Wednesday, August 13, 2014

"M" as in MEATBALLS for Alphabe-Thursday

It's that time of the week again.  Yes, it's time for Alphabe-Thursday sponsored by Ms. Jenny at Jenny Matlock..."off on my tangent."  This week we are studying the letter "M" as in MEATBALLS and Spaghetti dinner.  The "kids" love it!  UH-OH!
Actually, my real kids have always enjoyed Italian Spaghetti and Meatballs.  It's a family favorite.  Normally, we have it for Christmas dinner.  This year we also had it a few weeks ago due to a special request.

I thought I'd share that recipe with you. We've been using this recipe for at least 45 years.  The original recipe came from the cookbook "Recipes on Parade - Meats" and includes 2000 world wide favorites of Military Officers' Wives.  (I took that right off the cover.)  The book was published in 1964 and I purchased my first copy while my husband was in the Navy.  That one fell apart and a few years ago I replaced it with a copy I found on Ebay.

My kids love Italian sausage, so we throw some in the pot with the meatballs.  We also use Italian sausage in the meatballs and I brown them on a cookie sheet in the oven.  I double the meatball portion of the recipe so we have lots of meatballs in the sauce.  These are just a few of the changes we've made.  Enjoy!



Famous Italian Spaghetti

2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 c. onion, chopped
3 T. olive oil
1 1/2 pounds of ground beef  (I usually just use 1 pound)
1 6 oz. can tomato paste (I always use Hunts)
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce (I always use Hunts)
1 1 lb. can tomato puree (I always use Hunts and this size can is no longer available.  It now comes in a smaller size can so I buy enough to have at least one pound.  It ends up being a little over one pound and I use it all.)
2 t. sugar
2 c. water
1/4 c. parsley, chopped
1 small bay leaf
1/4 t. rosemary
1/4 t. basil
1/4 t. thyme (I leave out)
1/4 t. allspice
1/4 t. oregano
1/4 t. pepper
1 t. salt (I omit)
1 4 oz. can undrained mushrooms

In large sauce pan cook garlic and onion in oil until golden brown with 1 1/2 pounds of ground beef, add remaining ingredients, cover and simmer gently for two hours or longer.


Meatballs
(I double the below recipe so we have lots of meatballs in the sauce.)

1 lb. ground beef.
1/2 pound bulk pork sausage (I use Italian sausage removed from the casing - half sweet and half hot.)
2 T. onion, chopped
2 T. celery leaves, chopped
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs (I usually use cubed bread.)
1/4 cup milk
1 egg
1/2 t. salt (I omit)
1/2 t. pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Combine all ingredients; shape into 1 inch balls (mine are larger).  Brown, drain fat. (I cook them in the oven on a cookie sheet sprayed with Pam.)  Add to sauce and simmer 30 minutes.  (I simmer a bit longer.)  Serve over spaghetti.

Italian Sausage

I cook sausage links in oven.  Usually a 1/2 pound of sweet and a 1/2 pound of hot.  Prick them all over with a fork.  Place in one inch of water in pan and cook 20-30 minutes on each side in 350 degree oven.  Watch and adjust time.  Slice at an angle and add to sauce when you put in the meatballs.

(This is from Recipes of Parade - Meats, 2000 worldwide favorites of Military Officers' Wives...with my changes.)


Now please head over to Jenny's blog for a list of this week's participants.



14 comments:

  1. My grandchildren always ask me to make them homemade meatballs for their birthday dinner. We really like meatballs in our family.

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  2. Oh this sounds Yummy and your Ginny dolls are all ready for dinner ~ Enjoy ~ Great post for M ~


    artmusedog and carol (A Creative Harbor)

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  3. I can see that your Ginny dolls are as excited about this spaghetti dinner as the rest of your family.

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  4. I haven't made meatballs in a long time, thanks for the great recipe. I'm going to make some asap...

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  5. Yum, sounds good! I love the way your "kids" are excited over their spaghetti dinner in your photo!

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  6. Yum, sounds good! I love the way your "kids" are excited over their spaghetti dinner in your photo!

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  7. Betty, I will come back to write this down or pull it up from my laptop and print it....I keep telling the Pres, that his sauce and meatballs is missing something...I think it's your recipe!!!?...:)JP

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  8. Well I highlighted and gathered all those recipes up and now have to go and save them! Looks delish.

    How tall are those pretty dolls?

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  9. I never tire of trying new recipes! Especially for this!

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  10. and my Italian husband eats all pastas except Spaghettis, lol !

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  11. Oh Betty. I so want a good recipe for meatballs and sauce. I've tried so many. I bet yours is the best! Such a fun post for letter M. Thanks for coming and visiting my MW memories. My MW is in Fort Worth. We're sort a neihbors! Check out my Friday Fences post. You might like it too!
    Thanks again for visiting me.
    Have a good weekend.
    Sherry

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  12. My husband is the cook in our house...but we have a family tradition to make Polish sausage and the kids take turns stuffing the links...so we use polish sausage in our meat balls...thanks for sharing your recipe♪ http://lauriekazmierczak.com/mini-moon/

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  13. I just love your Ginny scene complete with mouse, dog, cat and stuff on fridge. Your doll displays are so cute and I look forward to seeing them.

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  14. What a magical scene you have set!

    I'll take some of these meatballs. They sound divine!

    Thanks for whetting our appetites for the letter M.

    A+

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