Real Spaghetti and Meatballs

I have to say first and foremost that I am not a big fan of Ina Garten and her Barefoot Contessa recipes.  I don't think that I have posted very many of them but I also have to say that these meatballs are "to die for."  For real.  The problem is that they get eaten so fast.  I have no idea where this batch of meatballs went but it was just gone.  I didn't follow the recipe exactly.  I used two packages of meatloaf mix at the grocery store and by that I mean the 1/3 beef, 1/3 pork, 1/3 veal ground meat mix.  I also used only fresh white bread crumbs.  I didn't use the seasoned dry bread crumbs.  I will probably use them next time but I didn't have any.  These meatballs are seriously delicious.  

Real Spaghetti and Meatballs

From Ina Garten: The Barefoot Contessa Family Style Cookbook

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

·         1/2 pound ground veal

·         1/2 pound ground pork

·         1 pound ground beef

·         1 cup fresh white bread crumbs (4 slices, crusts removed)

·         1/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs

·         2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

·         1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

·         2 teaspoons kosher salt

·         1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

·         1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

·         1 extra-large egg, beaten

·         Vegetable oil

·         Olive oil

For the sauce:

·         1 tablespoon good olive oil

·         1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 onion)

·         1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic

·         1/2 cup good red wine, such as Chianti

·         1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, or plum tomatoes in puree, chopped

·         1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

·         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 Parmesan

Directions:

Place the ground meats, both bread crumbs, parsley, Parmesan, salt, pepper, nutmeg, egg, and 3/4 cup warm water in a bowl. Combine very lightly with a fork. Using your hands, lightly form the mixture into 2-inch meatballs. You will have 14 to 16 meatballs.

Pour equal amounts of vegetable oil and olive oil into a large (12-inch) skillet to a depth of 1/4-inch. Heat the oil. Very carefully, in batches, place the meatballs in the oil and brown them well on all sides over medium-low heat, turning carefully with a spatula or a fork. This should take about 10 minutes for each batch. Don't crowd the meatballs. Remove the meatballs to a plate covered with paper towels. Discard the oil but don't clean the pan.

For the sauce, heat the olive oil in the same pan. 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 wine and cook on high heat, scraping up all the brown bits in the pan, until almost all the liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, parsley, salt, and pepper.

Return the meatballs to the sauce, cover, and simmer on the lowest heat for 25 to 30 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through. Serve hot on cooked spaghetti and pass the grated Parmesan.

Pear Bread

My sister has about 5 or 6 pear trees at her house.  The pears were really bursting off the trees this year.  It was crazy.  My mother and I picked about 6 batches of pears.  I made 6 pans of roasted pears with vanilla and  honey for my sister.  The last time, I kept some of the pears that I cooked.  Sadly, we did not eat the pears.  I decided that instead of throwing out the pears that I had lovingly cooked, I would make this delicious Pear Bread.  

Pear Bread

By Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

¾ cup butter, softened, or ¾ cup vegetable oil

3 eggs, lightly beaten

2 cups sugar

2 to 4 firm, ripe pears (2 cups) grated

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

1.     Heat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2.     Lightly grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan or two 9-by-5 inch loaf pans.

3.     Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl, and stir with a fork to mix everything well.  If you’re using nuts, scoop out about ¼ cup of the flour mixture and combine it in a small bowl with the chopped walnuts, stirring and tossing to coat the nuts with the flour.

4.     Peel and core pears, then grate them.  You’ll want two grated cups total; set them briefly aside.  In a medium bowl, combine the butter or oil, eggs, sugar, grated pear, nuts (if using), and vanilla, and stir to mix everything well.  Scrape the pear mixture into the flour mixture and stir just until the flour disappears, and the batter is evenly moistened.

5.     Quickly scrape the batter into the prepared pans and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 60 to 70 minutes or until the bread is golden brown and firm on top and a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.

6.     Cool the bread in the pan on a wire rack or folded kitchen towel for about 10 minutes.  Then turn it out onto a plate or a wire rack to cool completely, top side up.  Serve it as is, sprinkle it with confectioners’ sugar or drizzle it with a simple glace made from whisking 3 tablespoons buttermilk, a dash of vanilla and 2 cups of confectioners’ sugar together.