Making Meatballs

I guess Larry and I have been craving comfort foods lately. This time he asked for spaghetti and meatballs. OK. No problem. So that’s what we had; spaghetti and meatballs.

Usually when I made spaghetti, I make it more of a Bolognese sauce with both ground beef and sausage. But this time, it was just strictly with meatballs, and mushrooms in the sauce. I served it with my garlic herb cheese bread and a bold, fruit forward red blend on the side. It was like a trip to Southern Italy only in the comforts of our own home.

Meatballs

You can make meatballs with any kind of ground meat you like. You can also mix and match and make them with different kinds of meats. This time, I only used ground beef, because that is what I had.

1 1/2-2 lbs ground beef

1 TBSP garlic

1 TBSP dried onion

1 tsp dried marjoram

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried sage

salt & pepper to taste

1 cup breadcrumbs

1 egg

Mix everything together well and form into small meatballs by rubbing them in your hands. Place the meatballs on a baking sheet or pan lined with parchment paper and let set in the refrigerator for at least an hour before cooking.

When ready to cook the meatballs, get a large skillet very hot and add a combination of olive oil and butter. Carefully place the meatballs in the hot oil and cook for about 5 minutes, turning over at about the half way point, so they can brown completely. DO NOT over crowd the pan. Make them in batches if you need to. Once they are done, remove them from the heat and discard most of the excess oil and butter.

I confess. Rarely do I actually make my own marinara sauce. Do I know how? Absolutely I do, but I usually don’t have the time it requires. So I cheat. I start with a jar of store bought sauce, and then I doctor it up. I always add more fresh tomatoes, garlic and herbs. So in a way I make it my own. I almost always add mushrooms too, since we both love mushrooms. I sauteed the mushrooms and garlic in the remaining oil/butter from the meatballs. The more vegetables I can add, the better it will be, right?!

I had some delicious HUGE heirloom tomatoes so that’s what went into the sauce. I just love heirlooms. They are just packed with freshness and flavor.

Once the sauce was ready, I re-added the meatballs and thoroughly coated them in the sauce.

When everything was heated it up it was time to serve it over pasta and enjoy. !Mangia! Larry was happy. This is exactly what he wanted for dinner. WHOOOO HOOOO!!!!!

There is nothing wrong with simple. In fact, often times, it is the simple things that are best.

Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.