Homemade Spaghetti and Meatballs

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Spaghetti is one of my favorite meals! This recipe is from Dylan’s grandmother, and it is amazing! It has come to be one of our family’s meals for special occasions—birthdays, Valentine’s Day, as well as Christmas Eve. I love to set a fancy Christmas Eve or Valentine’s Day table and dig into a plate of scrumptious spaghetti with homemade meatballs. There is nothing better!

This is from Valentine’s Day a few years ago, but I just love penelope’s face here. :)

Homemade Spaghetti & Meatballs

Sauce Ingredients

  • 1/2 onion, chopped

  • 2 cloves of garlic

  • 2 – 16 ounce cans of tomato sauce

  • 1 – 16 ounce can of tomato paste

  • 1 tablespoon sugar

  • 1 tablespoon oregano

  • 1 tablespoon basil

  • 1 tablespoon parsley

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

  • 1 – 2 bay leaves

  • Dash of Tabasco sauce

  • salt and pepper

  • 1 cup water

Meatball Ingredients

  • 3 slices of old bread soaked in 3/4 cup of water

  • 1/2 onion, chopped

  • 1 tablespoon parsley

  • 1.5 pounds of ground beef

  • 3 tablespoons of Parmesan Cheese, shredded

  • 1 egg

  • Salt and Pepper

For Serving

  • Thin Spaghetti Noodles

  • Parmesan Cheese

  • Salad and French Bread

Sauce & Meatball Directions

  • Before you start the sauce:

    • Put the bread slices into the bowl of your stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl) and cover with the 3/4 cup of water.

  • Make the sauce:

    • In a large pot, saute the onion and garlic in 1/4 cup of olive oil.

    • Add the rest of the sauce ingredients, stir to combine, cover the pot, and simmer for 30 minutes.

  • As the sauce is simmering, make the meatballs:

    • Give the bread a good stir, now that it is softened, to break it up.

    • Add all of the remaining meatball ingredients into your bowl with the bread. Gently mix until just combined.

    • Form into large meatballs. Set them on a cutting board or tray as you work.

  • After the sauce has simmered for 30 minutes:

    • Gently add the meatballs to the sauce. Just plop them in and put the lid back on.

    • Continue to simmer for 90 minutes to 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes or so to make sure it isn’t sticking to the bottom of your pan/burning. (If it doesn’t seem to be bubbling enough, turn it up just slightly. If it seems to be sticking on the bottom, turn the burner down slightly. Be very gentle as you stir the meatballs. You don’t want to break them.)

When you are ready to eat, boil the thin spaghetti noodles, drain, and divide into bowls. Serve with sauce and meatballs on top. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese to your heart’s content.

We love to make a fancy meal of this, so we usually have salad and warm french bread for a delicious meal!

I hope you love these Spaghetti and Meatballs as much as we do!

Iced Coffee at Home

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I have always loved iced coffee from coffee shops. I used to think making it at home was a doomed pursuit. It just never seemed to turn out well. Last summer, I decided to try my hand at it again to see if I could figure out what I was doing wrong. I read lots and lots of other blog posts, and I think I was having two issues—my ratios of water to coffee were distorted, and I wasn’t letting it steep long enough.

This post from The Rising Spoon was super helpful! I have been using her ratios of 1 cup coffee grounds to 4 cups water, with one change. See below.

I also decided to buy this Iced Coffee Maker. I know you don’t need a special gadget to make iced coffee, but I felt confident that I would be more likely to make cold brew at home if it was as simple as possible. I have used it so much this season! It is very simple to set up, very simple to remove the grounds, and then it’s so nice to stick in the fridge and pour straight from it to dispense the iced coffee. If you are thinking of getting something like it, I would certainly recommend it.

Long story short, it’s been going great this summer! I usually have a cup of hot coffee in the morning, but when the kids have their quiet time after lunch, I enjoy a little cup of iced coffee and a few tranquil moments to read or think my own thoughts. :) It’s been a lovely summer tradition.

How to Make Cold Brew Coffee

Making Cold Brew Coffee is simple enough. You measure out your coffee grounds, add water, and then let it steep.

Like I mentioned above, I have been using The Rising Spoon’s ratios of 1 cup coffee grounds to 4 cups water, with one change. I add 1 tablespoon of sugar to my coffee grounds. This makes the cold brew just a smidge sweet and very smooth. I hate getting a sip of grainy sugar in my iced coffee.

