Meatballs and Macarons

.... And a formal Apology.

We'll start with that. I'm sorry, dear, for the caption - I thought you would find it amusing, which is exactly how it was intended. It's been removed - I'd settle for pretending it never existed.

But next time - Please tell me that you're 'irate'. Don't let me find out through the grapevine.


So back to the baking.... I made Meatballs and Macarons. (Yes, Macarons - not macaroons.) I'd tell you about the 'job fair' this week, but I'm waiting for the results... wouldn't want to accidently jinx it.


So, the Meatballs (Because I *know* you want to see those first...) are delicious. They're turkey, blue cheese, breadcrumbs, eggs, chili powder, italian seasonings.... and at only 246 calores per 5 (of these two-inch giants), they're delicious.


Behold! My breakfast and lunch for the next week:

Don't they look delicious? With a liitttlllee bit of Pasta Sauce... Mmmmmm....

Recipe was from Allrecipes.com:

4 cloves garlic
1/2 onion, cut into chunks
2 jalapeno peppers, halved and seeded
1 pound ground turkey
3 tablespoons blue cheese
1/2 cup bread crumbs
3 egg whites
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.
Pulse garlic cloves in a food processor until minced. Add onion and jalapeno, and pulse until minced again. Scrape the onion mixture into a large bowl along with the turkey, blue cheese, bread crumbs, egg whites, and olive oil. Season with soy sauce, dried parsley, Italian seasoning, pepper, and chili powder. Mix well.
Roll the mixture into 2 inch balls, and place onto prepared baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, and no longer pink in the center, about 25 minutes.

So now, for the Macarons.... These, were interesting.

Apple-pie Macarons, which should've been cooked a bit longer, as they should've been a bit crunchier. But, as a first try at creating Macarons, these were pretty dang good. Sweet, Melt-in-your-mouth cookies. Except a lot better and a lot harder to make.

I got the recipe from the LA Times - they were for Gingerbread Macarons with Apple Compote, but I modified the recipe, to be Cinnamon Macarons with Apple Compote. Pretty good.


Apple compote

6 tablespoons butter, cut in 1-inch pieces
1/2 vanilla bean, cut lengthwise and scraped of seeds - I used 1 tsp Vanilla
3 large or 4 medium Fujiapples, peeled, cored and cut into eighths
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons lemon juice

1. In a large skillet over a medium flame add the butter, vanilla bean and seeds, cook until the butter turns golden brown, about 6 minutes. Add the apples, letting them caramelize on one side, then turn, about 5 minutes total.
2. Sprinkle the sugar and brown sugar over the apples and cook, turning occasionally to caramelize and soften the fruit, about 10 minutes. Add the heavy cream and continue to cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Remove the vanilla bean and put the apple mixture in a food processor, add lemon juice and pulse until smooth. Cool over ice, 45 minutes to 1 hour. (This can be made and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1 week.)


Macarons
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons almond flour
2 cups plus 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
4 egg whites
3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Scant 4 tablespoons sugar

1. Line two 17-by-12-inch baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. In a food processor, blend the almond flour, powdered sugar, ginger and cinnamon for 1 minute. Sift the blended almond mixture directly into a medium mixing bowl. Set aside. (This can be made up to 2 days in advance.)

2. Fill a small saucepan halfway with water. Bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the egg whites until foamy. Place the bowl over the pot of hot water and whisk quickly until the egg whites reach 100 degrees on a candy thermometer.

3. Remove the bowl from the pot of water and whisk in the cream of tartar. Place it on a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment. Whip on medium speed for 2 minutes, then gradually beat in the sugar. Continue whipping for 6 minutes until the egg whites come to medium stiff peaks and are shiny.

4. Turn the mixer to the lowest setting and carefully spoon in the molasses. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Add egg whites to the almond mixture by gently bringing the flat side of a rubber spatula through the center of the egg whites and up the opposite side of the bowl, folding the dry ingredients over the egg whites. Repeat the same motion 50 times, turning the bowl a quarter turn each time.

5. Fit a pastry bag with a medium round tip (No. 4) and fill with the mixture. On the parchment-lined baking sheets, pipe 1-inch rounds (the batter will be slightly wet) by holding the bag at a slight angle and releasing small amounts of batter. Allow one-half inch between cookies; they will spread slightly. Keep the piped cookies at room temperature, uncovered, for 1 to 2 hours. (This will help form a skin.)

6. Heat the oven to 325 degrees, placing the racks in the center and lower shelves of the oven.

7. Bake the macarons for 12 minutes, reverse the trays on the racks and rotate. Bake 12 to 14 minutes more, or until firm and not wet. Cool on a rack.

8. Fill the macarons by placing the apple compote in a pastry bag fitted with a small round tip. Pipe a one-half-inch round of filling on to the bottom (flat side) of one cookie, then place another cookie on top to make a sandwich (try to pick two cookies the same size and shape). Twist gently to spread the filling. These are best filled 1 hour before eating so that the apple compote makes the macaron melt in your mouth.


The Best and the Worst of these: They are 37 calories each (filled). They are also *really* addicting.


Please comment!! Feedback is *always* appreciated. =)