Funfetti Cake with Buttercream Icing

Growing up we were taught there were four seasons. Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall. Only recently was it brought to my attention there are actually eleven, yes eleven, seasons here in the midwest. Winter, Fool's Spring, Second Winter, Spring of Deception, Third Winter, Mud Season, Actual Spring, Summer, False Fall, Second Summer, and Fall. In spite of the fact meteorological spring occurred earlier this week, the third winter will be arriving this weekend. Of course it will be here just in time to make the Saturday morning run a bit treacherous. This will be the second Saturday in a row where Murphy's Law has ruled. However, considering the number of Nor'easters having substantial snowfalls there have been this year, I am not quite sure my east coast friends would have any sympathy for us Midwesterners.

Speaking of sympathy, I am currently feeling a bit sorry for myself. Unfortunately, it seems like there has been a bit of  a 'woe is me' theme going on in my life lately. While still recovering from a glute injury sustained more than three months ago, I twisted by ankle this week. One of those freak accidents that occurred while I was walking on a flat surface while wearing only one inch high ankle boots. Although I have yet to have a full out melt down or had my ankle x-rayed (hoping for divine intervention or the subsiding of my off the charts state of panic), I have been trying to convince myself I wouldn't be able to walk on it if it was broken along with trying to forget the 'popping' sound I thought I heard when I twisted it. Selfishly I am hoping the upcoming third winter weekend weather conditions force the cancellation of Saturday's run (my sincere apologies to all of my running friends for trying to put the whammy it). Because technically I wouldn't be missing it and my traumatized ankle would have a little more time to heal. But now that I put that out there in the universe, it will be a weather perfect morning for a run. Murphy's Law.

In between icing and elevating my twisted ankle, I decided to make a surprise birthday cake for the soon to be eleven year old niece of one my friends. This Funfetti Cake with Buttercream Icing, one with sprinkles inside, around and on top the cake, seemed like it would be 11th birthday celebratory worthy.

As another one of my friends pointed out, a cake with sprinkles would not just make an eleven year old happy, it would make pretty much anyone happy. Considering how many hundreds, even thousands of likes each of the sprinkle and/or funfetti cakes making almost weekly appearances receive on Instagram get, she's right. The sprinkle (aka unicorn food) craze, or rather obsession, has been going on strong for the past decade. And it's one neither limited to cakes nor ending anytime soon. So if you haven't yet made a funfetti cake, you are not late to the party!

Sprinkles, as I learned while looking for recipes, show up better in white cakes than in yellow cakes. For this Funfetti Cake with Buttercream Icing I decided to use Smitten Kitchen's Confetti Party Cake recipe, making just a few changes.  I doubled the amount of vanilla (a half teaspoon wasn't going to be enough for my vanilla loving palate) and slightly increased the amount of sprinkles used in the cake (one additional teaspoon).  Instead of adding in the dry ingredients at various points in the cake making process, I whisked them all together and mixed them into the batter all in at once.

In a preheated 350 degree (F) oven, the made in an eight inch cake pan cake baked for almost 32 minutes.

Using an 8" inch round versus square cake pan yielded a cake slightly over an inch in height. Just enough height to handle an almost equal amount of buttercream icing.

I don't know how anyone achieves a white icing when using (yellow) butter. Particularly the European butters. So there is no point in using a clear vanilla when making this icing. Besides the really good stuff isn't clear.

The recipe for the icing yields all of the icing you see on this decorated cake. After putting a thin skim coat on top of and slightly thicker coat on the sides of the cake (so the sprinkles would adhere), the rest of the icing went into a pastry bag. I changed out several pastry tips before settling on the Ateco 867 (French Star) tip. When you pipe the icing and add some sprinkles to a single layer cake you magically transform a relatively simple, deceivingly ordinary birthday cake into a extraordinary swoonworthy one.

This Funfetti Cake with Buttercream Icing has it all. It's moist, has a tender crumb, and is the perfect compliment to the creamy, rich buttercream icing. Did I also mention it's also 'oh so pretty'? 