Here’s what I’ve been doing—

Cold Brew Coffee

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup measuring cup

  • Iced Coffee Maker

  • 1 cup coffee grounds

  • 1 tablespoon sugar

  • 4 cups water

Directions

  • Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, add 2 scoops of coffee grounds to the inner grounds holder of the Iced Coffee Maker.

  • Add 1 tablespoon of sugar on top of your coffee grounds.

  • Add the last 2 scoops of coffee grounds.

  • Slowly, add the 4 cups of water to your Iced Coffee Maker. It is best to pour a bit, let it sit and drain, pour a bit, let it sit and drain, until you’ve added all of the water.

  • Put the cap on and set aside to steep for 18-24 hours. (I leave mine on the counter to steep.)

  • When you have steeped the coffee long enough, remove the inner grounds holder. I like to gently press out the coffee that is remaining in it as I pull it up. Set that aside to clean, and replace your cap.

  • Now you are ready to serve your iced coffee! Add ice to a cup, pour in cold brew, and add milk/cream as desired. Enjoy!

  • Store remaining cold brew in the refrigerator.

Cheers to tasty coffee, right at home!

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

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There are many varieties of zucchini bread out there, some better than others. I do enjoy a more traditional zucchini bread (like this Classic Zucchini Bread or this Old-Fashioned Zucchini Bread), but this one is a nice change when you want a bit of a treat. It’s moist and rich and chocolatey. It could be served as a dessert or as a decadent breakfast bread. I hope you enjoy!

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup sugar

  • 3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted (+ a bit extra to grease the loaf pan)

  • 2 large eggs

  • 1 cup applesauce

  • 2 cups flour

  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

  • 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini

  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

  • 9 x 5 in loaf pan

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 350º. Use a little of your coconut oil to grease your loaf pan.

  • Add sugar, coconut oil, and eggs into the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat at a low speed until well blended. Stir in applesauce.

  • Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir well with a fork or whisk. Add flour mixture to the sugar mixture, gently mix until just moist. Stir in zucchini and chocolate chips.

  • Spoon batter into loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour, or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out almost clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe slightly adapted from the Cooking Light ‘Pick Fresh’ cookbook.

Caprese Tortellini (A Simple Summer Dinner)

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Ok, so this Caprese Tortellini could be a simple dinner for just about any time of year, but it feels particularly fitting for summer alfresco dining. It also is just barely a recipe. Adjust the ratios as you see fit. Definitely enjoy it outside if you can!

Caprese Tortellini

Ingredients

  • 1 package of Tortellini (I like Four Cheese, personally)

  • 1 lb Sweet Italian Sausage Links*

  • Half a pint of Cherry Tomatoes

  • Container of Marinated Mozzarella Balls

  • Balsamic Glaze, for drizzling

  • Fresh Basil, thinly sliced, for serving*

Directions

  • Fill a large stock pot with water and bring to a boil. Cut the Italian Sausage into bite-sized chunks and cook in a skillet with a drizzle of oil until browned and cooked through. Meanwhile, cut cherry tomatoes in half and set aside in a bowl. If using, cut fresh basil and set aside as well.

  • As the sausage is nearly done, cook the tortellini according to package directions. Drain the tortellini and either put it back into your large pot or put it into a large bowl. Drain off the grease from the sausage and add to the bowl with the tortellini.

  • Add in the cherry tomatoes and marinated mozzarella balls, with the marinade. This serves as the ‘sauce’ and brings through the flavors from the marinating oil. Gently stir everything together and serve on plates or bowls. Top with fresh basil and drizzle with the balsamic glaze. Enjoy!

Notes

  • If you have a smaller package of tortellini, I would consider only using 3 of the links to keep the ratio of pasta to meat more balanced.

  • If you don’t have fresh basil, don’t worry! I liked it without any fresh basil added.

  • I will say, I did not care for this as leftovers. It did not reheat well, and I personally didn’t enjoy it cold. So keep that in mind as you decide how much to make.

Recipe adapted from Lately with Alexa.

Blue Moon Brined Turkey

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We found this turkey recipe via A Beautiful Mess and were intrigued by the concept of brining the turkey to help it retain moisture and gain some flavor. We decided to try it out, and we loved how the turkey turned out. We have made it for many years since then, and it always turns out well! However, the original post is a little hard to follow and not written out as a recipe per se. Last year, I decided to clean it up so it was easier to follow, and I wanted to share it here for you all to enjoy as well. Without further ado, here is our favorite turkey recipe.

