Mama’s Meatballs

This is really a great recipe for nice, flavorful, tender, moist meatballs.  I usually make them about golfball size, which yields about 12-13 meatballs.  Sometimes I add a bit of veal in addition to the other meats, though it’s quite fabulous with only the beef/pork combo.

Yields 12-13 meatballs

Ingredients

1 1/3 cup dried italian breadcrumbs

1 cup milk

1 lb ground beef

1 lb ground pork

1/2 tbsp kosher salt

1/2 tbsp ground black pepper

2 lg garlic cloves, minced

2 eggs

1 3/4 cup freshly grated romano cheese

1 1/2 tbsp italian flat leaf parsley, chopped

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees f.   In a small bowl combine the bread crumbs and milk.  Add the milk slowly and incorporate with the breadcrumbs after each pour.  The breadcrumbs should be the consistency of wet sand, not soupy.  Set aside.

In a separate and larger bowl, add the beef and pork, and lightly combine.  (so that the meat does not end up being overworked, at this point just mix the meat together enough that they’re slightly incorporated).  Add the salt, pepper, garlic, egg, cheese, parsley and breadcrumb mixture.  Combine thoroughly. 

Form meatballs to the a size slightly larger than golf balls.  Place in a baking dish and bake for about 25 minutes. 

After 25 minutes, remove the meatballs to a big simmering pot of sunday gravy and let them cook for an additional hour.

Smothered Chicken

If you’re not from the south, you might not have ever heard of this dish.  And if you’re not from the south, you might find it difficult to appreciate this dish, until you give it a try.  This is not low fat, low calorie, and definitely not low carbs.  It’s not something that you want to eat everyday.  In saying that, this is the kind of food that I was raised on.  Good down south chicken with rice and a vegetable.  Usually, for my family at least, Smothered Chicken is served with Rice and Green Beans.  I posted this recipe on a web site a few years ago, and I was sad to see people using boneless, skinless chicken breast.  And mashed potatoes.

I literally had to separate myself from this recipe in terms of how it ‘should’ be made and eaten.  When my recipes are changed, it usually doesn’t bother me at all.  Really.  But for some reason, I had to really come to terms with people making this ‘healthier’….  I’m ok with it now.  It really is ok.  I don’t know what your situation is.  Maybe you or someone you’re cooking for has to eat healthier but want’s to enjoy some southern cooking.  How can I fault anyone changing my recipes to fit their needs?

Anyway…I hope you give this a try.  And change it any way you want if you so desire.

This is one of my favorite southern dishes that I grew up with.  I hope you like it!!

Ingredients

1 stick butter

1 chicken, cut up

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp garlic powder

3/4 cup AP flour

1  lg onion, chopped

3 stalks celery, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups carrots, chopped

3 cups chicken broth

3 tbsp AP flour

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp pepper

2 tsp salt

Directions

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Thoroughly mix the salt, pepper and garlic powder with the 3/4 cup of flour.  Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture, and brown the chicken in the butter on all sides.  Once all the chicken is browned, remove from the pan and put in a baking dish.

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

Drain all but 1 tbsp of butter from the pan and add the onion, carrot, garlic and celery.  Cook until softened; about 7 minutes.  Add the flour to the vegetables and mix together.  Cook for another 5 minutes, then add the chicken stock.  Increase the heat to medium-high and cook stock and vegetables for another 5 minutes.  The stock should thicken slightly.

Pour the stock over the chicken and cover with foil.  Place in oven and cook until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear, about 35-40 minutes.