Funfetti cakes are not just for eleven year olds. They have a way of bringing out the kid still lurking inside all of us. Bring this cake to the table and sit back to watch smiles emerge and eyes widen. Who knew sprinkles could evoke such pure multi-generational joy?

Recipe
Funfetti Cake with Buttercream Icing (Several changes in ingredients and assembly of the Smitten Kitchen's Confetti Party Cake recipe)
Serves 8

Ingredients
Cake
1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup (130g) granulated sugar
2 large egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup (130g) all-purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon sprinkles

Icing
1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 cups (360g) confectionary sugar, sifted
Pinch of kosher salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
2-3 Tablespoons milk
Additional sprinkles for decorating

Directions
Cake
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Prepare an 8" round cake pan (line with parchment paper, lightly butter or spray with cooking oil). Set aside.
2. Place the dry ingredients (flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt) in a medium sized bowl. Whisk to blend. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, beat butter until light and fluffy (approximately 2 minutes) using a hand held mixer.
4. Add sugar and beat until light and creamy (approximately 2-3 minutes).
5. Add egg whites one at a time, beating until fully incorporated.
6. Add vanilla and buttermilk. The mixture will look a little grainy, but do not worry, the texture will change when you add the dry ingredients.
7. Add the dry ingredients, mixing until incorporated and the batter is smooth and thick.
8. Stir in the sprinkles.
9. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth top with an offset spatula. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow cake to cool in pan for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the side of the pan to loosen the cake. Flip it out to a cooling rack. Allow cake to come to room temperature. Note: Can decrease cooking time by placing the cake in the refrigerator.

Icing and Finishing
1. In a medium sized bowl, beat butter using a hand held mixer until creamy (approximately 2 minutes).
2. Add in the sifted confectionary sugar, pinch of kosher salt, and vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy (approximately 2-3 minutes).
3. Add milk one tablespoon at a time until the icing reaches your desired consistency. 
4.Spread a thin layer of icing on the top and sides of the cake. Ensure there is enough icing on the sides of the cake so the sprinkles will adhere.
5. Place remaining icing in a pastry bag fitted with the pastry tube of your choice. Decorate cake.
Finish with additional sprinkles, if desired.
6. Serve. If not serving cake immediately, loosely cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator. Bring out at least one hour before serving.

Notes: (1) The cake can be made ahead. Well wrapped it can be stored in the freezer for several weeks or in the refrigerator for a day. Frost the cake before ready to serve. 

Raspberry Buttermilk Pound Cake with Vanilla Glaze

This past weekend we celebrated a significant 'milestone' birthday of one of our friends with a homemade five course meal interspersed with a couple of competitive games of Prosecco Pong (oh yes, we did!). The menu was intended to be one of the surprises for the birthday girl but her wish for a cheesecake as the 'birthday cake' was our command. Given her love of fresh fruits and famous for her fresh fruit salads, the Creamy Cheesecake Topped with Fresh Berries seemed like it might be the perfect choice. For those of you who have read the blog over the years, you know how much honoring and remembering birthdays means to me. It's the one day of the year where your friends let you know you matter to them and where you let your friends know they matter to you.

Keeping track of the likes and dislikes of friends has been something I have tried to do over the years. Sometimes I learn these things by listening, sometimes by asking, and sometimes by simply paying attention. Although there have been occasions when I have forgotten some of them. Usually not intentionally. But truth be told I relish the opportunity to shift a dislike into a like. Bu when planning the birthday menu I had honestly 'forgotten' one of my friends doesn't like anything made with tomatoes. It wasn't until we were plating the Lasagna Bolognese I relearned this. All I could hope for was this Lasagna Bolognese, one made with the less acidic tomato paste, would appeal to her non-tomato liking palate. Unless she was just trying to alleviate my angst over my forgetfulness, I think I may have successfully pushed her into reconsidering this dislike going forward. But there was one dislike I did remember, but intentionally tried to shift to the like column. In a casual conversation, I learned the birthday girl wasn't a fan of polenta. And a Mushroom and Herb Polenta was one of the courses planned for her birthday dinner. I had a choice. Either change that course or take the risk I could actually shift her thoughts about it. It was a potentially risky choice, given the fact it was her birthday dinner. But I decided to be a risk taker, as I felt pretty confident this recipe would turn any polenta 'disliker' into a polenta 'liker', possibly into a polenta 'lover'. I suppose I could have always feigned forgetfulness if she had politely taken only one bite. My only problem would be trying to repress what I knew (and I knew that wasn't going to happen). So it was with fingers crossed when the Mushroom and Herb Polenta was brought to the table and served. As it turned out, everyone, including the birthday girl, ate every morsel of the polenta on their plates. Maybe it was the infusion of the grated Parmigiano-Regianno cheese into the polenta or the melted Taleggio Cheese over it or the herb and truffled sautéed mushrooms responsible for decidedly turning one of her dislikes into a like. Whatever it was, I was happy to be two for two for the day.

