Every Saturday morning I like to get up early (like 5 or 6am early), make a pot of coffee, snuggle up on the couch, and play a few Food Network shows that I recorded throughout the week. When it comes to Food Network programming, I’m a bit picky. I’ve got a few shows I enjoy and then a few that make me a bit crazy (sorry, Sandra). Right now my Saturday morning rotation consists of the Barefoot Contessa, Giada at Home, and Secrets of a Restaurant Chef.

Barefoot Contessa

I’m a Ina Garten fan, but I see how she can drive others a bit batty. Yes, there is a lot of talk about Jeffrey. Sure, it sometimes borders on pretentious. And once in a while, her “back to basic style” is very, very basic. However, overall, I think she offers fresh, classy and festive food that is a refreshing change from the minute-meal format that tends to dominate the network. Compared to other shows that close with zoomed in, composed shots, Ina’s always got a simple but lovely place setting, fresh cut flowers, and a great story to go along with her recipes. Even though she’s cooking from an estate in the Hamptons, the show just feels a bit more real and natural when compared to other Food Network offerings.

Giada at Home

Every time I chat with someone about Giada, some sort of comment and chuckle about low-cut tops seems to follow. It’s a shame that her outfits seem to dominate discussion since she makes some really great food. Like Ina, Giada’s got a fresh, simple style. She fuses together light Californian cooking with an Italian backdrop in a way that works really, really well. One of my favorite episodes pits her against her aunt while cooking “classic” Italian dishes, and Giada gets in trouble for most of the show. If you are looking for a quick and light Italian meal, zipping over to Giada’s recipes is always a good idea.

Secrets of a Restaurant Chef

This is a newish show on the network, hosted by Anne Burrell (of team Batali from Iron Chef America). I watch this show because the recipes are very, very good and I enjoy Chef Burrell’s style of cooking. She’s big on time-savers that don’t involve cracking open a can, and she shares great technique (a critical part of cooking that is often overlooked on other shows). Now, before you tune in, let me share that she’s definitely got some quirks, and I kind of cringe when she uses her strange monster voice. But if you can bare a few odd moments, the rest of the show is definitely worth the time.

I put these meatballs together using Chef Anne Burrell’s recipe and they were outstanding. This is no small feat because ever since I enjoyed the best meatballs ever at A16 in San Francisco I’ve become somewhat of a meatball snob. I’ve got A16’s official meatball recipe but I have yet to try it, mainly because it involves grinding your own meat and some meat-to-fat ratios that are a bit tough to put together with the ingredients I am able to pick up at the store. Not that I’m down on A16 for putting a more complicated recipe out there (it’s still on my to-do list), but I found Chef Burrell’s recipe to be a bit more accessible to quench a Saturday night meatball craving.

recipe notes:

• Chef Burrell uses the beef-veal-pork trifecta that I think is absolutely necessary in a classic meatball recipe.
• Cooking and then cooling the onions and garlic prior to adding them to the meat is critical, so don’t skip this step.
• I like to add a splash of milk or cream to my breadcrumbs; I don’t know where I picked this up (and I’m not sure it’s traditional) but I think it helps keep the meatballs moist.
• Use the same technique for shaping meatballs as you would for burgers (check out my better burger tips), most importantly a light hand when shaping.
• ***Instead of using a pan-frying method to brown the meatballs, I prefer to place them in a large casserole, drizzle olive oil all over and then place them under the broiler for five minutes (flipping them over halfway through). Most importantly, it’s easier to drop the meatballs off under the broiler than to babysit them on the stove-top. They also tend to stick less and hold their shape better. If you try this method, let me know what you think!
• For a change of pace, try serving meatballs over polenta. It’s a killer combination.
• Leftover meatballs demand a meatball-sub lunch, so plan ahead and pick up some grinder rolls when you shop for the meatball ingredients.

classic meatballs

zip over to the Food Network for Chef Anne Burrell’s Excellent Meatball Recipe.

more meatball recipes:

Eggs on Sunday: Meatballs and Spaghetti

Orangette: Turkey Meatballs with Golden Raisins and Pine Nuts

Simply Recipes: Meatballs with Green-Pepercorn Sauce

Smitten Kitchen: Escarole and Orzo Soup with Meatballs

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