Natural anti-inflammation agents in turmeric form the curry, the heart lovin' goodness of garlic, anabolic properties of spinach, healthy fats from cashews, and more. But then who cares about that, when it tastes good too? Eat and crush iron!

*P.S. best served alongside or as a topping over a hot bowl of brown rice.

Ingredients:
2 cloves Garlic
1/2 Large Onion
2 tbsp. Curry Powder
4 tbsp. Olive Oil
1 Lemon Slice
1/2 kg. Lamb Strips
1 handful Cashews
Cracked Pepper
3 tbsp. Spinach Dip


Directions:

1) Finely chop the onions and garlic.
2) Add olive oil, curry powder, garlic, and onions in a pan and heat until soft.
3) Add meat and stir, covering it in the curry mixture.
4) Pan fry the meat for about 8-10 minutes or until done and tender.
5) Place cooked on a plate.
6) Squeeze the lemon's juice all over the meat.
7) Add spinach dip all over the meat.
8) Top with cashews
9) Crack pepper to taste.
10) Eat.

[Bruiser]

The curry looks awesome! I just got my wife to try Indian food and now we're both hooked. There are no decent restaurants in my area so all we have to go with is what we make at home. We found a brand of sauces that are great but want to try doing some from scratch. This looks like a good start. Do you have any recipes for Indain food with chicken, curry and coconut? That's her favorite combo.

[jandirigma]

The curry looks awesome! I just got my wife to try Indian food and now we're both hooked. There are no decent restaurants in my area so all we have to go with is what we make at home. We found a brand of sauces that are great but want to try doing some from scratch. This looks like a good start. Do you have any recipes for Indain food with chicken, curry and coconut? That's her favorite combo.

Hmmm, I don't know any recipe for that. But if you can find a recipe for "Peshwari Naan", I believe, you should be good. It's bread with coconut, cheese, and some other stuff. No chicken and curry though, although it would be great to side it with that. Sorry mate, no ideas on combining all three together. If I find one, I'll tell ya.

[Bruiser]

Hmmm, I don't know any recipe for that. But if you can find a recipe for "Peshwari Naan", I believe, you should be good. It's bread with coconut, cheese, and some other stuff. No chicken and curry though, although it would be great to side it with that. Sorry mate, no ideas on combining all three together. If I find one, I'll tell ya.

Thanks man, I'll look that up.

[jandirigma]

Just another curry experiment. Doesn't taste too coconutty, but sure tastes a bit smoother than my other dry curries.

Ingredients:
1/4 kg. Chicken Strips
2 oz. Coconut Cream Powder
3 Chopped Garlic Cloves
1 Chopeed Large Onion
2 tbsp. Curry Powder
1 pinch Ground Garam Masala
1 pinch Ginger Powder
6 tbsp. Olive oil (use more if needed in order to soak the powders)
1/8 Cup Milk

Directions:
1) Put oilve oil with the curry powder, garam masala, and ginger powder.
2) Heat and dissolve the curry mixture in the oil.
3) Add meat into the curry mixture and fry.
4) As meat is almost fully-cooked, add the onions, garlic, milk, and the coconut powder. Stir until powder dissolves.
5) Once fully cooked, serve. You may want to have roti with this at the side. If it's cheat meal time, try a buttered roti.

[ToSo]

Recipes look outstanding, your lamb recipe is good because its similar to my nanni, she makes it every New Years. I'm going to keep checking back for updated recipes, i'll let you know when I try them.

[Bruiser]

Thanks for this recipe man... ask and you shall recieve!! lol This looks just like something the wife and I are looking for.

[jandirigma]

Thanks for this recipe man... ask and you shall recieve!! lol This looks just like something the wife and I are looking for.

Haha, no prob there, bro! Enjoy! If it isn't coconutty enough for you, perhaps you'll have to find a way to make a wet curry and just add liquid coconut milk.

[Back To Basics]

These recipes all look awesome man !

NZ has some awesome produce yeah?

[jandirigma]

These recipes all look awesome man !

NZ has some awesome produce yeah?

Thanks, bud! Yeah man, NZ is the bomb when it comes to purchasing real fresh ingredients. If I didn't end up here in NZ, I don't think I would've even be able to come up with these recipes, 'cause you don't get much of this in the Philippines. Even McDonald's tasted so fresh.