A couple of weeks ago the birthday girl shared a beloved family recipe for a Buttermilk Pound Cake with me. Before making this recipe, I first had to figure out how to quantify the 'pinches of' measurements for two of the ingredients. Which meant spending some time going down the proverbial buttermilk pound cake rabbit hole. My search results for determining what a pinch of salt and pinch of baking soda should be was, as expected, not as easy as I hoped it would. Amounts ranged from 1/4 teaspoon to 1/2 teaspoon for each of them. Small differences between them, but sometimes small differences make big differences. Decisions, decisions.

Whenever someone gives me a recipe to make, especially one I haven't tasted, I have a tendency to tinker with it. Adding a thick Vanilla Glaze and along with layers of raspberry preserves were going to be my changes to the original Buttermilk Pound Cake recipe. It's been a risk taking couple of weeks.

Unlike many pound cake recipes following the 1-2-3-4 formula (1 cup butter, 2 cups sugar, 3 cups flour, 4 eggs), this one uses a 1-3-3-4 (1 cup butter, 3 cups sugar, 3 cups flour, 4 eggs). The result is a slightly moister, perfectly sugary, more delicious pound cake.

While spending time looking for guidance on salt and baking soda amounts, I discovered some recipes recommended beating the sugar and butter for upwards of 11 minutes. At first I thought this sounded a bit excessive, however, seeing how the butter/sugar mixture transformed into incredible fluffiness and a perfect consistency for the eggs to be incorporated one at a time, I was thankful for having stumbled upon this recommendation. Instead of adding both dry ingredients and buttermilk in two additions, I began with mixing in 1/4 of the dry ingredients followed by 1/3 of the buttermilk. This sequence was repeated for a total of three additional times, finishing with the dry ingredients. The result was a smooth, thick, creamy, beautiful batter.

This Raspberry Buttermilk Pound Cake with Vanilla Glaze can be made in either a tube (angel food cake) pan or bundt pan. Aesthetically I think a bundt pan creates a more eye-appealing cake. But that's just me. After spooning one-third of the batter into the pan, I piped one-half of the raspberry preserves over the first layer using a pastry bag (you could also use a ziploc bag and cut one of the corners to create a tip). Without disturbing the first layer of raspberry preserves, I added another third of the batter, then the remaining raspberry preserves, and finally finished up with the batter as the top layer. Note: When adding the raspberry preserves stay away from the interior and exterior edges of the pan to avoid having the preserves bleed into the edges of the pound cake.

When putting the bundt pan into the oven, place it on a baking sheet to catch any of the batter that may spill over (a lesson learned after the fact). In a preheated a 325 degree (F) oven, the Raspberry Buttermilk Pound Cake bakes for approximately 1 hour and 25 minutes or until a testing stick inserted into the cake comes out clean. My baking time was exactly 1 hour and 25 minutes. Note: Do not open the oven to check on the cake for the first 60 minutes of baking time.

Allow the baked pound cake to cool in the pan for 20 minutes before carefully unmolding it. Depending on your bundt cake pan or your preferences, you can serve this Raspberry Buttermilk Pound Cake as is (with or without a dusting of confectionary sugar). But if you want to 'dress' it up at bit, I would strongly encourage you to make the Vanilla Glaze.

