Spaghetti w/ Jumbo Meatballs

Out of shear laziness... or I blame it more on forgetfulness... I didn't have a post yesterday. Well, this is finals week and I was attempting to study... so that is my excuse. So today, I post. A day later. My apologies.

Anyway, I just wanted to make you all aware that one of my favorite sites is back up - Foodie Fights!
So if you're in the mood for an 'Iron Chef' type battle with 5 other food bloggers... or just want to check out what the cheftestants are coming up with, head on over there and check it out! It's definitely an experience every food blogger, or anybody really, should check out!

And stay tuned tomorrow, there will definitely be a post for Food Science Friday...

Ingredients:
Adapted from Bon Appetit's May 2010 issue - 'Max's Spaghetti with Meatballs and Marinara'

1 onion, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 leek, white and pale green parts only, chopped
1 teaspoon fennel
1 shallot, chopped
6 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon rosemary
1 teaspoon sage
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/3 cup chardonnay or other dry white wine
1 cup breadcrumbs
3/4 cup milk
1-2 lb. ground beef
4 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Marinara (homemade or store-bought, of course homemade is the best)
1 box spaghetti

Whoa that's a book listing for ingredients. But I promise, every single one make this dish absolutely delicious.

Add onions, celery, carrots, leeks, fennel, shallots, and garlic to a food processor. Pulse until everything is pretty finely chopped and mixed together.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil under medium high heat. Add thyme, rosemary, and sage. Stir constantly until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in vegetable mixture and crushed red pepper. Cook until the vegetables are soft, about 15 minutes.

Stir in the wine and stir until almost evaporated, about 2-3 minutes. Turn off heat and cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile, stir breadcrumbs and milk together in large bowl. Add in beef and mix well.

Preheat oven to 450 F. Add cooled vegetable mixture to beef, along with eggs, Parmesan, parsley, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce. Mix until well combined. Roll mixture into large (or small) meatballs to your liking.

Place meatballs on greased baking sheet and bake until cooked through, about 30 minutes.

Add meatballs to already made marinara and simmer for about 15 minutes.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add spaghetti. Cook until al dente according to package directions. Drain.

Serve meatballs and marinara atop spaghetti and with a nice crusty bread.

Talk about comfort food. This was the pinnacle of delicious. Andy said the meatballs reminded him of little meatloaves because they were so big. You could of course make them smaller, but I like a bigger meatball. Enjoy!