Grandma's Spaghetti and Meatballs

We all have that recipe in our family that is passed down from generations. For me, that recipe belongs to my Italian grandmother, and it’s spaghetti and meatballs!

I grew up in a family where my mom did nearly all of the cooking, except when it came to this particular meal. It’s funny as an adult now knowing that, as the years went on, my mom knew this recipe like the back of her hand. However, she enjoyed having a meal that she wasn’t expected to cook, so she gladly played ignorant and let my father cook his mothers recipe.

Though we didn’t have this meal super frequently; after all, it took hours to simmer the sauce, we did have it multiple times a year. I was always the “helper” in the kitchen as a child since; of my siblings, I was the one that enjoyed cooking the most. So, my dad would let me help with the measurements, and I always got to form the meatballs. I loved this task, and took some pride in making sure they were all about the same size.

Now, decades later, this recipe lives on in my home. Although I have tweaked it slightly; I like to simmer fresh tomatoes and make my own sauce, I still follow the basics of my Grandma’s recipe. Although my Grandma passed away before she got to meet all of my kids, every time I make this meal my husband and I mention her. She will live on through this delicious meal that my entire family still enjoys. Oh, and of course it has to be made with fresh garlic bread, otherwise the meal would be incomplete!