You can make the Vanilla Glaze as thick or as thin as you like. Less or more heavy cream will give it the desired consistency. You could also probably swap out whole milk for the heavy cream. Just add either of those liquids slowly to the sifted confectionary sugar, particularly if you want your glaze to have a thicker consistency.

Once the glaze sets, the cake is ready to serve!

Honestly, this is the best pound cake I have ever tasted! And if pound cake is one of those things on your 'dislike' list, this Raspberry Buttermilk Pound Cake with Vanilla Glaze will definitely have you reconsider changing your view of it. Take the risk and make it for your family and friends. It really, truly is an incredibly flavorful, moist, perfect crumb cake. One that definitely won't last long after it's made.

Recipe
Raspberry Buttermilk Pound Cake with Vanilla Glaze (slight twist to Aunt Faulie's Pound Cake recipe)

Ingredients
Buttermilk Pound Cake
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3 cups (600g) granulated sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups (390g) all-purpose flour
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup (166g) raspberry preserves

Vanilla Glaze
1 pound confectionary sugar, sifted
1 pint (8 ounces) heavy whipping cream, added slowly
3 Tablespoons corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of kosher salt

Directions
Buttermilk Pound Cake
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees (F). Prepare a tube or bundt pan. Set aside.
2. In a medium sized bowl, mix together the all-purpose flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
3. In a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter until smooth (approximately 1-2 minutes). Slowly add the granulated sugar and continue to beat on high. Continue beating the butter sugar mixture for approximately 11 minutes or until your mixture is light and fluffy.
4. Add in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Mix in the vanilla.
6. Beginning with the flour mixture, add the dry and wet (buttermilk) ingredients in a total of 7 alternate additions. Note: Begin with 1/4 of the flour mixture, followed by 1/3 of the buttermilk.
7. Scrape 1/3 of the batter into the prepared pan. Using a pastry bag or ziplock bag with one tip cut, add 1/2 of the raspberry preserves, being careful to pipe at least 1 inch from the interior and exterior edges of the pan. Do not use a knife to swirl in the preserves, leave as piped. Add another 1/3 of the batter, followed by the remaining 1/2 of the raspberry preserves. Finish with the last 1/3 of the batter. Smooth top of the pound cake with an offset spatula. Place bundt pan on a baking sheet and place in the preheated oven.
8. Bake the pound cake for 1 hour and 25 minutes or until a testing stick comes out clean. Do not open the oven during the first hour of baking.
9. Remove the baked pound cake from the oven. Allow to cool for 20 minutes in the pan before unmolding onto a cake platter or cake stand
10. Allow the unmolded pound cake to cool completely before glazing.

Vanilla Glaze and Assembly 
1. In a medium sized bowl, add the confectionary sugar, corn syrup, salt, and vanilla. 
2. Using a hand mixer on medium speed, slowly add the heavy whipping cream until it reaches the desired consistency.
3. Pour or spread the vanilla glaze over the cooled pound cake. Allow the glaze to set before serving.
4. Store the pound cake covered at room temperature. It's best enjoyed within 48 hours, however, if by chance you have any left after that, enjoy it.

Notes: (1) If you don't want to make the vanilla glaze, sift confectionary sugar over the top. (2) The raspberry preserves added another flavor dimension to this poundcake, however, it would still be delicious without them. (3) The original recipe called for one teaspoon of vanilla, but I increased it to 2 teaspoons.

White Chocolate Chunk and Macadamia Nut Cookies

Spring will be here in less than three weeks. It cannot get here soon enough. Beside the shift in the weather, spring brings one of my favorite flavors. Tulips. Given the choice between a bouquet of roses and a bunch of tulips, tulips always win. If given the choice between hydrangeas and tulips, it would be a draw. I wouldn't, couldn't choose between them. Of the many things on my ever evolving bucket list is spending time walking through and capturing the beauty of rows upon rows of tulips found in an orchard. If given the choice between traveling to the tulip farms in either Michigan or Washington, I would lean toward Washington. Mostly because I long to return to the captivating, breathtaking beauty of the northwest. Although a less than three hour drive to the tulip farms in Michigan seems the most practical option this spring. Choosing practical isn't necessarily one of my strong suits.

