Amazeballs! BEST SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS EVER AND EVER THE END

I've probably made that claim before. But this time, I super serious mean it. Because this was the best meal ever. Not only was it the PERFECT way to end a week that wasn't so hot (so. much. house. to. fix.), but it also just matched the rainy cold mood outside. 

I mean.......

Come on now. That's perfection in a bowl right there. This is one of those meals that we wish we had people over for because everyone should know how freakin delish this is. But I'll share all my secrets. And of course, some of them are not mine. Because internet.

The meatball recipe is courtesy of Alex Guarnaschelli. You see her judge on "Chopped", and she just recently became an Iron Chef. And the woman can give perfect mom face. And apparently, she also has a mother that created the world's greatest meatballs. I was skeptical at first because really? Sour cream in meatballs with gravy? But I decided to give it a try. So here's what I did.

I used half pork, half beef. I actually used half breakfast sausage from whole foods, which is just ground pork with some sage in it. I didn't taste the sage at all, so you could go either way with that. I also NEVER have fennel fronds, but I happened to have them, so I used those instead of the fennel seed, because fresh herbs in meatballs make life sing. I followed everything else exactly as she said to. I thought it was CA-RAZY to not use garlic or onions in the meatballs, but she knows what she's doing. Oh yeah, and also I made my own breadcrumbs. I just used some baguette I made, ground it up, and toasted it in the cast iron skillet with some butter and olive oil. I recommend this. I hate store bought breadcrumbs.

So I cooked mine in a big ole dutch oven. The one I then made my gravy in.

I did just like she said, brown on all sides and leave the center rare. It took me 4 separate rounds to make all of them. Then I started on the gravy. I didn't use her gravy recipe, because I really like mine, and I super don't like sugar in mine. So here's what I did.

Remove the meatballs from the dutch oven and add a touch more evoo. I used shallots this time because I didn't have any onions. I ended up using 2 pretty large shallots, diced up. Then added some garlic (I use the lightly toasted garlic in evoo that I always have on hand). I threw in some tomato paste- I use the squeezy tubes of it and used about half a tube. Which probably equals 2 to 3 tablespoons. I let that all cook together until it gets a nice deep auburn color. Then add 2 jars of crushed tomatoes. Currently, we use the Jovial Organic brand that are plum tomatoes from Italy. I believe it's the only brand of jarred crushed tomatoes that they sell at the Whole Foods by me. And I love that they don't add basil or anything to it. Just do me a favor and NEVER EVER EVER buy cans of crushed tomatoes. SO. MUCH. BAD. Just say no. I digress.

Then, I fill the jars about half way with filtered water, shake it up to get all the tomato remnants out of the jars, and add that to the pot. Then throw your meatballs back in, let it get to a low boil, then simmer for however long you feel like, but make sure the meatballs are cooked through before you turn it off. You won't even need to add salt or pepper because the meatballs impart such an amazing flavor. Caution- if you add salt at the beginning, it will almost definitely be too salty by the time it's done cooking.

Your entire house will smell like Italy and you will love it. You also will not be able to stop eating by the spoonfuls, or dunking bread into it while awaiting your spouse's arrival.

And also, you may have some adorable helpers who want to help you eat it by the spoonfuls. And take pictures.

Grating all the cheese. Nice work kiddo!

So yeah. Anytime you want a cozy, comfort meal, make this. It really doesn't take long at all, and it's SO WORTH IT. I'll be eating it again at 10:30 tonight after my son sucks the life out of me, er, nurses to sleep. For hours.

Amore!

Fancy Pants Meatballs & Spaghetti

We were in Jersey for a month. My grandma passed away, and we had a vacay planned out there, so the trip became uber extended. There will be posts about Jersey for sure, but I should probably go ahead and make sure that I've found every sneaky pile of cat vomit from when we were gone prior to blogging. I digress.

But since I super rocked it in the Italian cookery tonight, I figured I'd share this. because YUM. We happened to be watching Master Chef the other night (since cancelling cable, we only get the basic channels, so this is now the only cooking competition show I get to watch. sad face.) And one of the chefs made her spaghetti and meatballs. they were a 5 meat blend- pork, beef, veal, something I can't remember, and MORTEDELLA. Say what!?!? So we of course had to try it. and holy freakin crap it's delicious.

For those of you who don't know, Mortedella is kinda similar to bologna. But it's an Italian, amazing cold cut, not some oscar meyer crap. It doesn't have all the nasty stuff that bologna does, but it does have pistachios in it. I thought I would never in a million years eat it, but I tried it recently, and I heart it. So we went right to whole foods and picked up a pound. And here's what I did with it.

Meatballs:
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1/2 pound spicy italian sausage
3 slices mortedella
1 thick slice of bread (2 if they're thin) soaked in whole milk
some roasted garlic
salt and pepper

I'm lazy, so instead of using regular ground pork, we get the spicy stuff and it imparts a lot of flavor. You basically mix that all together, but don't over mix otherwise the meatballs get tough and chewy. Heat up a dutch oven or whatever pot you're going to cook your red gravy in. Yes, gravy. that's what it's called. Moving on.

put a little evoo in the bottom and roll up the meatballs to whatever size you prefer. I ended up making about 20 slightly smaller than a golf ball size. brown them, then throw in the onions and garlic until soft. add some tomato paste- I gave the tube a good few squeezes so maybe about 2 to 3 tablespoons- and mix until it's spread fairly evenly over everything. add some fresh basil, then add your crushed tomatoes. I used 2 jars but maybe could have used another half a jar. Set in on simmer and let it cook- meatballs will flavor the gravy a bunch and they'll finish cooking in it. I cooked it for about an hour, maybe a little less. Don't add salt until the very end. You may find you don't even need any.

Meanwhile, boil the water for pasta, cook it for about 4 minutes less time than needed, and finish cooking the pasta in a mix of the gravy and some starchy pasta water in a cast iron skillet. Add some cherry tomatoes for some fresh flavor (not needed but WORTH IT). plate it up, throw some meatballs on there, cover with parm and/or mascarpone and/or ricotta and go to town. because EVERYONE loves some spaghetti and meatballs. 

Quinoa Tabbouleh and Mini Meatballs

delicious, nutritious, and adorable. cause mini.

Recipe courtesy of Michael Symon, of course. It comes with a meat option as well, but it's not what I had defrosted so I didn't use it. I pretty much followed his recipe except I didn't add quite as much mint or lemon. hubbs is not a lover of all things lemon like I am.

And I just through the mini meatballs together.

1/2 lb organic grass fed ground beef
1 organic egg
1-2 slices of bread soaked in milk (I used some of the baguette I made. If you use sliced bread I would only use 1 slice)
a spoonful of roasted garlic
salt and pepper

mix all together. make small balls. toss em in a hot cast iron skillet with some extra virgin olive oil.

Dinner is served. In about 40 minutes, including quinoa cook time.