Food Food Food...maybe its because we just celebrated Thanksgiving, but I am suffering here from linear thinking and its all about food!
First let me let you know that regardless of evidence to the contrary I AM a good cook.
source
In Fact on Thursday my Mother-in-law ( who is a great cook) told me the turkey was like Butter or "Butta" like we say here in New York.
My husband comes from a nice (though sometimes loud, and funny and kooky) Italian family. And His Mom cooks Sunday pasta like nobody's business!
In 2004 my husband was away with the military and I wanted to continue our tradition of cooking a special meal for Veteran's day.
I decided to cook an Italian meal.
I know what your thinking..."what's the big deal Joanne?"
I'm not Italian and I was going to make everything from scratch.
Soooooooooooooooooo fast forward to my bi-weekly phone call from hubby where I told him my plan. He calmly said
"DON"T DO IT!!!!!!"
"Wha?" I answered. "How hard could it be really? I am not exactly a novice cook. I think I can handle it."
He added "Joanne, just please don't make the meatballs too small."
Those words stuck with me the whole week while I planned the meal.
Don't make the meat balls too small
Don't make the meat balls too small
Don't make the meat balls too small!
So I followed a recipe for home made sauce... and I made those meat balls. and No I did not make them too small...in fact they were big, gigantic, Godzilla-ish. And they were NOT good.
They were like huge meat covered rocks. I knew I was in trouble when I saw my brother-in-law's reaction when I heaved the enormous meat covered baseball onto his plate.
after that disaster whenever I said to hubby that I was going to try to make meatballs again he would say..
Don't make the meatballs too big
Don't make the meatballs too big
Don't make the meatballs too big!!!
Sometimes there's just no pleasing people!
P.S. If you are wondering; after 16 years of marriage I finally got it right and I am now able to serve a good homemade meatball, pasta and sauce...without the rocks
Certain foods in our family are not attempted by me. Such foods include apple pie because no one makes it as well as my mother in law and christmas pudding because my mum makes the best ever.
ReplyDeleteOf course, I am the queen of the Pavlova so that is my requested desert.
I am wondering what your mother in law thought of your gigantic meatballs
@ Mynx~ My MIL was as gracious and sweet as can be...she simply ate the meal and Thanked me....and never spoke of it again! LOL!
ReplyDeleteOh no! I'm making meatballs tonight!
ReplyDeleteI usually make them pretty small:)
I'm wondering how many disasters I served family that were simply eaten, smiled over and never mentioned again.
ReplyDeleteI can't even begin to count the many mistakes I made learning to cook. I still make an occasional mistake which delights my daughter. lol
ReplyDelete@ Beth~ LOL! don't you just hate when that happens? It's usually a dumb mistake too like forgetting to turn on the oven or season food with salt. :O)
ReplyDelete@ mybabyjohn/Delores~ Awww...my Dad was famous for always finding something nice to say about my concoctions..my brothers...not so much.
ReplyDelete@ Ma~ LOL! you should be safe but just in case you forget ....whatever you do don't make them too BIG! :O)
Oh my word, I'm thinking my daughter would have loved a bowling-ball-sized meatball. ;)
ReplyDelete@ Michelle Teacress~ LOL! Unfortunately I have taken that old recipe and trashed it...there will be no other victims of my Godzilla Meatballs! :O)
ReplyDeleteFIRST off I when I hear Butta I see the Church Lady on SNL ... lol
ReplyDeleteGirl I made meatballs the other day and let's just say the pan is still soaking ... lol
@ Alexis AKA MOM~LOL! You are too funny!
ReplyDeletehaha how funny i still have trouble making good meatballs
ReplyDeleteToo funny! You have lots of stamina, meat balls are so tedious to make and take so long! All the mixing, then rolling into balls, I haven't made them in over 25 years!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you now make your meatballs just the right size! Practice makes perfect.
ReplyDeleteKitty
That was funny! My husband's Mother was Italian and always cooked from scratch. You were very brave to try it and I love that you kept it up until you or at least it sounds like you can make a delicious Italian meal.
ReplyDelete@ Barb~ Yes!It's not as good as my Mother-in-law's but at least my family likes it....I think. LOL!
ReplyDelete@ Kitty~ Yes, never ever give up!...well at least until ya win the lottery and could hire a personal chef!!! :O)
ReplyDelete