What a funny title for a blog…yes? Let me backtrack. As you know by now I am from the Chicago area and from a big ol’ Italian family. One of my fondest memories growing up was every Sunday morning going to my Grama & Grampa Buffardi’s house for meatballs & cantaloupe. Ok, I know that sounds like the oddest combination so let me explain.
can you smell the garlic???? :o)
My mom has 2 older brothers and a younger sister (just like me). On Sunday’s my grampa would always make meatballs for breakfast! I know, I know..weird right? Well not to us. We would eat the freshest, garliciest, yummiest meatballs every Sunday for brunch. We would also have Italian toast with butter and cantaloupe.
We would all sit around in the kitchen laughing, talking & eating. Lots of cousins, aunts, uncles, Gram & Gramp and more. It was loud, loving and lots of fun. There were 11 grandkids (just like my mom has now) and we were all about a year apart. This summer, August 6th will be the first time in ten years when we are all together again!! We will be celebrating my cousin Tricia & Jason’s wedding.
Anyways, back to the meatballs. We would eat them for breakfast (without sauce) – sort of like you have bacon and sausage. As my grampa would finish frying them up, he would put them in a porcelain duck with a lid on to keep them warm until we all got to the table. All us cousins would eat ’till we were sick then run off to play. My mom & her siblings would stay at the table for hours talking, hanging out and visiting.
The secret to Dolly's Meatballs...lots of garlic & olive oil
Then we would all go home full and happy and smelling like garlic…
I have never made meatballs. I am not a detailed cook. Meatballs require lots of detail, love and patience. I remember on my 40th birthday when my family flew down for my surprise party, Sunday morning they all came over and my mom made meatballs for all of us! My house smelled like garlic for days. I LOVED IT!!!
Recently Robert said he’d like to start making the meatballs!!! WHAT??!!! Hooray. So today he did it. He bought all the ingredients down to the detail. Mixed up the meat.
My Meatball Chef! Thanks Babe!!! so delicious!
Let it sit in the fridge for an hour, then heated up the olive oil and BAM – We had meatballs for dinner. He brought me back the memories of garlic, grandparents, love, laughter, family and more. He even put them in our own porecelain duck to keep them warm.
Tonight my family didn’t feel so far away. I love that this long loving tradition has officially landed in my home! My kids will know meatballs like no other!!! Thanks babe!!!
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I’m so glad you have these wonderful memories & you’ll have your very own meatball tradition. Robert must have a little Italian in him, but one thing for sure is he has lots of love, which is the main ingredient in Grandpa’s meatballs …and, more garlic. Before cooking the meatballs smell the mixture & if you don’t smell the garlic, add more. Remember you can never have too much love…or garlic.