Mini Meatballs (Polpettini)

My father always told us that one of the main reasons he married my mother was because she made good meatballs. The funny part about that is he was being completely serious. That really scored some points with him. And it's a good thing, cuz we love 'em too (Thanks, mom) So in honor of my father's birthday and my mother's meatballs, we made some mini meatballs today. (actually, we had to bring them in to my husband's work for a potluck, but we'll keep that between us)

So, back to the tribute to my parents.......mini meatballs are such a great snack because they are easy to pop in your mouth and can feed a lot of people. Even my kids will give up watching a movie or playing outside just to roll some up themselves.....needless to say we don't eat those ones......but it's fun for everyone! And the best part, of course, is tasting them. So I thought I'd include the very coveted recipe for my mom's polpettini fritti. Enjoy!

• 1 lb ground sirloin


• 1lb ground turkey


• 1lb ground veal


• 2 1/4 cups bread crumbs


• 2 heaping TB grated romano cheese


• 3 pieces white bread (crust removed) soaked in milk until mushy


• 3 eggs, lightly beaten


• salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste


• vegi oil for frying

Mix all the ingredients together (BY HAND, please), roll them up to about the size of a quarter, and shallow fry them.

Then, let them cook in some of your favorite marinara sauce

As you can see, my son really loves making these with me...he loves eating them even more. In fact, they're almost all gone already. (Helpful Hint: If you have kids, double the recipe.)