A collection of Rattler Recipes from St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, TX
Taste of StMU
Featured Story
CakeSo delicious, Popsthey’ll melt in your mouth German Chocolate Cake | White Cheese Enchiladas | Rosemary Chicken
Also Included
VOLUME 7, ISSUE 1, FALL 2013
the wait is over, pumpkin spice cupcakes are back.
In this issue‌
Editor’s Note
Our editor-in-chief, Michelle Kafie, shares her thoughts with you on this issue .
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Desserts 5
Vanilla Cake Pops
Chef Cindy Kafie has nailed the art of making cake pops and she is sharing it with you. Story and photos by Michelle Kafie.
Entrees 12
White Cheese Enchiladas
An authentic and flavorful recipe that any abuelita would give the nod of approval. Story and photos by Steven Navarro.
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German Chocolate Cake
Satisfy your sweet tooth with this fun and delicious recipe from Chef Rachel Grahmann. Story and photos by Adriana Avila.
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Rosemary Chicken
Chef Daniel Lambert shows you how to prepare this healthy, delicious and quick meal. Story and photos by Adriana Benavides.
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Peanut Butter Blossoms
These quick and easy chocolate-kissed cookies will be sure to delight all of your guests. Story and photos by Julia Pullin.
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Spaghetti and Meatballs
All you need is love to prepare this classic Italian dish by Chef Kathleen Benavides. Story and photos by Pablo Cruz.
Taste of STMU | Fall 2013
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Editor’s Note A long time ago, when I was in middle school, I decided I wanted to have a website. I didn’t have a clue on how to start it but I took the challenge. I started doing research on how to start my website and that is when I found Photoshop. I saw all of the work that people did with it and I fell in love. That is when I started looking for online tutorials that taught you how to use the program. I suddenly became addicted to it, I would spend entire days and nights in front of the computer screen playing with the program until I mastered it. I have always been a heavy sleeper but when it came to graphic design I would go to sleep at 3 a.m. and I would happily wake up at 6 a.m. to continue working on my projects. This kept going for around three years, until I got to my senior year in high school, then I had to stop. The workload I had was too intense so I decided to focus in getting through high school. I always thought I would get back to it but then college came around. In the back of my mind, I always thought of majoring in Graphic Design but I chose Marketing. It was not until this year that I decided I wanted to enroll in a Graphic Design class and now here I am. Upon starting this class, I quickly rediscovered the love I had for graphic design. I can honestly say that nothing makes me as happy as doing this. I love each and every second I spend in front of my computer screen. If I could do this for a living then I would never have to work one day for the rest of my life. Creating this magazine has been a crazy ride for me. My workload this semester was crazy and I can’t believe I still found time to dedicate to it. I am glad I didn’t listen to myself all of the times I thought I was crazy for even taking this class, all of the times people told me to drop the class because it was too much, or all of the times I thought I was going to die from stress. It was all worth it, I am proud of each and every page in this magazine. I learned so much and I can’t wait to continue working on graphic design projects to keep on getting better and to keep applying what I learned. A special thanks to my classmates for their articles, photos and ads and huge thank you to Brother Dennis for having so much patience with me and guiding me through this journey. I could not have done all of this without you guys. I am blessed to have the opportunity to share this project with you. I hope you enjoy reading this magazine as much as I enjoyed making it.
Taste of StMU Editor Michelle Kafie Staff Writers Adriana Avila Julia Pulin Steven Navarro Adriana Benavides Pablo Cruz Adviser Brother Dennis Bautista, S.M, Ph.D Disclaimer Taste of StMU is not a real magazine; it is a class project for EA 4362 Graphics. Questions and reprint information, contact: Michelle Kafie, email: mkafie@mail. stmarytx.edu; 1 Camino Santa Maria, St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, TX, 78228. A collection of Rattler Recipes from St. Mary’s University, TX
Taste of StMU
God bless,
Michelle Kafie
CakeSo delicious, Popsthey’ll melt in your mouth German Chocolate Cake | White Cheese Enchiladas | Rosemary Chicken
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Taste of STMU | Fall 2013
VOLUME 7, ISSUE 1, FALL 2013
Desserts
Redefining cake; let them eat
cake po ps
Cindy Kafie has nailed the art of making cake pops in college By Michelle Kafie // EDITOR Cindy Kafie, a junior Marketing major at St. Mary's University, hopes one day to attend culinary school and eventually own a cupcake shop in Honduras, her native country. She has a passion for baking; her mother and grandmother have taught her their secrets and techniques. The kitchen was her playground growing up and it shows in every dish she prepares. Kafie came to St. Mary’s because she liked the mission and fell in love with the community. She loves to eat seafood, and her favorite is fried calamari. She also enjoys Asian food and, in particular, Thai dishes. She loves cooking and bak-
ing. Her favorite dishes to prepare are shrimp fettuccine alfredo and rice casseroles. She loves preparing red velvet cookies, any kind of cupcake, and apple cobbler. One recipe she likes to make is cake pops because she loves the flavor and knows that everyone enjoys eating them. They are fun to make, even though they take a long time. When making these, she advises going through the steps carefully because the cake pops can easily fall off the stick. Another tip is to avoid coating the cake pops immediately after removing them from the refrigerator to prevent them from cracking. “Cake pops aren’t the easiest dessert to prepare, but once you take the first bite, it will all be worth it,” Kafie says. v Taste of STMU | Fall 2013
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Cindy Kafie hopes to one day open her own cupcake shop in her native country, Honduras. In the meantime, she enjoys practicing her baking and cooking skills. Photo by Michelle Kafie.
