When do you realize that you are starting to get old? Is it a number that makes you old? 40? 50? 60? 70? Is it when you and your friends start every conversation with the weather and commentary on your aches and pains? Maybe it is when you start putting the word “the” before other nouns? (Example… The Cancer, The HBO, The Twitter.)

I have my moments where I do something and then say, “Ready or not….here it comes…I’m getting old!”   I think the first big indicator for me has been my glasses or as I fondly call them…my old lady glasses. I can see without then but the world has become a little blurry.

I can’t read without them. I can’t even fake it by extending my arm or squinting. I just now wear the old lady glasses and hope people don’t realize I’m in bifocals and think I’m trying to look like a hipster.

The other thing that pops out in my mind lately is the forgetfulness. The other thing that pops out in my mind lately is the forgetfulness.

I think I am just starting to repeat myself. I don’t always remember who heard what when. I’m on the receiving end of the dreaded blank stare and then the comment “You told me that already.” Sigh….I’m getting old.

I thought about some of these signs this week because I was working on this post. It was going to be one of my usual New Year mind blowing resolution-y posts with a great recipe to close out my thoughts.   The problem was the recipe….last year for my first post of the year, I wrote about meatballs.  And this year I was starting the year with….The Meatballs!!!!

How is that possible? How can I write two years in a row about meatballs during the first week of the year? I’ll tell you how….I’m old.

I had a really great post written about one of my goals for this year is to eat more local meats. I came to this objective after one of my husband’s coworkers gave us some freshly butchered ground beef. It was the most satisfying piece of meat I’ve ever had. (I’m talking about the ground beef not Earl’s coworker…I’ve never “had” his coworker but I’ve never heard his wife complain.)

After I received this wonderful gift, I wanted to use it in my New Year meatballs. Even before I cooked it up, I could tell it was going to be wonderful. There was an earthiness smell that emanated from the package and the beef was so red.

I took a small chunk of it and just browned it in the pan so I could get feel of how it tasted and how I’d need to season this fresher meat. It melted in my mouth and left a delightful unctuous feel on my tongue. It was perfect.

I grabbed a big bowl, rolled the meatballs and browned each one with care. I felt like I had precious little gems in my hand and I didn’t want to risk burning one of them by forgetting what was on the stove. (Do old people burn things? I haven’t started doing that yet.)

I gently placed each one in my batch of spaghetti sauce and watched them slowly sink. The smell was amazing and I couldn’t wait for dinner at 4 o’clock. (We do eat early like we are retired.)

As I stuck my fork into my first meatball, all I could think of is what a treat it was to have such fresh ingredients so close to me and I need to dedicate 2017 to finding more of them. I also gave thought to the joy and celebration we all should have for making it to another year.

Getting older and watching the days fly by can at times be hard but honestly I can’t wait to see what another year has in store.

2017 Meatballs
Author: Felt Like a Foodie
Serves: 20
From the blog, Out with Old, In With the New Year, these are similar to my usual meatballs with the exception of the panko and super fresh beef. I did mix it with pork because I personally don’t like a 100% beef meatball. If you live near ANYONE who wants to “share a cow”, go for it!
Ingredients
  • 1/2 pound FRESH ground beef
  • 1/2 pound ground pork
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 1 tsp of dried Italian seasoning
  • A crack or two of fresh pepper
  • A good sprinkle of salt
  • 1/3 cup panko crumbs
  • 1 small yellow onion, chopped
  • Olive Oil
  • 3-4 Quarts of your favorite homemade spaghetti sauce
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, add meats, eggs, garlic, onion, seasoning and panko.
  2. Here is the key….DON’T OVER MIX IT!!!
  3. Combine it gently with your hands until all the ingredients are incorporated and then stop.
  4. Gently, scoop up enough to resemble something between a ping pong ball and a golf ball. Roll into a ball and set aside.
  5. Put your sauce on the stove and slowly start to heat it up. You are going to put your meatballs in here after they brown so make sure it is a large enough container to hold everything.
  6. In a large skillet, swirl in some olive oil over medium high heat.
  7. Brown the meatballs in batches. You just want to brown all the sides. You aren’t cooking them all the way.
  8. When they are brown, put them in your sauce.
  9. I cook my sauce on low for 3 hours. The meatballs will enjoy soaking in the sauce and will complete cooking. (Safe temperature is 160 degrees if you want to check them for doneness.)
  10. Enjoy.