[Bruiser]

Thanks again. To tweak the coconut curry chicken recipe, I swapped out the 2 oz coconut cream powder and 1/8 cup milk for 1/4 cup of coconut milk.

[jandirigma]

Thanks again. To tweak the coconut curry chicken recipe, I swapped out the 2 oz coconut cream powder and 1/8 cup milk for 1/4 cup of coconut milk.

Nice. Did it end up soupy?

[jandirigma]

Thanks again. To tweak the coconut curry chicken recipe, I swapped out the 2 oz coconut cream powder and 1/8 cup milk for 1/4 cup of coconut milk.

Nice. Did it end up soupy? Coconutty enough?

[Bruiser]

Nice. Did it end up soupy? Coconutty enough?

Wasn't too soupy. I just let it simmer until it cooked down to where I wanted it. And I think it was just the right amount of coconut. Thanks again.

[jandirigma]

Here's a good protein meal with some good saturated-unsaturated fat combo from peanuts in the satay sauce olive oil, and coconut cream. Add some brown rice or other carb sources, and you have a mass meal.

Ingredients:
2 Skinless Chicken Breasts
3 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil (Coat For Chicken)
2 Tbsp. Olive oil (For Frying)
Ground Nutmeg
Ground Cumin
Dried/Ground Tarragon
2-3 tbsp. Satay Sauce
2-5 tbsp. Coconut Cream (You may want to use organic acidophilus yoghurt instead for a smooth but sharper taste and a protein boost)

Directions:

For Chicken:

1) Place chicken breasts on a plate and coat in olive oil.
2) Coat the chicken with ground cumin and and nutmeg. The chicken should end up looking a bit orange, so add the spices generously.
3) Heat some the olive oil in a pan and heat.
4) Fry the chicken until tender.
5) When tender, add the soy sauce and cook for about 40 sec-1 min. more.
6) Set aside the chicken when done.

For Sauce:

1) Simply mix the satay sauce and coconut cream and heat in a pan for about 1 min. on high heat or until warm and "soft".
2) Top this sauce on the chicken and add the ground tarragon leaves.
3) Now the dish is finished.

[jandirigma]

Here's my signature roast chicken. You have the option of using a whole skinned chicken which I butterfly to make spreading the spices easier. You can also use skinless drumsticks if you want a juicer roast or chicken breasts for a thicker cut.

Here's the thing. Unlike my other recipes, this is pretty much a flavor-as-you-see-fit recipe so there are no exact measurements which makes it even easier to cook as you basically top the chicken with the spices, toss it in the oven, serve, and eat. It's ridiculously easy to cook and it tastes ridiculously good too.

Anyway, the combination of spices and honey that I include should leave you with a rich, smoky-sweet roast with the recognizable warmth of cinnamon, hence the name "Pollo Canela". Add some complex carbs and veggies with this meal and your good to go!

Ingredients:

Ground Cinnamon
Ground Paprika
Herbes de Provence
Honey
Lemon Juice

Directions:

1) Preheat the oven at 180-200 degrees.

2) Cover the skinless chicken with ground paprika. The entire chicken or pieces of meat should be color orange-red all over.

3) Coat the chicken with ground cinnamon. Ideally, this should be equal to the amount of paprika added. The more cinnamon you add, the more savory the dish becomes because of that "warm" flavor it gives off and that spicy aroma released during baking.

4) Brush honey over the chicken and top with herbes de provence to taste. The addition of the honey compliments the warm-spicy flavor of the cinnamon by adding some sweetness to balance out the chicken's savoriness. When possible, choose a rich dark honey such as Manuka for a deeper flavor. Otherwise, any honey should do.

5) Lay down the chicken in a lightly oiled baking dish or place in a baking bag and bake for forty minutes or until cooked. Note that cooking whole chickens may take an hour, whereas chicken pieces may take forty or so minutes.

6) Serve with a squeeze of lemon juice to taste.

[jandirigma]

Here's an antioxidant powerhouse containing loads of micronutrients and phytochemicals to manage recovery, support immune function, and maintain overall health. Concerning the flavor, add more coriander and onion for a zestier taste. Depending on your caloric allowance, you may reduce or increase the amount of olive oil and feta cheese in the salad.

