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I don't think I was ever a fussy eater as a child.  I ate pretty much anything my mother made me.  Okay, maybe I wasn't the best at eating my veggies, but what kid is?  Spaghetti was a household favorite though.  Spaghetti with butter and Parmesan.  Spaghetti with oil and garlic.  Spaghetti with meat sauce.  I loved them all.  I'm sure my mother would love to tell you how many white shirts I ruined over the years with all the spaghetti sauce stains that just wouldn't come out.  My favorite has always been Spaghetti and Meatballs.  As a child I would spend a weekend here and there with my grandmother.  I'd go there on a Saturday, and she would have already been to the store and stocked up on all my favorites.  We'd have dinner on Saturday night, and breakfast on Sunday before going to church.  Saturday for dinner she'd make me a frozen spaghetti dinner and broil off some garlic toast.  I'd sit with her in the living room and we'd watch some TV (she loved the Golden Girls), and I felt like a king.  Hey when you're young, a Stouffer's dinner will do that to ya.

Everyone has a way of making their own meatballs.  It's usually taught to us by our mothers or grandmothers and, for sentimental reasons, rarely changes over the years.  I mean, you don't want to be the one in the family who breaks tradition, right?  Well fortunately for me, there is no family meatball recipe.  I guess that means it is up to me to start one.

Here is a recipe I came up with on the fly, which I have to say, is pretty darn good.  The key to a good meatball is two-fold.  First, it has to have some moisture.  If you add too many bread crumbs, it will be dry and dense.  The second part is the rolling of the meatballs.  You don't want to over-work the mix.  Roll the meatballs in your hands and try not to pack them too much.  You want it to be moist, light and tender enough to be cut with a fork.  It is your choice whether or not you want to simmer them in the sauce or not, but if you have the time, I would recommend it.  This is a pretty large recipe, but I like to use the leftovers to make meatball sandwiches!

-The Chef

SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS WITH HOMEMADE GARLIC BREAD
  • 2 lbs ground beef
  • 1 lb ground mild Italian sausage
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 onion, finely minced
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh Parsley
  • 3 eggs, beaten
  • 4 oz milk
  • 4 oz unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan/Romano Cheese
  • 1 3/4 cup bread crumbs
  • 1 Tbsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  1. Mix the beef, sausage, chopped garlic, minced onions, and chopped parsley in a mixing bowl until thoroughly mixed
  2. Add the eggs, milk, and melted butter; mix; mixture should be very loose
  3. Add the cheese, bread crumbs, salt and pepper; mix
  4. Refrigerate 30 min-1 hour
  5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  6. Roll meatballs the size of large golf balls; place on parchment lined sheet pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray; bake meatballs at 350F for approx 15 minutes, or until center is 155 degrees
  7. Remove from oven; place cooked meatballs in a Marinara sauce of your choice and simmer for 15 minutes
  8. Serve over cooked spaghetti, or your choice of pasta
HOMEMADE GARLIC BREAD:
  • 1 loaf French bread, or other baguette style bread
  • 4 oz butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
  • 1/4 tsp salt and pepper
  • 2 Tbsp Parmesan/Romano cheese
  • 2 cloves peeled garlic, whole
  1. Split bread in half horizontally
  2. Spread with butter and sprinkle with Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and cheese
  3. Place in 350 F degree oven for 12 minutes; remove and bake under broiler additional 1-2 minutes to get top golden brown
  4. Remove from broiler and immediately rub peeled garlic cloves all over surface of the garlic bread
  5. Slice and enjoy