A Beautiful Mess
Several years ago, a country band called Diamond Rio released a song called “Beautiful Mess.”
Spending all my time with you
There’s nothing else I’d rather do
What a sweet addiction that I’m caught up in
‘Cause I can’t get enough
Can’t stop the hunger for your love
What a beautiful, what a beautiful mess I’m in“
There’s only one problem with this gorgeous mess of meaty goodness.
There’s no real recipe.
It’s different every time and is constantly evolving.
There are however, a few constants. They involve 2 lb. ground beef, Parmesan cheese, onion powder, garlic powder, crushed cracker crumbs, an egg, oregano and various Italian spices, kosher salt and pepper.
First, you mix the big old mess together. Then separate into little balls with a spoon or Ben’s favorite, a cookie scoop.
Rolling, rolling, roll the meatballs….
Drop into a dutch oven with your favorite sauce and let simmer for two to three hours.
That’s it.
It’s simple.
And beautiful.
And messy.
Just the way I like it.
Stay tuned, Invisible Friends! Tomorrow we have a re-cap of the Babies’ Birthday party! Then this weekend, we have the chronicles of the Rubber Chicken as he rescues his lady love of frizz, the Fuzzy Duck! And more whimsical fun coming your way! Stay tuned!
January 29th, 2009 at 3:23 am
It looks delicious! I think Ben should do his best to come up with some kind of recipe for us.
January 29th, 2009 at 3:25 am
Yummo! I love pasta and meatballs! I sometimes make a whole mess of meatballs and then freeze them so that I can take them out anytime I need a meatball fix! Ben’s meatballs look scrumptious!!!
January 29th, 2009 at 3:40 am
Aren’t the best recipes those without measurements.. The “mess” looks very appetizing and has me craving meatballs, and I want my husband to roll them!
January 29th, 2009 at 3:56 am
That looks delicous!! Makes me hungry.
Yes indeed… that song is an oldy!!
January 29th, 2009 at 3:56 am
Ben’s mess looks messy-licious!
January 29th, 2009 at 4:30 am
Hi! This looks yummy, not messy.
January 29th, 2009 at 5:09 am
Here at home we all love meat balls and this looks so steamy yummy delicious.
January 29th, 2009 at 5:41 am
YUM!!
I know what I want for dinner tonight!!
January 29th, 2009 at 6:04 am
Yummy!!! And a husband that cooks too. Stop it.
January 29th, 2009 at 6:10 am
I love your mess !
January 29th, 2009 at 6:17 am
Those pictures leave me hungry for pasta! You can almost feel the steam!
January 29th, 2009 at 6:21 am
I always say, the messier the kitchen is after the cookin, the better the eatin (my husband who usually does the cleaning typically doesn’t agree with this statement–or does so grudgingly, because it IS true).
That looks so awesome. The cookie scoop idea is a good one. I shall use it the next time I make meatballs.
January 29th, 2009 at 6:24 am
Messy meals are usually the best!!
January 29th, 2009 at 6:44 am
Yum. This looks delicious.
January 29th, 2009 at 6:57 am
Thanks for stopping by!! I enjoyed looking at your blog and this recipe looks yummy!!!
January 29th, 2009 at 7:22 am
You can look at that “mess” and know it’s nothing but GOOD!!
January 29th, 2009 at 7:41 am
My son just walked by and saw the photos and had a meatball meltdown! He wants me to make that for breakfast!
January 29th, 2009 at 7:47 am
Yum — I’ll take a beautiful mess like that in my kitchen any day!
January 29th, 2009 at 8:05 am
I love Ben’s beautiful mess!! Yumminess!
January 29th, 2009 at 8:19 am
Here is what you have to know…the Italians cook by taste and feel. We have no recipe for our sauce either…a little of this and that and always tomatoes!!
This looks great!
Yesterday I mad some barbeque sauce for leftover roast beef as I wanted to make some B-B-Q. Can’t tell you the measurements, only what went into it…and it was yummy! That is what cooks do…now if it is baking, you have to be precise, but cooking that sauce…mmmmm.
