Meatball Mania!

What's a holiday without holiday food? One of my favorites has got to be meatballs! They're yummy, easy to make and just about everybody loves it. It's kind of nostalgic, too, as I remember helping my mom to make these for Christmas when I was a kid. Of course, my mom's recipe is a huge family secret (We have all sworn to secrecy, sorry!) But I recently found a recipe in AllRecipes.com that approximates hers. Plus, it's even easier. Since this season is all about sharing and giving, try this out yourself and tell me how it turns out!




Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves 8

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1/2 lb ground veal
1/2 lb ground pork
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 eggs
1 1/2 tbsp chopped Italian flat leaf parsley
salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 cups stale Italian bread, crumbled
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
1 cup olive oil
1 cup freshly grated Romano cheese

Procedure:
1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Fry meatballs in batches. When the meatball is very brown and slightly crisp, remove from the heat and drain on a paper towel. (If your mixture is too wet, cover the meatballs while they are cooking so that they hold their shape better.)
2. Place cooked meatballs into marinara sauce and cook 15 more minutes.
3. Blend breadcrumbs into meat mixture. Slowly add the water 1/2 cup at a time. The mixture should be very moist but still hold its shape. (You may use about 1 1/4 cups of water).
4. Shape into meatballs. Combine beef, veal and pork in a large bowl. Add garlic, eggs, cheese, parsley, salt and pepper.

Serve to starving guests and if the kids are around, pop in a DVD of Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs :) Happy holidays!