Halloween is Here!!!!

Happy Halloween everyone!  I am so looking forward to giving out candy and celebrating a bit this year!  Getting together has been so restrained and so tentative for so long.  As most know, my industry, entertainment, leisure & travel, has been hit particularly hard and has been the last to recover.  However, things at LA Food Works are getting back on track!  We've got a great November ahead of us and bookings for in-person holiday parties are happening too!  I couldn’t be happier because I am loving having everyone back in my kitchen to cook with me again, albeit a little different than years before.  We want to keep everyone safe, so we have certain protocols in place for our guests and the LAFW staff.  We are working at half our maximum capacity.  All staff members are fully vaccinated and wearing masks for classes.  As of November 8th, in accordance with LA City requirements, all guests must show proof of vaccination to attend a class.  Outdoor dining is an option regardless of the weather (we have lots of heat lamps!).  And there is lots of fresh air circulating at all times indoors.   Even with sweater weather setting in, these safety measure have not inhibited anyone's fun!

We still have some availability in November and December, so as you start to think about how you and your family or colleagues would like to celebrate, I hope you think of us!  Reach out, and let's see if we can set a date to cook together.

I've got a great Sweet and Sour Cocktail Meatball recipe for you below.  They are so fun to make and the sauce is TO DIE FOR... so perfect for a Halloween gathering!  But honestly, they are delicious anytime!

Wishing you all a very Happy and Safe Halloween.  Don't eat too much candy!!!!!

Rose

There is something so Halloween-ish about these meatballs. They are a tasty counterbalance to Halloween candy and with the red sauce, you could make this a really freaky festive dish!  (I’m thinking a bed of spaghetti tossed in the glistening red sauce could bring about slightly visceral response from some guests… You get what I mean!).  But creepy kidding aside, this recipe was adapted from a Food and Wine story in 2011 celebrating food from movie and book "The Help".  According to Southern tradition, the hostess at a ladies' luncheon should serve little meatballs in a chafing dish or on a platter with toothpicks as a satisfying snack for any men in attendance.  Um ok, whatever.  That's a kitschy anecdote, but I think they are just great for any party attendee.  You could even make a vegetarian batch with your favorite ground beef substitute.  

Sweet and Sour Cocktail Meatballs

For the meatballs
 2      pounds  ground turkey or beef
 2      eggs, lightly beaten
 1/4   cup  water
 1      cup  bread crumbs
 1      small  onion,  minced
 1      teaspoon  salt
 2      teaspoons  sweet paprika
 1      teaspoon  dried mustard
 1/2   teaspoon  ground black pepper
 1/2   teaspoon  ground mace  or allspice
         canola oil for brushing the baking sheet

For the Sweet and Sour Sauce
1         cup  ketchup
1/2      cup  grape jelly
1/2      cup  dry sherry
1         tablespoon  Worcestershire or soy sauce
1/2      cup  water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, eggs, water, bread crumbs, minced onion, salt, paprika, dried mustard, pepper and mace.

Brush a large rimmed baking sheet with oil.  Roll meat into small meatballs, about 1 1/2-inches round (about the size of a ping pong ball). Transfer the meatballs to the baking sheet.  Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, turning once.

Meanwhile, in a large, deep skillet, combine the ketchup, jelly, sherry and Worcestershire. Add 1/2 cup of water and bring to a simmer, whisking until the jelly is melted.  Using a slotted spoon, add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer over low heat until thickly glazed, about 15 minutes. Transfer the meatballs to a bowl and serve with picks.

Yield: 48 meatballs

Serving Size: 2 meatballs.  Per Serving : 115 Calories; 4g Fat (31.0% calories from fat); 8g Protein; 11g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 45mg Cholesterol; 296mg Sodium.