Here is Bubbe's recipe. I use the mix....got enough on my plate as is.

*** Recipe from Renée Adler AscherÂs kitchen ***

Matzoh Balls (Judy LaneÂs Grandmother TillieÂs recipe)

R.A.Âs Comments: These are heavenly, light as a feather. I refer to them as "floaters" VS sinkers. Families have preferences. This is ours by way of a dear, dear friend.

Ingredients:
(For 8 - 10, makes 20 medium size)

1 1/2 cups Matzoh meal + 1 Tbs.
8 Tbs. Chicken fat (1/2 cup) (soup fat is wonderful, may use 1/2 oil to cut back on cholestrol)
8 Tbs. Chicken stock (1/2 cup)
6 eggs separated at room temp.
2 tsp. salt
Scant 1/2 tsp. pepper

(1 1/2 times the recipe, enough for 12 to14)

2 1/4 .cup s Matzoh meal plus 1 1/2 Tbs.
12 Tbs. Chicken fat (3/4 cup)
12 Tbs. Chicken stock (3/4 cup)
9 large eggs separated at room temp.
3 tsp. salt
1/2 + tsp. pepper

Equipment: 2 large mixing bowls, Electric hand or stand mixer, 1 or 2 large pots, a small ice cream scooper with a scraper works wonders for shaping the matzoh balls

Instructions:
 Beat egg yokes with whisk, add stock, salt, pepper, and chicken fat (melted, but cool). (I use a Kitchenaid electric mixer, but a hand mixer will work for the single recipe

 Add the matzoh meal 1/4-cup at a time and blend thoroughly. Note: mixture will be somewhat dry and difficult to mix. An electric mixer helps.

 Beat egg whites almost stiff but still glossy and not dry. Fold 1/4 of the whites into matzoh mixture to soften the mass. This will be difficult to do because of the stiffness of the matzoh mixture unless using an electric stand mixer. Then gently fold in the rest of the whites two to three stages

 Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour, two is better.

 Meanwhile, put one or two large pot of water up to boil.

 Using an ice cream scoop or with oiled hands, roll 1 Tbs. of mixture into sphere shape. These will expand quite a bit, so donÂt make them too big. Note: The mixture will be soft, but if it is very loose.
.
 Drop into boiling water as you go. If using one pot, cook in batches making sure not to over crowd pot or the matzoh balls will not expand properly and will be hard inside. I put 20 at a time in both my 13 and 16 Qt. stockpots.

 When water returns to a boil, cover boil for 25 minutes then reduce heat slightly [medium high] and keep at a boil for 40 minutes.

 Remove with slotted spoon to a large bowl of ice water. Cool.

 Store in water until ready to use. Refrigerate for longer storage (up to 3 days).

 Drain well on kitchen towels or a few thicknesses of paper toweling; add to chicken soup to heat thoroughly.

Notes on freezing:
Matzoh balls can be made ahead of time and frozen in water. Just remove from freezer in
enough time to defrost. In a pinch, you may microwave carefully to aid in defrosting. Drain
well before adding to soup to reheat.

Ix nay the eeet fay. (that's pig latin, did you know I was bilingual?)

Ok, questions.....

In this paragraph: Using an ice cream scoop or with oiled hands, roll 1 Tbs. of mixture into sphere shape. These will expand quite a bit, so donÂt make them too big. Note: The mixture will be soft, but if it is very loose.
. something is missing..... if it is very loose, then what?

Meanwhile, put one or two large pot of water up to boil You don't cook them in the chicken broth? Why not? After I cool them in the cold water, can I put them into the broth and heat them thru?

I'm over thinking this whole thing, aren't I?

Shaun: Buy a box of matzo meal, any brand, and you'll find a basic recipe on the box. You may separate the eggs, or not, depending on whether you want floaters or sinkers. There's a separate thread here about that. It's very easy to make, the only caveat being that however you shape the balls, do it with a light touch. Too much handling makes them tough.

I use the easier way; guess I'm too lazy. But, I & my family think "my" matzoh balls are great!! I buy Streit's brand of Matzoh Ball Mix (not the soup & balls) - I much prefer this brand over the Mana. brand. Follow the directions, just slightly mixing the eggs as stated. Then for the fat, I'll use - say, 1/2 & 1/2 of veget. oil and chicken fat that I've skimmed from my soup. After mixing, I'll stick the mixture in the freezer for 10 or so min. to stiffen up a bit. Then, oil up my hands a little and roll the balls in my hands lightly; don't tightly compress them. Usually the size of large walnuts. (1st time I ever prepared them, I made them the size of small baseballs, never realizing that they swell to 4 times their size; boy was THAT a fiasco - they were tumbling out of the pot! and became ginormous.) I then put them in salted, boiling water with the lid askew and cook for the recommended time. Then place in soup. They're great and obviously have a little seasoning in them (onion powder, a wee bit perhaps - just not sure what they add). I personally add a good sprinkling of salt, maybe 1/8 of a tsp. to the mix; otherwise they're a little too bland for me.)

Woo Hoo! Stay tuned for pictures.

shaun, I used Bubbe's recipe but I've used the mix too. I like them a bit smaller, and I cook them ahead of time, then just warm the chicken broth/soup and the matzoh balls, then combine them. The microwave makes a great way to warm those matzoh balls without them falling apart in the broth!

Annie

Thanks Annie.

Well they were too mushy. We like them firmer. They looked pretty and the taste was very good, just the texture wasn't what we liked.

How do you make them firmer? Cook longer? I cooked in the salted water for 40 mins. OH and some of them floated and some of them laid at the bottom of the pot. What's up with that??

Here they are simmering

And here is the soup

So? Is there any way to make them firmer once they're already cooked? Or are these trash?

I guess I should post the recipe I used. Not sure who's it is -

Yield: Approximately 3.5 quarts

The Soup

3 1/2 to 4 1/2 pounds chicken necks, backs and wings
3 celery ribs, cut into big chunks
3 carrots, scrubbed and cut into big chunks
2 onions, unpeeled and quartered
1 head garlic, cut horizontally in half
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
4 quarts cold water

Bring all ingredients to a boil in an 8- to 10-quart heavy pot. Skim froth. Reduce heat and gently simmer, uncovered for 3 hours.

Pour stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl and discard solids. Cool stock completely, uncovered, before skimming fat, then chill, covered. Reserve a few tablespoons of the skimmed fat if you wish to use them in matzo balls (below).

Stock can be chilled 3 days in the refrigerator or frozen 1 month.

The Matza Balls

Makes 8 to 12 matzo balls

1/2 cup matzo meal
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons reserved chicken fat
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons chicken stock or seltzer

Mix all matzo ball ingredients in a bowl. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Bring 1 1/2 quarts of well-salted water to a brisk boil in a medium sized pot.

Run your hands under water so they are thoroughly wet. Form matzo balls by dropping spoonfuls of matzo ball batter approximately 1-inch in diameter into the palm of your wet hands and rolling them loosely into balls. Drop them into the simmering salt water one at a time. Cover the pot and cook them for 30 to 40 minutes.

About ten minutes before the matzo balls are ready, bring prepared chicken stock to a simmer with the sliced carrot in it. Ladle some soup and a couple matzo balls into each bowl.

*Note* I did lift the lid several times to make sure it was simmering and not boiling, could that have been the problem with them being mushy?