I have been enjoying Pinterest (http://pinterest.com/spicewagon) quite a bit lately and I need to see how I can incorporate what I'm doing there with what I'll be doing here. I'd like to use this as a site to post photos and articles on food and cooking... that is one of my true passions.
A LITTLE HISTORY
I'm going to tell you about this recipe and how I found it. But first, a little history.
I was raised a vegetarian. Way back when it wasn't "cool". My mom was an EXCELLENT cook, and still is, for that matter. She always had something delicious on the table and did it on a very tight budget. I like to kid her and say that the only thing she served us that wasn't good was a block of tofu. Yes, just a block of tofu jiggling on a plate without any sauce, or anything. I don't know if the story is true, but it makes for a good way to get my mom to laugh.
Now, I on the other hand, have moments of incredible creativity in the kitchen and then I'll do something like burn the garlic bread. So, I have to work REALLY HARD at it.
My daddy was a pastor and momma played the organ. We traveled as evangelists for the church I was raised in -- and yes, being a vegetarian was part of that religious upbringing. I don't regret it but I like to have choices. And now, I can choose to eat meat or not. It's up to me. And I love to make those vegetarian favorites every once in a while too.
Funny thing, it seems like I've been going through my recipe books for months now. Yes, not only cookbooks that I dare not part with but cardfiles of recipes dating all the way back to 8th grade. I have clippings from the Chicago Tribune from 1974 with recipes I've never tried on them!
I'm slowly getting rid of the recipes it seems I would never make in a hundred years now. Like "Soy Milk and Bran Flake Muffins." I'm making that one up, but some of the recipes are really that far out.
I was 34 years old before I ever cooked meat. And prior to that, the only meat I had came from Taco Bell or Mrs. Winner's. If it had a bone, I didn't know how to eat it. When I first started cooking meat, I was living with a guy that was really a pretty good cook -- a little limited -- but he could cook southern food just like his mama. Anyway, I pretty much learned from him and have taught myself since then.
Oh, the recipe I promised you. Seems like a good time to tell you about it.
IT'S RAINING MEATBALLS
My mom makes wonderful VEGETARIAN meatballs and they always get rave reviews. I don't know if she has ever made a true meatball. I sure hadn't until I ran across this recipe. I was making dinner for my fiance Jim, and his daughter, Mary about 8 months ago. We were going to have pasta and I just decided, how about I try to make a real meatball to go along with it.
Who would I turn to for the best recipe? Emeril of course. I have his Potluck cookbook and looked in the index. Sure enough, there's a recipe called "Paul Makes Whole Crew Happy Sausage Meatballs and Red Gravy." Great title, right? I thought, now this sounds really good for a first try at a meatball. And when I checked the seasonings, which is what I do... I scan the ingredients and the seasonings and if I can "taste" it, then I know it's worth a try. Anyway, we made those meatballs that night and they were AMAZING!
So, for the second time -- I made those same meatballs the other night. And there were 20 of them. So, that meant -- 4 with Cavatappi pasta, 4 as meatball sandwiches, 4 more with pasta at another meal, 1 with pasta for lunch, 3 mixed with rice for stuffed peppers, and 2 in the freezer. And there's one in the frig for a quick lunch. Let me tell you... in this day and time. When you can cook 1 meal which equals about 4-1/2 lbs. of sirloin, sausage and italian sausage -- cavatappi pasta, boule rolls and red peppers... you've done well! That whole bit cost under $16 for all those meals! By the way, I made all of the meatballs and only cooked the ones I needed at the time. The ones for the peppers were just stored in a gallon size ziplock bag in the fridge. (It was important to use them all within about 5 days as they do have raw egg in them.) You can always store in the freezer and pull out just what you need... microwaving on defrost for about 8 minutes and then finishing off in the leftover sauce.
I will add the recipe shortly.
And then, you will have a chance at making this your very own version of this tasty meatball and sauce recipe!
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