Until I decide where and when I can check off one of the things high on my bucket list, I will be buying bunches of tulips at least weekly. At least until the hydrangeas come into season.

As I was doing some early spring cleaning in my cupboards, I discovered I had several unexpired packages of macadamia nuts. They were bought with the intention of being used to make my Key Lime Pie with Macadamia Nut Crust. A Christmas dessert request that wasn't granted (too many competing requests this year). Rather than have the macadamia nuts go to waste, I thought 'Why not use them to make White Chocolate Chunk and Macadamia Nut Cookies?' instead. 

After years or rather I should say decades of using chocolate 'chips', I discovered chopped chunks of chocolate create a more satisfying and even more beautiful cookie. Uneven, chopped pieces create pools of intensely satisfying bites of chocolate. 

Like all of the chocolate chip cookies I make these days, an ice cream scoop is used to create perfect round balls and they get some chilling time in the refrigerator before going into the oven. I have chilled dough for as a little as two hours and as long as overnight. But if not waiting until the next day to bake, I prefer to let the dough chill for at least four hours. I can't really explain why I think four hours is better than two hours or three hours. I really do wish I could give you a credible culinary answer to this recommendation. If there is one.

The dough for these White Chocolate Chunk and Macadamia Nut Cookies is made in a large bowl. No mixer required. In other words, they couldn't be easier to make. But before mixing up a batch, make sure to roast your macadamia nuts to further enhance their flavor. See the roasting time recommendation in the notes below.

Instead of baking up the entire batch of these cookies, I froze about dozen of the balls of dough. I love being able to bake up a batch of cookies for an impromptu gathering or to satisfy a craving. 

I would like to go so far as to say these are the BEST White Chocolate Chunk and Macadamia Nut Cookies in the universe. But sometimes the use of the word 'best' as a descriptor is a double-edge sword. So instead I will say they are an irresistibly addictive, indulgence. Quite possibly falling into the 'to die for' or 'make you go weak in the knees' cookie categories. The combination of white chocolate and macadamia nuts in a cookie will take your cookie loving palate to places it may have never gone before. Additionally these White Chocolate Chunk and Macadamia Nut Cookies are as refreshing of a change from a 'chocolate' chip/chunk cookie as there is with a change in seasons. If you like white chocolate and macadamia nuts, you fall in love with these cookies. Especially if you make them with chunks versus chips of white chocolate. 

Recipe
White Chocolate Chunk and Macadamia Nut Cookies

Makes 28-30 large cookies

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, cut up into pieces

3 1/4 cups (416 g) all purpose flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 1/4 cups (250 g) light brown sugar, firmly packed

1/4 cup (50 g) dark brown sugar, firmly packed 

1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons vanilla

12 ounces white chocolate chopped into chunks (recommend Ghiradelli White Chocolate)

1 cup (126 g) macadamia nuts, roasted and coarsely chopped

Optional: Flaky sea salt for finishing

Directions

1. In a heavy bottomed saucepan, melt butter on lowest heat possible to ensure the butter does not sizzle or lose any of its' moisture. Stir occasionally. Once the butter has melted, remove from heat and set aside.

2. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and kosher salt. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, pour in melted butter. Add brown sugars and granulated sugar, whisking until sugar has melted. 

4. Add eggs, one at a time, whisking after each addition.

5. Stir in vanilla.

6. Using a wooden spoon or silicone spatula, stir in flour mixture until barely blended and still a teeny bit floury.

7. Add in chopped white chocolate and roasted/chopped macadamia nuts. Stir until all ingredients are combined.

8. Using a large ice cream scooper (large golf ball sized), scoop dough and then roll into balls. Place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Chill at least 4 hours or overnight.

9. Before baking sprinkle each cookie with a bit of flaky sea salt. Or bake without the addition of the sea salt.

10. In a preheated 360 degree (F) oven, bake cookies until the tops are cracked and lightly golden. Rotate the pan halfway through the baking process. Baking time is approximately 10-12 minutes, however, mine ranged from 13-14 minutes. Note: Midway through the baking process tap the cookie sheet several times on a large flat surface.

