I keep seeing movie posters for this spring’s upcoming “Star Trek” Movie – and its been constantly driving me nuts, reminding me of something…..

I think I found it, take a look at these totally different actors:

(Left: Star Trek Poster – Right: Promotional Poster for Showtime’s Dexter)

I’m a big fan of finding great recipes online, and modifying/combining them with the best of whatever else I find out there…. the only problem is that once I do that, I can’t ever remember how to replicate it!  Today we made some amazing spaghetti & turkey meatballs by again pooling multiple internet recipes, but I had the idea to put the creation back online for my own finding later (and yours too I guess).

We can thank Martha Stewart for the base of this one, and a few different places (along with some improvisation) for the amendments…. enjoy!

Spaghetti Sauce
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups canned crushed tomatoes
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon marjoram
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 fresh red pepper, chopped
Salt and pepper
1 pound spaghetti

Turkey Meatballs
1 large egg
1 white onion, finely chopped
2/3 cup plain breadcrumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano leaves
2 to 3 cloves minced garlic
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, for dusting the meat balls before browning
1 pound ground turkey

1. Make the sauce: In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic, and cook about 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, oregano, thyme, and everything else – then season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer, covered, 20 to 25 minutes.

2. Make the meatballs: In a large bowl, whisk together egg, cream, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper with a fork. Stir in onion, breadcrumbs, cheese, oregano, garlic, and parsley. Add turkey, and mix until combined. Form mixture into 1 1/2-inch balls. Chill for 15 minutes.

3. Dust meatballs in a little flour, Place in baking pans. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Place meatballs on another baking pan to cool.

4. Cook spaghetti until al dente according to package instructions, about 12 minutes. Drain pasta, transfer to skillet, and toss gently with the sauce, then add cooked meatballs. Serve with more Parmesan.

Note: Keeping your hands wet when forming meatballs will prevent the meat from sticking, making the task much easier.

Note: I recommend you taste and test the meatballs as you go by making and frying a small patty before you begin to assemble the meatballs.

Note: there are many ways to cook the meatballs once prepared – sometime try browning them on the stovetop, then finish cooking them in the sauce….

Ed Sommerman

Jan 29 1928 – Jan 31 2009

Perfection Wasted

And another regrettable thing about death
is the ceasing of your own brand of magic,
which took a whole life to develop and market –
the quips, the witticisms, the slant
adjusted to a few, those loved ones nearest
the lip of the stage, their soft faces blanched
in the footlight glow, their laughter close to tears,
their tears confused with their diamond earrings,
their warm pooled breath in and out with your heartbeat,
their response and your performance twinned.
The jokes over the phone. The memories
packed in the rapid-access file. The whole act.
Who will do it again? That’s it: no one;
imitators and descendants aren’t the same.

John Updike

Pictures of our trip to Indiana with the Sommerman Family

More Pictures of Grandpa’s Trip to Nome in 2005