Anecdote and a Recipe

First, a funny story. Then, a recipe. Hey, it’s my frickin' blog and I do whatever the hell I please on it.

I’m in the Suburban that CNBC sent for me on the way to the studios in New Jersey for Bullseye when I look down and realize that I've worn a dark brown belt with my black suit and black shoes. Argh!

The driver is this young Sean Penn-looking Turk wearing a black suit. I ask him if he'll be driving me back from the studios too. He says yeah, so I ask him if I can borrow his belt. He's like, say what? And then after I explain to him my conundrum, he says no problem. And I wear his black belt to the show. Stylish too, I might add.

So last night I got back from staying at a cabin upstate for the weekend. I parked my car next to the grocery store and decided to stop in there to grab some ingredients for dinner. Hmmm, spaghetti and meatballs -- codystyle.

Take one or two large can of peeled plum tomatoes. Crush them by hand into smaller pieces. A pinch of garlic salt, a good bit of freshly ground black pepper, a couple pinches of salt, a little parmesan, a couple bay leaves, a pinch of oregeno, a couple tablespoons of olive oil and a couple sprigs of parsley. Cook on low heat for at least an hour, stirring occassionally.

Then dice up an onion and a couple cloves of garlic. In hot sizzling olive oil and butter saute the onion first, adding the garlic after a minute or two. More black pepper and salt.

After a couple minutes pour half the onions and garlic into the sauce. Let the rest cool, adding some butter to it to take the temperature down and keeping the garlic from burning.

Take a pound of ground beef, a handful of bread crumbs, a couple more springs of diced parsley, 2 eggs, a tablespoon of worcestershire sauce and a pinch of salt and pepper and mix together by hand. Pour the rest of the onion and garlic into the mix and work through.

Form 1-2 inch diameter meatballs and brown in olive oil, turning to get all sides. Put meatballs into the sauce. Turn sauce up to medium low and cover loosely for 30 minutes or so, stirring frequently.

Boil spagghetti. Combine. Cover with more freshly ground black pepper and parmesan cheese to taste. Bon appetit, baby!