Ingredients • ½ c. water • 1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour • 2 tsp. baking powder • 1/4 tsp. salt • 1 stick unsalted butter • 1 c. sugar • 2 large eggs • 1/2 c. milk • 1 tsp. vanilla extract • 2 bags of chocolate coating melts Makes 20-25 cake pops.
Begin your Cake Pops 1. Preheat oven to 375 °F. Grease and flour an 8 - inch square pan. Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix well. 2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until well combined and fluffy. 3. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and slowly add eggs until just blended. With the mixer on low, slowly add half the flour mixture. Add the milk and vanilla extract. 4. Slowly add remaining flour mixture, scraping down sides of the bowl with a spatula, as necessary, until just blended. Bake cake for 18 to 20 minutes. Let cake cool in pan for 15 minutes. 5. Break the cooled cake into a few big trunks by hand until it turns into crumbs. Add frosting gradually into the cake crumbs and blend until the mixture becomes a dough. 6. Use a small cookie scoop, roll dough into evenly sized balls and place them on the prepared cookie sheets. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. 7. Melt chocolate melts in the oven. Dip one end of a lollipop stick in the chocolate and insert into the cake ball. Repeat with the remaining cake pops. Refrigerate again for an hour. 8. Remove cake pops from the refrigerator. Melt chocolate melts again in the stove. 9. Dip each cake pop in the chocolate and gently tap off excess. Place onto a piece of wax paper.
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Taste of STMU | Fall 2013
A step by step guide for making: Vanilla Cake Pops
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A sweet
trad it ion that started in Texas
Rachel Grahmann satisfies her sweet tooth with this dessert
By Adriana Avila // STAFF WRITER Dessert is often identified as the best part of every meal, while comfort and Chinese food will always hold a special place in Rachel Grahmann’s heart, nothing will ever come close to her love of sweets, specifically homemade German Chocolate Cake. While cooking is something Grahmann has always loved to do, her true passion lays photography and graphic design. When she was a child, Grahmann’s family followed healthy eating habits; sweets were limited so she started learning to make some of her own. “Most people have a sweet tooth; I have a mouth full of sweet teeth. I love dessert. Cookies, cake, anything thing with sugar,” Grahmann says. One father’s day, Grahmann put her cooking skills and sweet tooth to use and made her father his favorite cake, German Chocolate. It quickly became a shared favorite and, assuming from the dessert’s name that it was German, she felt a strong heritage connection. “It’s not really from Germany. The guy who invented this specific chocolate bar for baking in 1852, was named Sam German and the first person to come up with the recipe was a homemaker in Dallas in the 1950s. I feel cheated,” Grahmann notes. Despite that discovery, Grahmann continues to hold German Chocolate Cake as a favorite and it was her first and only choice of recipe to share. “It’s a lot of fun to create something you can also enjoy so much. It is fun, comforting, and once you learn, fast food and store bought never tastes as good. I just hate the cleanup. The perfect set-up for me would be to find someone I can bake for and then they clean everything up, that part is definitely the worst,” Grahmann says. v
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Taste of STMU | Fall 2013
Rachel Grahmann’s German chocolate cake quickly became a family favorite, and it is her favorite recipe to share. Photo by Adriana Avila
German Chocolate Cake
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Ingredients
Begin your German Chocolate Cake
FOR THE CAKE: • ½ c. water • 4 (1-oz) squares German chocolate • 1 c. butter, softened • 2 c. white sugar • 4 egg yolks • 1 tsp. vanilla extract • 1 c. buttermilk • 2 ½ c. cake flour • 1 tsp. baking soda • ½ tsp. salt • 4 egg whites
CAKE: 1. Preheat oven to 350 °F. Grease and flour 3-9 inch round pans. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a small saucepan, heat water and 4 oz chocolate until melted. Remove from heat and allow cooling.