Ingredients:

1 cup baby spinach
1/4 cup mix of mibuna, mizuna, and cavolo nero
1/4 cup carrots cut into strips
1/4 cup broccoli
1/4 cup lettuce
Sliced red onion (to taste)
Chopped coriander (to taste)
4-6 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
4-6 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1/2-1 tsp. lemon juice
1/3 cup feta cheese
Ground black pepper (to taste)


Directions:

1) Combine all the vegetables in a bowl.
2) Add olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and lemon juice.
3) Toss the salad to distribute the dressing.
4) Add feta cheese and add ground pepper to taste.

[Ox]

Here's my signature roast chicken. You have the option of using a whole skinned chicken which I butterfly to make spreading the spices easier. You can also use skinless drumsticks if you want a juicer roast or chicken breasts for a thicker cut.

Here's the thing. Unlike my other recipes, this is pretty much a flavor-as-you-see-fit recipe so there are no exact measurements which makes it even easier to cook as you basically top the chicken with the spices, toss it in the oven, serve, and eat. It's ridiculously easy to cook and it tastes ridiculously good too.

Anyway, the combination of spices and honey that I include should leave you with a rich, smoky-sweet roast with the recognizable warmth of cinnamon, hence the name "Pollo Canela". Add some complex carbs and veggies with this meal and your good to go!

Ingredients:

Ground Cinnamon
Ground Paprika
Herbes de Provence
Honey
Lemon Juice

Directions:

1) Preheat the oven at 180-200 degrees.

2) Cover the skinless chicken with ground paprika. The entire chicken or pieces of meat should be color orange-red all over.

3) Coat the chicken with ground cinnamon. Ideally, this should be equal to the amount of paprika added. The more cinnamon you add, the more savory the dish becomes because of that "warm" flavor it gives off and that spicy aroma released during baking.

4) Brush honey over the chicken and top with herbes de provence to taste. The addition of the honey compliments the warm-spicy flavor of the cinnamon by adding some sweetness to balance out the chicken's savoriness. When possible, choose a rich dark honey such as Manuka for a deeper flavor. Otherwise, any honey should do.

5) Lay down the chicken in a lightly oiled baking dish or place in a baking bag and bake for forty minutes or until cooked. Note that cooking whole chickens may take an hour, whereas chicken pieces may take forty or so minutes.

6) Serve with a squeeze of lemon juice to taste.

Damn dude that sounds great! Whole chicken destroys plain breasts any day! And that combo of herbs, spices and the honey and lemon juice sounds excellent!

[jandirigma]

Damn dude that sounds great! Whole chicken destroys plain breasts any day! And that combo of herbs, spices and the honey and lemon juice sounds excellent!

Thanks, Ox! Absolutely! It's a bit more tedious to prepare a whole chicken but damn it's way juicier and tastier than breasts.

[Ox]

http://i1069.photobucket.com/albums/u470/bigdog2500/IMG_1587.jpg

The weather has been getting colder and seeing as I'm not prepping right now, I decided to put some soup together for the fam and myself. Basically, I sauteed half an onion in olive oil and seasoned with salt and once they softened I added a quart of low sodium vegetable stock. To that I added fresh thyme, fresh sage, red potatoes, portabella mushrooms, carrots and Swiss chard. I also added broken up pieces of fresh sweet Italian sausage...I like to cut the casing off and break it into pieces. I let it cook for like 20 min on medium heat and then added some sweet potato gnocchi. After cooking on simmer for another 10 minutes I dropped a few whole eggs in the soup (to poach them) and served each bowl with an egg and toasted piece of Italian bread. I really like fresh parsley so I topped mine with a handful. It was damn good.

[The Einstein]

Here's a good protein meal with some good saturated-unsaturated fat combo from peanuts in the satay sauce olive oil, and coconut cream. Add some brown rice or other carb sources, and you have a mass meal.

Ingredients:
2 Skinless Chicken Breasts
3 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil (Coat For Chicken)
2 Tbsp. Olive oil (For Frying)
Ground Nutmeg
Ground Cumin
Dried/Ground Tarragon
2-3 tbsp. Satay Sauce
2-5 tbsp. Coconut Cream (You may want to use organic acidophilus yoghurt instead for a smooth but sharper taste and a protein boost)

Directions:

For Chicken:

1) Place chicken breasts on a plate and coat in olive oil.
2) Coat the chicken with ground cumin and and nutmeg. The chicken should end up looking a bit orange, so add the spices generously.
3) Heat some the olive oil in a pan and heat.
4) Fry the chicken until tender.
5) When tender, add the soy sauce and cook for about 40 sec-1 min. more.
6) Set aside the chicken when done.

