OK, this is one yummy dish. The flavor is reminiscent of beef stroganoff, but without mushrooms. (And of course, if you want to add mushrooms to this recipe, go for it! But the day I made this; there was nary a fresh mushroom to be had in my kitchen.)

Anyway, I put this recipe together from bits and pieces of other recipes, and Mr. C. and I both thought it was a keeper. Great the first night, and even better the second night. And absolutely perfect for a cold, rainy, winter dinner. Add a nice green salad and you have a meal everyone will enjoy.

Well, that’s enough about meatballs and on to books I’ve read lately. (Just so you know, after spending time in my kitchen, reading is my favorite way to spend time. Well, of course, right up there with cooking and reading you’ll find me devoted to attending plays, concerts, live music in restaurants, spending time with family and friends, traveling all over the world, towing our trailer through the western part of the United States and Canada, and dining in great restaurants. But what you should also know, is that there are things I don’t do that any reasonable person enjoys.

I don’t watch TV, attend live or watch sporting events on TV, buy expensive coffee drinks at coffee stands, or go to events in the Seattle vicinity where thousands of people are milling around (like Seafair, Bumbershoot, the Washington State Fair, or the Fremont Oktoberfest.) (I realize that knowing this about me has nothing to do with cooking. But if you are like me, I love knowing a bit about the cooks who post recipes for all the world to see. So, now you know some of my idiosyncrasies too.)

And now for something completely different – a list of new to me authors I would recommend if you also read murder mysteries like they are going out of style: Carolyn Hart (Annie and Max Darling series), Chris Hammer, Camilla Grebe, D. D. Black (Thomas Austin series), and finally Georges Simenon (Inspector Maigret series).

So, farewell for now. Stay positive. Stay informed. Stay civil. Bake cookies for friends. We are all in this crazy new hellish political scene together. And we can always make life a bit better for others if we show compassion, demonstrate civility, and make simple acts like opening doors for others as routine as saying “excuse me” after sneezing.

Peace and love to all.

For the meatballs: Please note: This recipe makes twice the meatballs needed in this recipe. But do yourself a favor and make the full recipe anyway and freeze the other half. Trust me, you will thank me when you can make this dish again in half the time! Or use the second half of meatballs in any other dish that calls for meatballs.

½ c. finely chopped onion

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

2 T. chopped fresh parsley

½ tsp. ground savory*

½ tsp. dried thyme leaves

½ tsp. seasoned salt

¼ tsp. paprika

¼ tsp. dried rosemary

freshly ground black pepper

pinch ground nutmeg

2 eggs

2 T. milk

¾ c. old fashioned oats, broken up a bit in a food processor

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 lb. bulk pork sausage

Combine the onion, garlic, parsley, savory, thyme, seasoned salt, paprika, rosemary, black pepper, nutmeg, eggs, and milk together in a medium bowl. Add the oats, ground beef, and ground pork and stir just until combined. Using an ice cream scoop, form balls and place on a rimmed baking sheet lightly greased or lined with parchment paper.

Bake in a pre-heated 400-degree oven for 20-25 minutes (depending on the size of the meatballs) just until the balls are baked through. (Don’t over bake or they will be dry.) Remove them from oven and set aside.

For the sauce:

1 T. veggie oil

1 T. unsalted butter

1 c. diced onion

2 garlic cloves, finally diced 

½ tsp. paprika

½ c. dry white wine 

2 T. unbleached all-purpose flour

2 c. beef stock

¼ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper  

2/3 c. sour cream

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 

½ tsp. Dijon mustard 

dash of nutmeg

6 oz. thick egg noodles, cooked al dente

1 T. finely chopped fresh parsley, opt. 

Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until tender. Add garlic and paprika. Cook for 1 minute.

Add wine to pan; cook until most of the liquid has evaporated.

Sprinkle flour evenly over mixture; cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.

Add beef stock; bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 3 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly. Remove pan from heat.

Stir in salt, pepper, sour cream, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and nutmeg. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Add meatballs and al dente noodles to sauce; toss to coat. Sprinkle with parsley.

Serve immediately.

*I love using savory. This lovely herb tastes peppery and minty, with a flavor like a blend of thyme and marjoram. It has a clean, herbaceous quality, and its flavor can be described as a warming, slightly piney spice.

I primarily use it in meat dishes and soups.