Monday Night Meatballs

I dedicate this post to my son, who survived every Monday night's meal,  while I strived to mimic my mother in law's wonderful Italian meatballs.  I'm sure it wasn't every week we had meatballs, but it sure seemed like it.  And, it was always on Monday night to seemingly coincide with football!   Hubby didn't mind as he pretty much grew up eating these little round morsels!  He would stand by his mom as she made them and sneak a few before she hid them for Sunday's dinner with the rest of the family.

I admit they are great but trying to replicate them was a difficult process.  I can't tell you how many batches I made that "weren't right".  Why didn't I ask for the recipe?  I actually stood with her in my kitchen as she made them.  (But they never turn out the same)  After many years we found out that she put garlic in the recipe.  And last week she confessed that she "sometimes" put breadcrumbs in them, too.  So, as the ingredients "leaked out" over the years, I finally came to the conclusion that I would make them the way I knew how, and that was going to be my recipe, period!  Thanks, Rina, for all the inspiration.  I think I've mastered your meatballs!

If you have a big family, you may want to double or triple this recipe.  They disappear quickly.  Makes about 20-24 meatballs.

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef

1/2 - 3/4 cup grated Parmesan or Roman cheese

1 hamburger bun or French bread (wet the bread, squeeze the water out and crumble)

1 egg

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 small handful chopped  fresh Italian parsley

1 small handful chopped fresh basil

Mix the above, shape into balls, slightly larger than a walnut size.  Pour a little olive oil in a large 12 inch skillet and place the meatballs into the pan, turning as they brown.  When the meatballs are done you can put them into sauce or eat them plain.

I like the old saying, "Life is what you make it."  That applies to meatballs making, also!