For Sauce:

1) Simply mix the satay sauce and coconut cream and heat in a pan for about 1 min. on high heat or until warm and "soft".
2) Top this sauce on the chicken and add the ground tarragon leaves.
3) Now the dish is finished.
This is almost the exact way i cook my chicken, dude. It even tastes great.

[Ox]

I was one a roll this morning so I decided to keep going. My daughter really likes meatballs so I decided to make a pot of sauce and meatballs. The way I do it is to start by cutting the crust off of some Italian bread that's a few days old...not stale but not fresh from the bakery. I saved the crust to chop into pieces and throw in the soup I made. I chop the bread into cubes, throw it in a bowl and soak with whole milk. Trust me, do it this way and you'll never make meatballs with bread crumbs again. I roll the meatballs in breadcrumbs after forming them just before baking but that's about all they're good for in my opinion.

http://i1069.photobucket.com/albums/u470/bigdog2500/IMG_1589.jpg

http://i1069.photobucket.com/albums/u470/bigdog2500/IMG_1590.jpg

http://i1069.photobucket.com/albums/u470/bigdog2500/IMG_1591.jpg

Anyways, after the bread soaks for a few minutes, you ring it out and throw it in a bowl with 1 lb of fresh ground meat, a handful of fresh parsley, a handful of Parmesan cheese, an egg and 1 clove of finely chopped garlic.

http://i1069.photobucket.com/albums/u470/bigdog2500/IMG_1596.jpg

After giving it a good mixing I form the meatballs, roll em in a some breadcrumbs and throw them all on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes and they're good to go. I've done it each way...I've fried the meatballs, I've thrown them right in the sauce and let them cook in the sauce and I've baked them. I like them baked first the best.

http://i1069.photobucket.com/albums/u470/bigdog2500/IMG_1599.jpg

While the meatballs were baking I made the sauce. I keep it really simple. 2 cans of peeled plum tomatoes, 1 clove of garlic, lots of fresh parsley, onion, olive oil and salt. Oh, and a little sausage that I had left over got thrown in too.

http://i1069.photobucket.com/albums/u470/bigdog2500/IMG_1600.jpg

All I do is sautee half an onion in olive oil with some salt until soft then I add in both cans of tomatoes (with the juice) and bring it all up to heat. I add the parsley and the clove of garlic. I don't add any more salt because once I throw in the meatballs, the salt from the bread and the parmesan cheese adds enough to the sauce. Once the meatballs are in I let it simmer for a few hours with the lit ajar and shut the stove off before going to the gym. When I came home, the sauce had thickened on its own. I boiled a pound of rigatoni and sat down with the fam for dinner. It was good!

[Blondie Weapon X]

OX I just learned that you are quite the chef!! Great soups and recipes in here....ok, ...shhhh...much better than my grandma's cooking!!! lol

[jandirigma]

Damn, Ox got some mean meals there! Easy to make and seems pretty affordable too. That one with the meatballs seems real tasty, especially with the parmesan in 'em. Hehe, parmesan makes almost everything taste better. I oughtta give that a crack sometime.

[jandirigma]

Inspired by Ox's meatball recipe, I've decided to make my own baked meatballs. I bought 4 kilos of ground beef and made 25 tennis ball-sized meatballs. If you want, you can mix beef with lamb or venison, or mix all three meats together for more meatball flavors.

Again, with the spices here, add as much as you want. If you want a sweeter herbier flavor, add more basil and reduce the amount of cinnamon. However, if you prefer a spicier warmer flavor, add more cinnamon and cayenne pepper.

Ingredients:

Meatballs:
Dried sweet basil leaves
Ground cayenne pepper
Ground cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped garlic cloves or garlic granules
3-4 kilos ground meat
200 g Shredded or grated parmesan

Topping:
500 ml Hummus
Lemon Juice (to taste)
Ground black pepper (to taste)

Directions:

1) Preheat an oven at 180-200 degrees.
2) Mix the basil leaves, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, garlic, and parmesan with the ground meat.
3) Fill your palm with meat, that's one meatball. Roll it into a ball.
4) After making all the meatballs, place them on a lightly oiled baking tray or place in a baking bag and bake for 40 minutes or until cooked.
5) Add the hummus, lemon, juice, and pepper in a bowl and mix together. Set aside.
6) Serve the meatballs hot and top with the hummus topping.