Good Morning!  Do you need a smile today?  A little pick me up?  Well you are in luck.  I have just the fix!  For those of you who didn’t see this online yesterday, check it out.  This laughing baby had me laughing out loud!  After a long Monday….and an equally long Tuesday, it was just what I needed. 

http://shine.yahoo.com/event/momentsofmotherhood/laughing-baby-loves-ripping-paper-2459529

Hopefully it will hit the spot for you as well.  And what a friendly reminder….it’s all about the little things….like torn paper.  🙂

And speaking of little things…I have a recipe to share with you today for some “not-so-little-meatballs”…and spaghetti, of course!  After a month of looking forward to this meal, our good friends Bonnie and Matt came over on Saturday night to enjoy a “S’ghetti and Meatballs” dinner with us.  You all know how much we love italian…and you all know we love to cook…but there are few things we love more than cooking for friends.  Thank you, Bonnie and Matt, for joining us! 

Now…I am not going to lie to any of you and tell you that this is a quick easy meal.  It’s not.  No…it’s not hard but it does require a little patience.  We’ve made this recipe before but later swore we’d only do it for a group because it was just a little too much  work (and makes servings for 6) to whip it up for just the 2 of us.  With all of that said, we love this recipe.  It is well worth the patience!   

 S’GHETTI & MEATBALLS

6 servings

For the meatballs:

• 1/2 pound ground veal
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 1 pound ground beef (90%)
• 1 cup fresh white bread crumbs (4 slices, crusts removed)
• 1/4 cup seasoned dry italian bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 extra-large egg, beaten
• Olive oil
• 1/2 lb mozzarella cheese, freshly grated

For the sauce:

• 2 tablespoons good olive oil (plus another tablespoon)
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 onion)
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1/2 cup good red wine
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, or plum tomatoes in puree, chopped
• 1 (28-ounce) can whole, peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand with juices
• 2 (14-ounce) cans petite diced tomatoes, with garlic and olive oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For serving:

• 1 1/2 pounds spaghetti, cooked according to package directions
• Freshly grated Mozzarella
• Freshly chopped Basil

For the sauce, heat the olive oil in the 5qt pot.  Add the onion and saute over medium heat until translucent, 5 to 10 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.   Add the crushed tomatoes, whole peeled tomatoes, and petite diced tomatoes.  Add the wine, fresh basil, salt, and pepper.  Stir well and bring to a gentle boil.  Return to a simmer uncovered, stirring often.  Reduce for ~1 hr.  Drizzle in another tablespoon of olive oil just before serving.

While the meatballs are baking, fill another pot with salted water.  Bring the water to a boil.  Add spaghetti noodles and boil until al dente.

Remove meatballs from the oven (cutting one in half to ensure they are done and no longer pink).  Strain the noodles.  Build your feast! 

Top your spaghetti noodles with sauce, meatballs, freshly grated mozzarella, and freshly chopped basil.

Serve with a good glass of red wine (yes, N/A versions do exist…I will review in another post), a salad, and homemade garlic bread!

Twirl your s’ghetti and dig in! 

If you are looking for something to do this weekend, cancel your dinner reservations and invite your friends over for dinner.  Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “The ornament of a house is the friends who frequent it.”  If I could share my two cents, I would go on to say…

“The heart of the home is the table gathered round by guests .” 

Indulge.  In Life.  In Love.  In Food.