FOR THE ICING/FILLING: • 1 c. white sugar • 1 c. evaporated milk • ½ c. butter • 3 egg yolks, beaten • 2 1/3 c. flaked coconut • 1 c. chopped pecans • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
4. Pour into 3 - 9 inch pans.
Makes 8 servings.
2. In a large bowl, cream 1 c butter and 2 c sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in 4 egg yolks one at a time. 3. Blend in the melted chocolate mixture and vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk, mixing just until incorporated. In a large glass or metal mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold 1/3 of the whites into the batter, and then quickly fold in remaining whites until no streaks remain.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow cooling for 10 minutes in the pan, and then turn out onto wire rack. FILLING: In a saucepan combine 1 c sugar, evaporated milk, ½ c butter, and 3 egg yolks. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in coconut, pecans and vanilla. Cool until thick enough to spread. Spread the filling between layers and on top of cake. Taste of STMU | Fall 2013
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The joy of
baking: to make people happy
See how Yesenia Robles spreads happiness through her baking By Julia Pullin // STAFF WRITER The warm kitchen fills with a chocolate-kissed smell as cooling cookies rest on a plate. For Yesenia Robles, a sophomore Criminal Justice major at St. Mary’s University, this setting is a familiar one. “I love to cook. It’s something I learned from my grandma when I was younger and cooking reminds me of her,” she says, pressing her thumb into the caramel colored cookie, forming a crater for a chocolate kiss to rest inside. Robles came to St. Mary’s intending to go to law school, maybe graduate school, and plans to become a lawyer
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Taste of STMU | Fall 2013
when she graduates, with a possibility of joining the FBI. “I liked the family and community environment on this small campus,” Robles says, “I also like that we’re based on service and that there’s always someone around to help you.” Her favorite recipe, Peanut Butter Blossoms, holds a special connection for her, her family and friends. “I used to make these cookies with my mom. My best friend loves them and I make them for his birthday all the time instead of a cake,” Robles reflects. With a laugh, she takes a picture of the finished cookies, saying “He left me to go to A&M University this year so I’m
showing him what he’s missing.” Robles also likes to eat spaghetti, mashed potatoes, green beans, and chalupas. She cooks all the time for her friends and family, whether it is cookies, cakes, or meals. “What’s funny is that I really don’t like sweet things,” she states “but it’s a lot of fun seeing people’s faces when they eat something I made. It’s a feeling of satisfaction.” The forming crowd of hungry university students, enticed by the delicious smell in the kitchen, agreed as they eagerly volunteered to try the cookies. Their happy faces as they devoured the cookies were enough affirmation. v
Peanut Butter Blossoms
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Ingredients • • • • • • • • • • •
48 Hershey’s Kisses ½ c. shortening ¾ c. peanut butter 1/3 c. granulated sugar 1/3 c. packed light brown sugar 1 egg 2 Tbsp. milk 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1 ½ c. all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking soda ½ tsp. salt
Makes 25 cookies.
Begin your Peanut Butter Blossoms 1. Heat oven to 375 °F. Remove wrappers from chocolates. Next, beat the shortening and peanut butter in a large bowl until they are well blended. 2. Add 1/3 cup of granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy. 3. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. 4. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into the peanut butter mixture. 5. Next, shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place them on an ungreased cookie sheet and press your thumb in the center of the cookie, creating a bowl. Then you bake them for 8-10 minute or until the cookies are lightly browned. 6. Immediately press a chocolate in the center of each cookie (the cookie will crack around the edges). Remove them from the cookie sheet and let them cool completely.
