it's getting closer...

xmas i mean. every january i decide that i will do my xmas cards early and not wait for the last (hmm, actually past) the date postal service says they'll be able to deliver for xmas. somehow i always end up making my cards in the last minute, but before i go into details, some spaghetti & meatballs...

littlest niece was at the cottage for a sleep-over and i decided to make spaghetti for lunch today, all kids like spaghetti and meatballs, right? anyways, for a change i can give you recipe!

750 gr mixed pork/beef mince
1 onion, chopped
1 glove of garlic, minced
2½ dl sour cream
1½ dl bread crumbs
1 egg
parsley, chopped finely
white pepper and salt (if you use) to taste

i mushed all of the above together, made 18 meatballs out of it (quite big ones) and baked them in 200 C oven for 25 mins (until nicely browned)

while the meatballs were in the oven i chopped another onion and 2 gloves of garlic for the sauce and sauteed them in a pan on medium heat, added 500 gr of crushed tomatoes from can, 1 tsp of dried basil and let that simmer for 20 or so mins. then added the baked meatballs and simmered on very low heat for another 20 mins. after that i seasoned the sauce with black pepper, 2 tsp of sugar and chopped parsley.

i had bought whole wheat spaghetti but we decided to use the older white ones from pantry first. hint: it pays to chop the onion and garlic super fine if the kid you're feeding says she doesn't like them... finely chopped and she won't know she's eating them. littlest niece she doesn't like tomatoes and she said she won't eat any of the tomato sauce. fine, but then she drowned her pasta in ketchup, go figure!

i liked this dish a lot, but i might have to start planning a trip to italy to know if this compares to "real" spaghetti and meatballs







my card making mess... littlest niece happily provided her assistance







some styles i made







this is only a small part of "stuff" i have for making cards...







wonder who gets this?







i had bought these pipe-cleaners in merry colors thinking i'd find the cute card-making craft from martha's website that i know for sure is there... no luck in finding it. i came up with this, it's kinda cute but way too thick to be glued on a card, maybe i'll hang it on the xmas tree...