WHB: Happy Blog Anniversary To Me!

Yesterday, I suddenly realized that today is my blog anniversary.  Amazingly, What Did You Eat is officially two years old.  When I started blogging, I didn't know if I would last a year, but here I am two years later. During that time, I've enjoyed preparing some great recipes, and sharing that experience with people all over the world.  Most important, I've made friends with so many fellow bloggers--and what a talented and generous group of people they are too!  There are also the people who don't have blogs, but visit here and leave comments.  I haven't been good about answering my comments lately, but I appreciate them more than you can ever know.  Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to visit me here.  I'm sorry my blog's appearance hasn't been updated, but any attempt to spruce it up always winds up backfiring on me.  I may be able to cook, but I'm a total nincompoop doing computer stuff.  I still remember how much trouble I had installing WeatherPixie.  Weatherpixie, for God's sake!  It's supposed to be impossible to screw up something like that!

To celebrate my anniversary, I decided to make meatballs, rather than something sweet.  I love them, and I'm tired of sweet things just now.  While these meatballs aren't as good as my favorite recipe, I did enjoy them quite a bit. They're stuffed with dried currents and pine nuts, easy to make, and (drum roll) they're a Staff Favorite at Food & Wine magazine, which usually means a sure thing.

I think this recipe is a good fit with Weekend Herb Blogging, which was created by the wonderful Kalyn at
Kalyn's Kitchen, and she's hosting it this week!  So, head over to her site on Monday and check out the big roundup of herby recipes around the world.

The featured herb for this recipe is flat-leaf parsley. Of course, you can use curly parsley if you prefer.  Either way, you'll give the meatballs a fresh green taste that would be sorely missed if you left it out.  Parsley is so common to cooking, we often take it for granted. It's our reliable and trusted herb friend.

 

Sicilian-Style Meatballs

(Food & Wine Magazine)

ingredients

Two 28-ounce cans peeled Italian tomatoes, crushed
1/4    cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4    slices of white sandwich bread
4    large eggs, beaten
3    garlic cloves, minced
1/4    cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1    teaspoon minced marjoram
2    pounds ground beef chuck
1/2    cup dried currants
1/4    cup pine nuts
1/4    cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
1/4    cup plain dry bread crumbs
2    cups vegetable oil, for frying (if you decide to fry them.  I baked mine)

directions

Pour the tomatoes into a large enameled cast-iron casserole and crush them. Add the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a bowl, soak the bread in water until saturated. Squeeze out the water and transfer the bread to a large bowl. Mash the bread to a paste and stir in the eggs, garlic, parsley, marjoram, 1 tablespoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Mash until smooth. Add the chuck, currants, pine nuts and cheese and mix until combined. Add the bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon at a time, and knead until the mixture is firm enough to roll. Form the mixture into 36 meatballs (about 3 tablespoons each), tucking in the currants and pine nuts.  I made a test meatballs and zapped it in the microwave for about 30 seconds, to check the flavors.  It needed more salt.

Place the meatballs in a rimmed pan, sprayed with vegetable cooking oil (like Pam).  Cook them in a preheated 400 degree F oven for 30 minutes.  Turn the oven down to 325 degrees F, and cook for around 10 minutes more. Check the meatballs several times to see if they are cooked by pressing them to see if they feel firmer.  You ou can always take one out and test it by eating it.  Fun! Don't overcook them!   Transfer the meatballs to a plate. Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer for 30 minutes. Serve in bowls, passing more cheese at the table.

Or you can cook them like this:

In a large, nonstick skillet, heat the vegetable oil until shimmering. Add the meatballs in 2 batches and fry over moderate heat, turning, until browned and cooked through, about 12 minutes per batch. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meatballs to a plate. Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer for 30 minutes. Serve in bowls, passing more cheese at the table.

Comments

[Lydia]

Happy blogiversary! Two years -- a wonderful milestone! And aren't meatballs the perfect way to celebrate?!

[Deborah]

Happy blog anniversary!!

[sher]

Lydia,

They sure are a great way to celebrate! I made them last night, and have already had them for breakfast--and lunch! The currents and pine nuts taste fabulous.

[Julie]

Happy Blog Birthday! Your meatballs look wonderful, and they are a nice change from sweets. Good for you for sticking around. I've seen so many blogs appear, then disappear, and that almost dissuaded me from starting my own blog. But blogs like yours stick, and they're inpsiring! I wouldn't worry about how it looks, as long as you're filling it with good food and good words!

[Jenn]

Happy Bloggiversary Sherster!
Now gimme some meatballs!!!!

