Full Moons and Meatballs

Full Moons and Meatballs.

Saturday, March 19^th, there will be an “extreme super full moon” on the rise; depending on what you read, and who you listen to, it may or may not cause extreme natural disasters.  I’m a wait and see kind of person, so if it happens, it happens; really can’t do anything to stop it, so why complain or panic?

Now the full moon is also associated with changes in personality; some folks are affected; some are affected from a mild to an extreme degree.  From many of the contacts I’ve had in the past two weeks, I’m wondering if this super moon isn’t turning folks wacky around here.   I wouldn’t be surprised if there are a bunch of really hairy people running around town on Saturday night; howling at the moon. 

We have a telescope, so hoping to be out on the driveway, relaxing in lawn chairs and gazing at the moon.  The next extreme moon won’t be until November 2016, so don’t want to miss seeing this one.  Heh, maybe I’ll do some howling, just to freak the neighbors out.

Saturday is also the day I’ll be making meatballs and sauce.  I already gave you my Homemade Pasta Sauce recipe on Jan. 28, 2011; even gave you my Lasagna recipe; now it’s time for meatballs.  I usually cook up two pots of sauce; one for meals; the other gets frozen.  We have an upright freezer that I like to keep stocked; that way I don’t have to go grocery shopping too often.  Two weeks ago I used up the last of the homemade sauce, so time to fill it up again.  I’ve got a craving for spaghetti and meatballs, so…..

Meatballs

Lean ground beef (90% or more) is best for meatballs, since they are finished off cooking in sauce.  If a lesser lean meat is used, the fat would seep into the sauce, making it oily and unappetizing.  The meatballs are first baked in an oven to remove any excess grease.  These meatballs are the typical New York Italian style, about the size of a tennis ball, and while great with a pasta dish, they can also be used for meatball sandwiches (subs, heroes, grinders, or whatever they are called in an area).

Ingredients:

4 lbs lean ground beef (90% or more)

2 lbs ground pork

1 ½ cups Italian seasoned dry bread crumbs

1/8 cup Italian seasoning mix

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

2 Tbsp minced garlic

1 cup diced onion

¾ cup milk

2 eggs, beaten

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350F.  Spray jelly roll pans with nonstick spray.

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together thoroughly; making sure all dry ingredients are mixed well with wet ingredients.  Form the meat mixture into balls, about 2 ¾” (size of a tennis ball); place on jelly roll pans.

Bake meatballs for 20 minutes; dab on paper towels to remove any grease and immerse into sauce.  Allow meatballs to cook in sauce until sauce is ready; 4-6 hours depending on cooking technique being used.  Serve with pasta, or use meatballs for a sandwich.

Makes about 20 meatballs.

Mary Cokenour