Fail-Proof Meatballs and Tomato Sauce

There's something really comforting about a plate (or bowl) of spaghetti and meatballs.

photo by: the Hubs

Growing up we never ate spaghetti and meatballs.  My mom can't stand doesn't care for meatballs so she always just browned some ground beef and stirred it into the sauce to serve over spaghetti.  I didn't know any different so it was fine with me...until I tasted my first really good beef meatball.  There was no going back. 

Meat and Potatoes

One of my favorite hearty cold-weather dishes is Shepherd's Pie.  I think last winter was the first time I even tried it and all summer I longed for the cooler weather just so we could have it for dinner again.  I love the rich gravy and the luscious layer of potatoes on top, especially when they get a quick blast from the broiler. 

Perfect for a rainy evening.

Maybe another reason I absolutely love it is because the flavors and the richness remind me of the pasties a friend and I enjoyed in a cozy little joint called The West Cornwall Pasty Company.  We (the girls) took the day to shop at Harrod's and the boutiques around Covent Garden while our husbands toured Stonehenge.  A wise decision considering it ended up sleeting and snowing that day. 

It was so cold and windy on the Thames!
The Hubs doing his job as trip photographer.

That was such a fun trip!  And so was our trip to Mexico the following March, in fact, none of us wanted to come home. 

We were going for the 'sun-kissed' look that week.
One of the most relaxing trips ever!

After taking a year off in 2010 we are on the move again with a trip planned to Costa Rica this spring break.  Booked the tickets last night and the countdown has begun!

Where does the time go?

I love New Year's Eve.  It represents the closing of one chapter and the beginning of another.  It's the promise of a fresh start, a new beginning.  2010 was a year of high highs and low lows, both personally and professionally.  While I so enjoyed the bright spots in the year and will treasure those moments, I am ready to move on.  My last post made me really think about taking time to enjoy the little things in life that bring me pleasure, so I decided to make that my New Year's Resolution for 2011.
   

A gift from our guests, a champagne-like beer.  Delicious!

Two of the things that bring me pleasure are good food and time spent with dear friends, so that's how we began 2011.  I also really like pretty things, so using our china and crystal was a must!  (I think I have only used it two other times since we got married back in 2005.)  This dinner was going to serve as a "Last Supper" of sorts before we began our attempt to shed some of our winter weight, so it needed to be decadent.  The Hubs was kind enough to chronicle the evening through the eye of his lens for me. 


Beautiful dishes, glasses and cutlery always make food taste better