[Susan from Food Blogga]

Yeh! Happy Blogiversary! My husband's great aunt used to make meatballs with raisins in them. I never realized it was probably Sicilian. They sound delicious, especially since I love pine nuts.

[CatSynth (Amar & Luna)]

Happy "Blogiversary", from your cat-blogging friends :)

[sher]

Deborah,

Thank you!

Julie,

Thank you! Sometimes I feel like I'm all cooked out, but I really enjoy the blogging community, so that gives me back my incentive to cook--and post about it.

Jenn,

Thank you! I sure wish I could give you some meatballs. Kami could have some too!

Susan,

Thank you! The pine nuts taste so good in them. And they taste even better the next day.

Amar & Luna,

Thank you! So, glad to hear from you!

[Bunty]

CONGRATULATIONS HAPPY BLOG ANNIVERSARY SHERRY

I WATCH YOUR BLOG DAILY AND AS I HAVE SAID MANY

TIMES, YOU SHOULD WRITE A BOOK. YOU ARE SUCH A

GOOD COOK AND YOUR PICTURES ARE BEAUTIFUL. I AM

PROUD OF YOU.

[Bunty]

I FORGOT TO SIGN MY NAME, SORRY, SHERRY

BUNTY (also known as your Mother-in-Law)

[Kalyn]

Happy blog anniversary to you! Two years is about the equivalent of ten years in blog time, I'd say. I'm so glad you are still going strong. The meatballs sound great. Anything with pine nuts would be a hit with me, and I also love ground chuck. I am realizing that I haven't ever cooked one single thing that I can think of with currants though. So many ingredients, who can ever try them all, but it's fun to try.

[kristi]

Happy Blog Anniversary, Sher! I have read your blog for almost the entire two years (I think), and I don't mind one bit that the look is the same. I visit for your fab recipes, the gorgeous photos, and Upsie (of course!).

[Alisha]

Happy Blog Anniversary to you!!! I just love coming over here and see what you've got going on. :)

[brilynn]

Congrats on 2 years! And I love that you stuck a candle in your meatballs!

[Anh]

Sher, happy blog birthday!

[gattina]

it is a great joy everytime I come to your blog Sher! Happy anniversary, and many more!
I am always amased how creative the people are when come to infuse east-n-west (or europa-n-americana in this case), and savory-n-sweet in a dish! Fantastic!

[peabody]

Happy blog anniversary!

[Tanna]

Wow. 10 years - how does Kalyn figure that! Happy Blog Birthday. Here's to many more!
The meat balls look beautiful, especially the idea of the pine nuts and currents. Ummm how about ground turkey, pine nuts and dried cranberries . . .

[Callipygia]

Sher, Happy 2 Years- looking good! Your blog always makes me miss CA, the gorgeous produce and welcoming people. Congrats on making such a beautiful place.

[aria]

delicious! i love meatballs so much i'm with you on the savory versus the sweet. happy 2nd, i think i've read every post!

[Peter]

Congrats on blogging and your Sicilian meatballs!

[Shannon]

Chiming in a bit too late but happy blogiversary! I guess our blogs are almost the same age and I've been reading you almost from the start. In a way, I celebrated your anniversary without realizing it by making your recent fusilli with garbanzo beans recipe for dinner last night. Sooooo good--I added some tuna to it and it was the perfect complementary ingredient. Thank you for all the wonderful recipes you've give me over the last two years, Sher. You rock.

[Lisa]

Those meatballs look scrumptious, and you can't go wrong with a Sicilian recipe, ha ha (I'm half Sicilian).

Happy anniversary of your blog! Way to go, and I look forward to many more delicious posts.

[Teresa]

Congrats!

I love the meatballs with a candle in them.

[sammawow]

Happy Belated Blogoversary! I have always enjoyed your writing, recipes, pictures and of course Upsie and all of the others! I have been craving meatballs so these might just be dinner!

[Barbara]

Happy Blog Birthday! Time flies, doesn't it? I'm coming up on three years in January and find it hard to believe.

[Kirk]

Hi Sher - Happy Bloggo-versary, or whatever they call it nowadays! Kudo's for making it to such a milestone.

[Jennifer]

I'm so sorry I am late!!! CONGRATULATIONS and Happy Blogging Anniversary to you! :)

Those meatballs look delicious!

I am so sorry I have not had a chance to read lately, I am going to make more of an effort to do so! I miss my fellow foodie bloggers!

[boo_licious]

Happy Blog Anniversary!!

[Glenna]

Happy blog Anniversary! That is so cool. Time sure does fly when you're having fun, huh?