COOKING WITH CLORIS - GUEST AUTHOR AND CHEF FOR A DAY, AMY GAMET

Cloris took the day off to work at the polls (have you voted yet?) So we have author Amy Gamet stepping in with her favorite meatball recipe. Amy is a former middle school math teacher turned writer and stay-at-home mom because as she says, “I enjoy writing much more than I ever loved the Pythagorean Theorem.” Read more about her and her books at her website where you can find excerpts. -- AP

I recently posted to my Facebook status, “If I need to decide what to feed my family for dinner *one more time*, my head might explode. Suggestions?”  I got lots of “likes” from my mom friends, and two suggestions to try an online meal planner.

I did a little looking into the sites they recommended.  My initial scoffing, “Why would anyone use one of these things?” turned into awe and wonder when I read that you select your weekly dinners from fifteen options, and it even prints out a grocery list.  I signed up.

A week into my membership, I can already tell you it’s highly unlikely I will be a member for long.  I keep accidentally eating ingredients that I didn’t realize I needed for some recipe I have no recollection of selecting.  My middle child is begging for macaroni and cheese, claiming she doesn’t like dinner long before I’ve even finished flambéing it.  We needed so many fresh ingredients for the week, that I had to set up two fruit bowls on the counter, encouraging a raucous fruit-fly party that rivaled the joy I experienced from not having to write a grocery list.

I don’t think I need a meal planner, I just need a few more “go-to” meals.  Maybe that’s what you need, too.  And so I give you the best meatball recipe I have, the *only* recipe that anyone ever asks me for.  I’m not going to take offense to that, because life is too short to pretend everything I make is wonderful.  But these meatballs—oh, these meatballs!!—are to die for.  (Adapted from a recipe by Rao’s Restaurant in New York City.)

Enjoy!

Ingredients

2 – 2 ½ lb. ground beef

3 cloves garlic, minced

Salt and pepper to taste (I go heavy on both, about 2 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper)

½ cup dried parsley (or 1 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped)

2 eggs

1 cup bread crumbs

1 ½ cup grated parmesan cheese

1 ½ cup water

I make this in a stand mixer, though you can do it by hand.  Don’t worry about over-mixing, just combine thoroughly.  They will be moist and wonderful!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Heavily grease a rimmed cookie sheet with ¼ cup of olive oil.  Combine ground beef, garlic, sat and pepper.  Mix well.  Add remaining ingredients and mix again.  Form into two inch balls and place on cookie sheet.  Bake for 30 minutes or until cooked through.

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Thanks for stepping in today, Amy. The meatball recipe is definitely on my list to try. And readers, please don't forget to do your civic duty today by voting for the candidate of your choice. -- AP