Blue Moon Brined Turkey

Brine Ingredients 

  • 7 1/2 cups vegetable stock

  • 2 bottles Blue Moon beer

  • 1/2 cup brown sugar

  • 1 cup kosher salt

  • 2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns

  • Enough water to submerge the turkey

Brine Instructions

  • In a big pot, stir together the vegetable stock, beer, brown sugar, and salt over medium heat until the sugar and salt have fully dissolved. 

  • Remove from heat and stir in the peppercorns. 

  • Prepare your thawed turkey for brining by first removing the giblets. 

  • Place the turkey in a brining bag. Fill with the cooled brining liquid and enough water to submerge the turkey. 

  • Seal the bag and refrigerate overnight. 

    • Finding the right container to hold the brining turkey can be tricky. A clean bucket works well, or you can use the turkey roasting pan and fill the bag only halfway. Just flip the turkey halfway through the brining time if you go this route.

  • In the morning, discard the brining liquid. Rinse off the turkey and pat dry with paper towels. 

Roasting Ingredients

  • Yellow onion, cut into fourths

  • Rinds of three or four oranges

    • You can save the oranges and cut into slices for garnish on the serving platter.

  • Two sprigs of Rosemary

  • Two sprigs of Thyme

  • One sprig of Sage

  • Salt & Pepper

Roasting Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 500°F.

  • Fill the inside of the turkey with the onion, orange rinds, rosemary, thyme, and sage. 

  • Drizzle a generous amount of olive oil over the top of the turkey and rub it all over the skin. 

  • Sprinkle a little salt and pepper all over the bird. Use kitchen twine to tie the legs together, helping the bird keep its shape.

  • Tuck a piece of aluminum foil over the top of the bird. Bake at 500°F for 30 minutes. 

    • High temperatures can more easily create smoke/steam in your kitchen, so don't be afraid to open a few windows. 

  • After the first 30 minutes, reduce the temperature to 350°F, remove the foil, and continue to roast until the turkey reaches around 155°F. Remove the turkey from the oven and rest the bird in a tent of aluminum foil for 30 minutes.

    • You can use an instant read thermometer to check the temperature by sticking the thermometer into the breast, avoiding the bones of the bird. 

    • Some sources suggest your temperature needs to reach 165°-170°F before removing the turkey from the oven. But, after you remove it, the temperature will continue to rise while the turkey rests. 

  • Before serving, remove the onion and aromatics from the inside. Place your turkey on a large serving platter for cutting. If desired, decorate with orange slices and fresh herbs.

Turkey Roasting Times

The general rule for cooking a turkey is 20 minutes per pound. The times below are based on placing the whole turkey on a rack in a roasting pan, and into a preheated 350 degree oven (via Epicurious).

If your turkey weighs 8 to 12 pounds, roast it at:

  • 325°F for 2¾ to 3 hours

If your turkey weighs 12 to 14 pounds, roast it at:

  • 425°F for 2¼ to 2½ hours

  • 400°F for 2½ to 2¾ hours

  • 350°F for 2¾ to 3 hours

  • 325°F for 3 to 3¾ hours

If your turkey weighs 15 to 16 pounds, roast it at:

  • 425°F for 3 to 3¼ hours

  • 400°F for 3¼ to 3½ hours

  • 350°F for 3½ to 3¾ hours

  • 325°F for 3¾ to 4 hours

If your turkey weighs 18 to 20 pounds, roast it at:

  • 425°F for 3½ to 3¾ hours

  • 400°F for 3¾ to 4 hours

  • 350°F for 4 to 4¼ hours

  • 325°F for 4¼ to 4½ hours

If your turkey weighs 21 to 22 pounds, roast it at:

  • 425°F for 4 to 4¼ hours

  • 400°F for 4¼ to 4½ hours

  • 350°F for 4½ to 4¾ hours

  • 325°F for 4¾ to 5 hours

If your turkey weighs 24 pounds, roast it at:

  • 425°F for 4¼ to 4½ hours

  • 400°F for 4½ to 4¾ hours

  • 350°F for 4¾ to 5 hours

  • 325°F for 5 to 5¼ hours