11. Allow cookies to cool on pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

12. Enjoy immediately! Store cookies in a sealed container.

Notes: (1) Chilling the balls of dough overnight is a game-changer. When baking each sheet of cookies (about 8-9 will fit on a large baking sheet pan), keep the remaining dough in the refrigerator. If you are not a big fan of dark brown sugar, use all light brown sugar. (2) To roast the macadamia nuts, place a baking pan in a preheated 325 degree (F) oven and and bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned and fragrant. (3) Balls of dough can be frozen in a freezer ziplock bag for up to a month. When ready to bake, place the frozen balls of dough on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Baking time may need to be increased slightly.

Meatballs in Marinara

Over the course of the last seven years, Italian style meatballs seem to have reinvented themselves. No longer is their presence reliant or co-dependent on a large platter of pasta. No longer are they satisfied with their second billing status. No longer are they relegated to the 'sides' section of a menu. No, meatballs have asserted their independence and taken center stage. Whether served as appetizers or as the main course, one can't help but wonder why it took so long for meatballs to finally take their rightful place on menus and our tables. Regardless of the plausibility of any one of the working theories aimed at trying to explain this long overdue meatball paradigm shift, meatball madness doesn't seem to be going away anytime soon. 

These aren't your average bite-sized meatballs. No, they fall into the 'go big or go home' category. 

I have been looking for a new meatball recipe for awhile now. In the process, I discovered there are quite a few myths and mistakes surrounding them. Bon Appetit shared a number of them in an article published six years ago. From salt doesn't matter, to who needs fresh herbs, to eggs are the source of moisture, to mixing with a spoon, to one size fits all meatballs, to rolling them dry, to skipping the sear, I would venture to bet very few of us would agree they should all be universally dispelled. Particularly the 'to sear or not to sear' meatball making method. Spoiler Alert: These meatballs are first browned at high heat in the oven and then braised in marinara sauce.

If you don't yet have a favorite, beloved, to-die-for meatball recipe in your arsenal, then today is your lucky day. 

Honestly I was tempted to use a jarred tomato sauce when making these meatballs. You know, the semi-homemade, how is easy is that approach we have all found ourselves doing at one time or another. But this wasn't going to be one of those times. And the decision to stay on the completely homemade course allowed me to discover the deliciousness of this marinara sauce. Seriously, is there anything easier to make than a marinara? This one comes together in less than hour and delivers big, bold flavors. One the best things about a homemade marinara sauce is that it can be made early in the day or the day before. Enhanced flavor is an added benefit of giving it some rest time. 

Making meatballs is a messy business. But using your hands instead of a spoon or food processor helps to ensure you don't end up with an over mixed paste. So get ready to get your hands dirty! These meatballs are made with the trifecta of ground meats (beef, pork, and veal), fresh bread crumbs, whole milk ricotta, eggs, fresh herbs, spices, kosher salt, and pepper.

Using an ice cream scoop helps to create uniform size meatballs. Using a scoop 2 1/4" in diameter, this recipe makes 20-22 meatballs. Twenty of them fit perfectly in a lightly oiled 9"x13" pan (I threw the other two in the freezer.) In a preheated 425 degree (F) oven, the meatballs first bake for 15-20 minutes or until the tops are lightly browned. Before adding the marinara sauce to the pan, it's critical you drain the liquified excess fat. Once drained, pour three cups of the marinara sauce over the meatballs and bake them for approximately one hour at a lowered 325 degree (F) temperature. You might think the meatballs would dry out with such a long baking time, but they don't. The marinara sauces serves as a braising liquid and keeps them moist. An added benefit to the long baking time further is an even deeper flavor to the marinara sauce. Notes: The meatballs can be formed early in day. Cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to bake. Remove from oven for approximately 30 minutes before baking.

There are a number of finishing options for these meatballs. The simplest one is sprinkling them with freshly chopped parsley and freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Don't forget the garlic bread and/or garlic bread sticks.

