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Thank you for posting your questions to my last blog entry. We have your answers! Julia Collin Davison, from America's Test Kitchen, came to visit ITKWD on Sunday and answered your questions, as we KNOW she can. Here we go!

@topaunt >> Now that it's summer, and zucchini is plentiful, what are some good ways to prepare it? Thanks for your help! Answer >> Jeanmarie: How about some Zucchini Fritters with Feta and Dill Sauce?

Also, make noodles out of that zucchini! Spiral slice the zucchini, then roast on a sheet pan at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. OR leave them raw and toss with a peanut sauce for a cold, Thai-style Noodle dish.

@AuntJudyQ >>>
Hi Mary and Julia,
1. I have always been told that once frozen meat is thawed out you CAN NOT refreeze it. Is this true Julia? Sometimes I forget to separate large packs of meat into smaller ones before I put them in the freezer. Then when I want to use some, I have to thaw the whole pack out in order to "break off" the portion that I need. My Mom said I can't refreeze the amount I don't need at that time.
ANSWER >>> It really is best to separate before freezing. That being said, if you have have a large amount of thawed meat that you need to use, think about grinding some of it using the food processor. Simply cut the extra meat into 1-inch cubes, chill in the freezer for 10 minutes, then pulse in batches in the food processor. After grinding, spread the meat out over a rimmed baking sheet to remove any gristy bits. This is my favorite way to make homemade burgers - they taste so much better than store-bought ground meat!

2. Is there much of a difference in "stock" v. "broth". When makings some recipes that call for stock, I don't always have it on hand but I always have "broth" (store bought) in the pantry and I didn't want to try it out and ruin the dish, wasting my money on the ingredients.
ANSWER >> Officially: broth is made from meat and stock is made from bones. Unofficially, it really doesn’t matter which of the two you use, but the BRAND you use does matter. At ATK, we like Rachael Ray’s beef stock and Swanson’s chicken stock.

3. Julia, what is your favorite meal to make?
ANSWER >>Definitely Weeknight Roast Chicken. We make it about once a week; my husband and I both have the recipe memorized.

4. I am in need of a good recipe for turkey meatballs Julia.
ANSWER >> “OH YEAH!” Turkey Pesto Meatballs. This is my daughters favorite recipe, and her favorite lunch is eating the meatballs cold the next day. My husband uses a spring-loaded ice cream scoop to portion the meatballs right into the skillet- no rolling or chilling. He’s the fastest meatball maker in town.

Here is the recipe! HUGE thanks to Julia and America's Test Kitchen for letting us share it!

Spaghetti with Turkey-Pesto Meatballs
From America’s Test Kitchen
Serves 4 to 6  Total time 1 Hour
why this recipe works: For an easy, family-friendly spin on the typical spaghetti-and-meatballs dinner, we replaced the beef with ground turkey and added fresh pesto to the meatballs for big flavor. The pesto replaces the need for garlic, cheese, and even egg called for in standard meatball recipes, making these meatballs nearly prep-free—all they need is a sprinkling of salt, pepper, and bread crumbs (we like panko). Processing a portion of the canned diced tomatoes in a food processor gave us a mostly smooth sauce with a few bigger bites of tomato. You can make your own pesto (see page 410) or use your favorite store-bought brand from the refrigerated section of the supermarket—refrigerated pesto has a fresher flavor than the jarred pesto sold in the grocery aisles. Do not use ground turkey breast meat (sometimes labeled 99 percent fat-free); it will make meatballs that are dry and grainy. You can substitute ground chicken or pork or 90 percent lean ground beef for the ground turkey if desired. You will need a 12‑inch skillet with at least 2‑inch sides to accommodate both the meatballs and the sauce; the skillet will be quite full.

11/2 pounds 93 percent lean ground turkey
1 (7‑ounce) container basil pesto (2/3 cup)
2/3 cup panko bread crumbs
Salt and pepper
3 (14.5‑ounce) cans diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped fine
4 garlic cloves, minced
Pinch red pepper flakes
1 pound spaghetti
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1. Gently mix turkey, pesto, panko, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in bowl using hands until uniform. Shape mixture into eighteen 11/2‑inch meatballs.
2. Pulse 2 cans diced tomatoes in food processor until mostly smooth, about 12 pulses; set aside. Heat oil in 12‑inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until just smoking. Brown meatballs well on all sides, about 10 minutes; transfer to paper towel–lined plate.
3. Add onion and 1/8 teaspoon salt to fat left in skillet and cook over medium heat until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in processed tomatoes and remaining 1 can diced tomatoes and their juice. Bring to simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Return meatballs to skillet, cover, and simmer gently until meatballs are cooked through, about 10 minutes. (Sauce and meatballs can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month.)
4. Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain pasta and return it to pot. Add several large spoonfuls of tomato sauce (without meatballs) to pasta and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add reserved cooking water as needed to adjust consistency. Divide pasta among individual bowls. Top each bowl with remaining sauce and meatballs, sprinkle with basil, and serve.
(From The NEW Family Cookbook by America’s Family Cookbook)

@ssuezq >>>>
I recently purchased a terra cotta casserole - any tips on how to use it effectively?

Mary's answer >>> I know this one from having them on the show! They can be fragile when they’re dry, so completely immerse them in water (6 hours) before first use. After that, they must be soaked for a few minutes before each use after that.

@Larri >>>>
Hi Mary and Julia,
I always have trouble with roast beef, yes I brown it in my cast iron pot in a little olive oil, but no matter if I slow cook on stove or roast in oven it comes out tough. I do put quarted potatoes in pot, then add carrots later. I think I use a chuck roast or I've tried a rump roast, all to no avail. Please help Julia!!! Thank you, Tired of Chicken
P.S. I do add water to pot, but don't know how much to add.
ANSWER >> My favorite recipe for roast beef is our Slow-Roasted Beef which uses an eye round roast. The eye round is very inexpensive and has a uniform shape so that it roasts evenly. Just like you, we brown if first then put it into an incredibly low, 225-degree oven. But we also use 2 key tricks. 1) We salt the beef for 18 to 24 hours. The salt actually works its way into the meat and helps the meat stay moist as it cooks. 2) We turn the oven off towards the end (leaving the roast inside the oven as it slowly cools down) to help the meat stay tender. Also, this method does NOT work with extra vegetables in the oven.

Thank you so much again! If you would like to check out ATK's latest cookbook at QVC, please do! It'c called Cooks Country Eats Local. She'll be back on July 15th on ITKWD! Thank you for reading. xoxo, Mary D