Spaghetti and Meatballs

I was in the mood for some home cooking good ol' hearty yummy type of dinner. if that makes sense. it does right? totally.

so i decided to do spaghetti and meatballs! make fresh mozarella sticks (recipe here...AAmazing!) with salad and bread.

it ended up being my birthday dinner since the next day..yesterday..we were running around too much to do anything.

There are so many ways to make meatballs! i started using the neely's recipe on foodnetwork.com but changed it up a bit. this is how i ended up making them.

Ingredients 

(i doubled this recipe..below is for 4-6 servings)

1 1/2 - 2 lb ground beef

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (i left this out since i'm preggo and sensitive)

6 garlic cloves, chopped, divided (or the jar variety.)

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

2 large eggs

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

salt and pepper..eye ball it! haha.

1/2 onion chopped. (my onion made me cry so i gave up chopping them small.)

PREHEAT OVEN 400

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. Form into 2 inch meatballs and place in baking pan.

besides wanting something homey feeling....i wanted to make something where i could use this awesome pan that my grandmother got me!! i love it. and we arrived home from atlanta with it sitting at our doorstep..the best welcome home present. :) it's a le creuset! she also got me another one in a different size in green...she knows me too well. :)

you couldddd brown them upnand then just place them in your sauce and have them cook up in there for 45 minutes...but i wasn't feeling fussy and the husband requested them to be separate. haha. i also made a bunch so that we would have enough for dinner (we had company over..) and then have some for sandwiches the next day. 

I baked them for around 45 minutes. this is right before we pulled them out! yum.

sophia was my helper in the kitchen. i had to pull a chair in for her. she kept going "seat..seat!" so happy i caught her giggle in this photo!

something about this type of meal that just makes you feel all homey and cozy. while the meatballs baked i prepped the fresh mozarella sticks..fried them up as soon as i pulled the meatballs out. also while the meatballs baked i made up the spaghetti and a semi-home made sauce! i had some canned chopped tomatoes and a jar of plain sauce..added some spices and done. how do you make your favorite meatballs?? i know someone who makes them in a crock pot as appetizers with smuckers grape jelly...they are amazing.

i'm 24! crazy. but i'm thankful for another year...and i feel very blessed. Looking at my life right now i'm right where i always wanted to be.. i love my family..they are my everything. 

after cake we had a dance party. 

she gets her moves from me...you're welcome world!

(she wanted to wear her rosary around the house that day.. i would say where is jesus?? and she would grab the cross and give it smooches. how sweet is that??)