January 29th, 2009 at 8:21 am
Man, I need some spaghetti and meatballs!!
January 29th, 2009 at 8:32 am
Now that’s my kind of mess Duckie! It looks so delicious. Your husband is a keeper!
XOXOXOXOX
Jen
January 29th, 2009 at 9:05 am
You go Ben!
The guy’s goodlookin’, funny, AND he cooks!
~ingrid
January 29th, 2009 at 9:06 am
Oh man that looks so good!!! Thanks for stopping by my blog!!! Did you sign up for my One World One Heart giveaway??? I am giving away a beautiful bracelet I made!!!!
~Abigail
January 29th, 2009 at 9:07 am
Messy meals are usually the best. Great job Ben – it looks tasty.
January 29th, 2009 at 9:26 am
My handyman son asked me this weekend why I make meat sauce instead of plain sauce with meatballs, and I told him I’m just not that into playing with ground beef. I do love meatballs, however, if only I didn’t have to play with them!
January 29th, 2009 at 10:07 am
This mess looks so yummy!!
January 29th, 2009 at 10:41 am
Oh yummy…I don’t care if it’s a big mess! I love food and this looks delicious! I don’t know if I could wait 2-3 hours though…smelling it while it cooked. I’m an instant satisfaction kinda gal. Hehe!
January 29th, 2009 at 10:45 am
The best recipes sometimes don’t have “recipes”…LOL! My dh cooks like that too. It drives people nuts when they ask him for his recipe for something.
I loooove meatballs!
January 29th, 2009 at 10:56 am
A lot of times the best food doesn’t have a real recipe – that way it reflects who is making it and how they are feeling at the time. This looks so good!
January 29th, 2009 at 10:57 am
Hey, I just realized you said drop in and cook– you don’t have to cook/saute/bake BEFORE you put them in the sauce? Because that is one big pain in the patooty. These look mighty good too:)
January 29th, 2009 at 11:04 am
Scrumptious and delicious! And absolutely mouth watering.
Cheers,
Elra
January 29th, 2009 at 11:04 am
mmmm. that looks like a mess i could get into! if ben is ever looking for another home…. he (and his meatballs!) are welcome here!!
January 29th, 2009 at 11:23 am
Those look delicious!
January 29th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
Dear Duckie, Thor was on his way to Queen Bitty’s birthday party, but they wouldn’t let him on the plane. Something about rules against 4 footed people weighing over 200 pounds. *sigh*
January 29th, 2009 at 12:21 pm
Hey, I know that song! That’s a good one for me to hum today. Thanks! Also, love the balls of meat. They both sound and look delicious. The Pond man did a great job! YUM!
January 29th, 2009 at 12:22 pm
I want that for supper!!
January 29th, 2009 at 12:25 pm
Yummy looking dinner!
January 29th, 2009 at 12:25 pm
That looks great, wish I could be there for dinner…yum
January 29th, 2009 at 12:29 pm
That looks like a delicious beautiful mess!
January 29th, 2009 at 12:46 pm
YUM!!!!!!!!!!! I love meatballs and the simpler/easy to make the better they are! I love your beautiful mess
haha yes I love attack! Its a great workout
January 29th, 2009 at 12:56 pm
My husband’s favorite meal! Except he makes me use turkey – bleah! I know I never make them the same way twice either.
Does Ben brown the meatballs before putting them in the sauce?
January 29th, 2009 at 1:11 pm
Now I’m in the mood for pasta. Looks wonderful!
January 29th, 2009 at 1:26 pm
You can never go wrong with meatballs…
January 29th, 2009 at 1:34 pm
Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment! This looks so delicious, I am famished!
January 29th, 2009 at 1:38 pm
Yummy! How much would it cost me to have y’all as my personal chefs? Nothing real special, just good meals.
January 29th, 2009 at 1:44 pm
That looks very yummy… I love meatballs!
January 29th, 2009 at 1:49 pm
Umm I could use a man like that:)
January 29th, 2009 at 2:01 pm
Yummy! Looks so good.
