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Hello, foodies…

I’m so sorry lots of you couldn’t find the show on QVC PLUS yesterday. Not all cable networks carry QVC PLUS just yet. BUT you can watch the show on QVC.com! We stream the show right on the In the Kitchen with David page—and we always will.

Now onto some great news…I’m back with you for In the Kitchen with David this Wednesday night at 8pm ET and we’ve got one of the most creative recipes we’ve ever made on the show…a Meatball Sub on a Stick!

Meatball Sub on a Stick
Serves 12

This recipe is prepared with the OXO Good Grips 4-Piece Angled Measuring Cup Set (K39810).

Go to David's Recipe Item Page for the full list of items that David has used in his recipes.

Ingredients:

• 1 (11-oz) can refrigerated breadstick dough


• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil


• 1 tsp Italian seasoning


• 12 10" bamboo skewers


• 36 frozen, precooked mini meatballs, defrosted


• 6 thin Provolone cheese slices


• 3 cups marinara

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.


2. Unroll the dough and separate it into 12 breadsticks. Brush each breadstick with olive oil and then sprinkle on the Italian seasoning. Thread one end of a breadstick on a skewer. Then, skewer 1 meatball. Leave 1/4" between the dough and the meatball. Thread the breadstick and 2 additional meatballs on the skewer. Place the skewer on a nonstick cookie sheet and build the remaining "subs," placing each about a 1/2" apart. Bake for 10 minutes.


3. While the subs are baking, cut the Provolone in half to make half-moon shapes and heat the marinara. After 10 minutes, place 1 half of Provolone on each sub and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Serve with the warm marinara.

What do you think, foodies? Isn’t that awesome? Now, you can use a jarred marinara sauce OR make a homemade marinara just like the recipe I have on QVC.com. The beauty of that recipe is that it makes quite a bit so you can use some now and freeze—or can some—for later.

Homemade Marinara

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil


• 6 cloves garlic, minced


• 1 medium onion, diced


• 1/2 cup white wine


• 1 (28-oz) can tomato purée


• 1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes


• 3 (28-oz) cans diced tomatoes


• 1 Tbsp dried oregano


• 1 Tbsp dried basil


• 1 Tbsp sugar


• 4 tsp salt


• 1 tsp ground black pepper

Preparation:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the garlic and onion until aromatic and tender. Add the white wine and simmer for 1 minute. Stir in the remaining ingredients, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for at least 40 minutes.

So how do you keep foods warm at a party? You can certainly use buffet warmers or hot plates. My mother still uses hot plates at Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter and may the good Lord help the person that forgets to plug them in!!

The slow-cooker is my favorite tool for the job. Dips, sauces, soups, sandwich fillings and more can be cooked in your slow cooker and kept warm indefinitely. When I host a party, I specifically look for recipes that are suitable for a slow cooker. Obviously, there are some recipes that just won’t work…like my “subs.” But the sauce can be kept in a slow cooker! And, it can heat up your subs even if they’re not right out of the oven. You might consider that idea for your favorite recipes. If there’s a sauce or component that can be kept warm, try it.

For your blog question today, tell me how you keep foods warm when you host dinner or a party. Do you use buffet warmers? The slow-cooker? Do you have a warming drawer? I’ll see you Wednesday night, foodies...looking forward to it.

Keep it flavorful!
—David