To kick them up a notch, top the meatballs with thinly sliced pieces of fresh mozzarella, return to a hot oven (450 degrees F) for approximately 5 minutes to let the cheese melt. Then finish with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and chopped fresh herbs (parsley and/or basil). Whether you serve them just like this or turn them into meatball sliders, everyone will be swooning over them.

When plating the meatballs, serve with either a side of remaining warmed marinara sauce or set them atop a small pool marinara sauce. Have some garlic bread and/or garlic sticks within reach so everyone can mop up the marinara. Trust me when I say it would be akin to committing a sin to leave any of this mouthwatering marinara sauce on the plate.

Invite some of your family and friends over and make these Meatballs in Marinara. Soon! Open up a couple bottles of a great red wine and make some garlic bread/garlic breadsticks or slice up a dense Italian bread. You will be guaranteed a memorable, fun, 'they will be talking about this for days' evening. Unless, of course, your choice of wine is, well, how shall I put it.....lackluster. 

I will venture to guess these Meatballs in Marinara are destined to become your favorites. However, in case you ever get tired of making THESE meatballs, there are several other meatball recipes on the blog: Swedish Meatballs with Lingonberries; Chile-Cumin Lamb Meatballs with Yogurt and Cucumbers; and Bucatini and Meatballs. Wishing you many happy meatball moments!

Recipe
Meatballs in Marinara (inspired by Fine Cooking's Spaghetti and Meatballs recipe)
Makes 20-22 very large meatballs

Ingredients
Marinara Sauce
Marinara
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
2 cans (26-28 ounce sized) diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Meatballs
1 pound ground beef (80-85%)
1 pound ground pork
12 ounces ground veal
2 cups fresh coarse bread crumbs
1 cup whole milk ricotta
4 large eggs
4 Tablespoons chopped parsley
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh oregano or 1 Tablespoon dried oregano
1 1/2 - 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes
3 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground pepper

Directions
Marinara
1. Heat olive oil in heavy duty large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, oregano, and bay leaf. Cook, stirring often until the onion is soft (approximately 6-10 minutes).
2. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until darkened (approximately 3-4 minutes).
3. Add the diced tomatoes and salt. 
4. Bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat, stirring frequently, until the sauce has reduced by about a third (approximately 40-60 minutes).
5. Remove bay leaf and season to taste with additional salt.
6. Transfer sauce to a food processor and puree. Return sauce back to pan, cover, and keep warm.

Meatballs
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees (F). Oil a 9"x13" baking pan with olive oil. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine the ground meats, breadcrumbs, ricotta, eggs, parsley, oregano, fennel seed, Aleppo pepper, salt and pepper. Mix gently but thorough with your hands.
3. Using a large ice cream scoop, make 20-22 meatballs 2 1/4" in diameter. Roll the meatballs to make them round. Arrange snugly in the baking pan.
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the tops of the meatballs have lightly browned. Remove from oven, remove and drain the excess fat.
5. Decrease oven temperature to 325 degrees (F).
6. Pour 3 cups of the sauce over the meatballs. Return to oven and continue to bake for 60 minutes.
7. Choose a finishing option. Serve with additional Marinara Sauce and garlic bread sticks or on top of buttered/grilled small rolls to make Meatball Sliders.
8. Wrap any leftover meatballs and marinara sauce and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. They reheat beautifully.

Finishing Options:
1. Sprinkle top of the meatballs with chopped parsley and freshly grated Parmesan Cheese.
2. Place thin slices of fresh mozzarella over the meatballs, place in a 450 degree (F) oven and bake until cheese begins to melt (approximately 5 minutes. Sprinkle top of the meatballs with chopped parsley and/or thinly sliced basil and freshly grated Parmigianno-Regianno Cheese.

Notes: (1) Make your breadcrumbs in a food processor. I like to use ciabatta rolls when making fresh, coarse breadcrumbs. If ciabatta is not available, use another dense bread. (2) The marinara sauce can be made earlier in the day or the day before. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. After removing three cups of the sauce to pour over the meatballs, reheat remaining sauce when ready to serve. (3) If you don't have time to make your own marinara, use your favorite jarred marinara sauce. But don't tell anyone I told you to do this. (4) I used BelGioioso's whole milk ricotta and fresh mozzarella.