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Entrees
Recreating his
fav or ite childhood dish
Montañez cooks an authentic Mexican dish from back home By Steven Navarro // STAFF WRITER It’s not too common that a male undergraduate would know how to cook a full-fledged meal, but Daniel Montañez is an expert at making White Cheese Enchiladas so authentic that any abuelita in San Antonio would give the nod of approval. Montañez, a senior Business Management major at St. Mary’s University, says he enjoys cooking but admits it’s hard to find time to cook a wholesome meal as a full-time student with two jobs. “I’ll usually just pick up Chik-Fil-A from the UC because of my schedule,” Montañez says, “but I would much rather eat a home-cooked meal.” One of Montañez’s career plans is to attend a seminary upon graduating from St. Mary’s. This desire to learn more about his faith isn’t something he’s postponing until after graduation. Montañez is involved with faith-based activities and groups on campus. “Besides my classes, I love to join in on the things happening here on campus, like Bible studies and other clubs” he says. “I
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really like St. Mary’s because there is so much to get involved with.” “A downfall,” he admits, is that this “leaves even less time for making hearty meals.” Every now and then, when tests and essays are not due, Montañez will have some free time for himself. This is a miracle of sorts for the busy Business Management major, one he always plans to use for grubbing on anything but fast food. “If I have a free evening, I know I’m going to eat good,” Montañez says. “I grew up on my mom’s Mexican food, so that’s what I automatically go for when cooking.” Montañez admits he didn’t begin to learn how to cook until he started college. “I never started learning how to cook because I would always come home and there’d be food on the table. But now, I’ve got to fend for myself most of the time.” One of Montañez’s go-to dishes is enchiladas with rice. “It’s one of those dishes I grew up on,” he says. “You’ve got to make sure the cheese is good,” Montañez warns, “it doesn’t matter how anything else tastes.” v
White Cheese Enchiladas & Mexican Rice
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Ingredients FOR THE ENCHILADAS: • 10 corn tortillas • 10 oz. Caquique queso fresco cheese • 8 oz. mozarella cheese • ½ c. of olive oil • 1 medium white onion • 1 can of chile con carne FOR THE RICE: • 1 c. rice • 1 Tbsp. oil • 1/4 of a medium onion • 1/4 of a medium bell pepper • 1/4 c. of tomato sauce • 2 cloves chopped garlic • Salt and pepper to taste Makes 6 - 8 servings.
Begin your Enchiladas
ENCHILADAS: 1. Preheat oven to 350 °F. Crumble the QuesoFresco cheese and shred the mozzarella cheese. Dice the onion and mix all 3 ingredients. Set aside. 2. In a large frying pan at medium-high heat, add 3 T of olive oil. Place tortilla in the pan. Cook for about 5 seconds on each side. Remove from pan and place the tortillas on a plate (place a paper towel on plate to soak extra oil) and repeat the process. 3. Take a tortillas and fill it with 2 t of cheese/onion mixture. Roll up the tortillas and place it in a casserole pan. Continue until all tortillas are filled and rolled. Add the can of chile con carne to the top of the tortillas in the casserole pan. Cover all enchiladas with grated cheese. Put the casserole in the oven for 10 minutes or until cheese melts. RICE: 4. In a medium pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add rice and cook until it turns golden brown. Add garlic, onions, bell pepper and sauté for about one minute. 5. Add broth and tomato sauce. Stir and bring to a boil for 5 minutes. Do not stir after this or rice will turn mushy. 6. After 5 minutes, turn the heat to medium-low and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow cooling for 10 minutes in the pan, and then turn out onto wire rack. Taste of STMU | Fall 2013
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Cooking; a way to
br i dge the distance
Lambert cooks a healthy dish straight from his mother’s cookbook
By Adriana Benavides // STAFF WRITER Living more than 1,300 miles away from home, this west coast native uses his mother’s recipes to remind him of home. For Daniel Lambert, St. Mary’s University junior criminology major, cooking is a way to make the distance not so daunting. “I like anything that tastes good. I selected this recipe because it is something I like to eat and is healthy,” Lambert says. “My mom would make it for me when I was home so it reminds me of California.” The junior was born in Hollywood, California. Lambert joined the Army ROTC program during his sophomore year and so far, his experience in Texas has been pleasant. “I like St. Mary’s because it is such a small and friendly community. You can build a better relationship and interact better with a professor as opposed to a professor that teaches at a state school,” Lambert says. Although, living on campus and being far from home has made it difficult for this chef to practice his cooking skills, the ROTC cadet takes any opportunity he can get to use his cooking skills. “It’s difficult since there are no stoves in my dorm, but I like to make anything from an avocado dip to cheese grits. Cooking is a way to remind me of home and de-stress,” Lambert says. Some advice the St. Mary’s student offers for his delicious rosemary chicken and lemon dressing salad is to have plenty of everything in case you want to make more. “Cooking draws people together, so be sure to have plenty for unexpected guest,” he says. v
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Daniel Lambert, a member of ROTC, likes to cook his mother’s delicious and healthy recipe because it reminds him of home. Photo by Adriana Benavides.