Hugs, Bobbi Jo
January 29th, 2009 at 2:41 pm
Guess what I’m making this weekend???? MEATBALLS!! Yep, not for myself though, but for my friend Tony…. he wants to learn, his Mom makes flat meatballs, never heard of them made that way
Anyway, yours look wonderful!!!
January 29th, 2009 at 3:23 pm
Ben! Eh, Paisan! Very very nice job
January 29th, 2009 at 3:27 pm
That’s a mess I wouldn’t mind having!
January 29th, 2009 at 3:38 pm
Pasta and meatballs is one of my favourite meals during Winter (I’d eat it in Summer too, who am I kidding?).
January 29th, 2009 at 3:44 pm
I love the smell of meatballs simmering on the stovetop — reminds me of home!
January 29th, 2009 at 4:26 pm
Yum!
January 29th, 2009 at 4:38 pm
Blonde Duck, I just discovered your blog. It’ terrific. I met the the love of my life in Texas – a whole different country as they say and I love Texas. We lived there a long time. I’m also a writer also so we have some things in common. I can see why so many people visit your blog. I will return again soon. Your recipes are great.
Sam
January 29th, 2009 at 5:11 pm
I think I can try to re-create this beautiful mess.
Thanks for sharing, even without a recipe.
January 29th, 2009 at 5:58 pm
I’ve been hungry for meatballs, no fair you lucky duckie you!!
January 29th, 2009 at 6:22 pm
Love this mess – yay for Ben!
January 29th, 2009 at 6:34 pm
That looks delicious even without a recipe. I’d love somone to cook them for me!:)
January 29th, 2009 at 8:05 pm
Yum! This looks and sounds dee-lish!
January 29th, 2009 at 8:11 pm
That is a beautiful mess I would like to roll around in!
January 29th, 2009 at 8:34 pm
Mmmmm. I made homemade pizza today and have extra sauce I made thinking I’d have gnocchi tomorrow. But now I just changed that to spaghetti and meatballs!
And thank you so much for coming to visit my blog on my SITS day. Today has been so much fun and so lovely to see the response and fun comments. I really appreciate it. I hope you enjoyed my blog and come back to visit soon!
January 29th, 2009 at 8:39 pm
Messy food is always best. BBQ, for instance!
January 29th, 2009 at 9:25 pm
looks delicious- but I just can’t touch raw ground beef – augh! My remedy – buy frozen meatballs!!
January 29th, 2009 at 10:17 pm
apparently, creativity resides within your household. ahhh!
January 30th, 2009 at 3:55 am
That meatball pasta looks good!
January 30th, 2009 at 4:32 am
ok, it is 5:30 am, I have been up since 4, My husband and I ate Pizza Tuesday that didn’t agree with us and left us feeling ill after every meal since then so we boycotted all food as of noon yesterday and now I see this beautiful mess. OMG. I AM HUNGRY.
January 30th, 2009 at 7:00 am
Girl, THAT was my favorite song when it was out. I LOVED it so much!!!!!!! And this dish looks awesome!!!
January 30th, 2009 at 7:29 am
It looks very tasty: I really would like to eat some!
January 30th, 2009 at 9:09 am
Indeed a “beautiful mess” that tastes oh so good. He’s a keeper, duckie!
January 30th, 2009 at 9:53 am
i actually really love that song, and i’m far from a country music fan…
i really love your balls o’ meat too. delightfully delicious.
January 30th, 2009 at 4:12 pm
I love no recipe recipes!
February 3rd, 2009 at 6:00 am
Meatballs make me a bit weak in the knees – Ben’s creations look delicious!
Nancy
May 17th, 2009 at 12:29 am
I do not take beef, so alternatively we made it from pork. So, my pork meat balls are my favourite!
July 7th, 2009 at 4:11 am
it is a beautiful mess, most stuff that tastes great, looks messy like that, at least at my house!
September 15th, 2009 at 1:45 pm
Hey, that’s my dinner tonight. Yours look so good, I am glad we are having it.