Rosemary Chicken & Lemon Dressing Salad
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Ingredients FOR THE CHICKEN: • 6 chicken breasts • 4 tsp. of olive oil • 3 1/2 Tbsp. of garlic powder • 4 lemons • 2 Rosemary • 1 tsp. pepper • 1/2 tsp. of salt FOR THE SALAD: • 4 lemons • 3 tsp. of olive oil • 1 garlic clove • 1/2 tsp. of salt • 1 tsp. pepper • 3 tomatoes • 1 bag of mixed greens • 2 cucumbers Makes 6 servings.
Begin your Rosemary Chicken and Salad CHICKEN: 1. First, combine 4 teaspoons of olive oil, 3 1/2 tablespoons of garlic powder, 4 lemons, 2 chopped up sticks of rosemary, 1 teaspoon pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 6 chicken breasts into a zip lock bag. Seal the bag and shake up the contents to mix well. Place in the fridge overnight. 2. Next, turn on the stovetop to a medium heat setting. Then, remove the chicken from the zip lock bag and place it on a pan or skillet on the heat. SALAD: 3. While you are cooking the chicken, start preparing the salad with the greens you have from your Mixed Greens bag. According to your preferences, add any extra salad items for additional taste. 4. Start chopping the 3 tomatoes and the 2 cucumbers. 5. Add the lemons, the olive oil, garlic clove, salt and pepper into a bowl and use for the salad. Use a garlic press to squeeze the garlic. 6. After finishing your salad, remove the chicken from the skillet. Make sure it is golden brown.
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A
classic Italian dish prepared with love
Benavides prepares a delicious dish that will impress your palette By Pablo Cruz // STAFF WRITER Many people enjoy Italian food for the taste and the love that goes behind every dish, this is the same love Kathleen Benavides puts into her spaghetti and meatballs. Spaghetti and meatballs, with its perfect combination of harmonious flavors from simple ingredients, is a favorite for Kathleen, a Computer Information Systems graduate and St. Mary’s University Alumna. Benavides graduated in May of 2013 and enjoyed her years at St. Mary’s, calling it, “home away from home.” Her major allowed her to learn plenty in the field of technology but cooking has always been a part of her life, even in 16
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college. While Kathleen doesn’t consider herself a top-tier chef, her dishes have earned the approval of second servings from friends and family. Her Mexican heritage influenced her choices of favorite dishes like late night tacos, good morning migas, and family dinner enchiladas. However, she found a love for one Italian dish. “Growing up I would always see spaghetti and meatballs in my favorite cartoons as the main dish served for dinner. I always had the desire to learn how to make it. So I did my research and accepted the challenge,” she recalls. When preparing this dish, Benavides advises, “ Truth be told, anyone can make it, you just need a little love. That’s the secret.”, she concludes. v
Spaghetti and Meatballs
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Ingredients
Begin your Spaghetti and Meatballs
FOR THE SAUCE: • 10 to 12 fresh plum tomatoes • 4 oz. extra-virgin olive oil • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped • Pinch crushed red pepper • 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped • Kosher salt • Freshly chopped parsley leaves
SAUCE: 1. Cut the bottom of each tomato in a cross form, place tomatoes onto a baking pan and roast for 2 hours. Removes tomates and let them cool. Then peel and blend tomatoes.
FOR THE MEATBALLS AND SPAGHETTI: • 1 c. and 2 Tbsp. pure olive oil or vegetable oil • 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped • 2 large eggs • 1/4 c. fresh parsley, finely chopped • 1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese • Salt and ground black pepper • 3/4 lb. ground chuck • 1/4 to 1/2 c. dried breadcrumbs • Barilla spaghetti noodles
MEATBALLS AND SPAGHETTI: 3. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a small saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until soft, about 1½ minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
Makes 4 servings.
6. Cook spaghetti according to package directions.
2. Heat olive oil in a saucepan. When hot, add garlic and crushed red pepper. Saute until garlic turns slightly golden and then add chopped onion. Add 2 cups of water to pan. Add tomatoes and cook approximately 5 minutes. Add salt to taste. Add chopped parsley and extra virgin olive oil if desired.
4. Whisk together the eggs, 3 tablespoons cold water, sautéed garlic, parsley, cheese and salt and pepper in a large bowl until combined. Add the chuck and gently mix together until combined. Begin adding bread crumbs a few tablespoons at a time until the mixture just holds together. 5. Form the meat into 1½-inch balls. Heat the remaining 1 c of oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until it begins to shimmer. Add the meatballs and fry until golden brown on all sides.
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Be cReative, Be Amazing, Be YOU.
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WE WILL MAK ∑ THIS PLAC ∑ YOUR HOM ∑ FALL 2013 RECRUITMENT St. Mary’s University San Antonio, Texas
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