IMO if his meatballs taste like his gravy he can keep it...terrible! The resaturant is booked for the entire 2009 and no reservations are available to be made until 2010...I just dont get it. But then again people rave about CARMINE's in the theatre district (NYC) I think its just ok (and im being nice) but wouldnt return..but friends frequent it often.

Eileen:
I second your opinion but it could be the one time you tried them. Try again !!!
I really don't see anything special in Frankie's method or
his recipe.

I've heard that for years, about mixing too much.
But I'm always trying something new.

Now I mix in the KA . All the crumbs and spices seperatly then add it to the meat.
That way they are mixed evenly throughout, Then baked.

You can steal my Recipe !
Lou

Ha! Nothin special is right...the day Id pay $9 for a jarred sauce I made that mistake 1 time buying Rao's... the family hated it. As far as the meatballs go...I soak white bread in milk then squeeze it out and use that for bread crumb it makes IMO a moist meatball I also add approx 1/4 cup of milk to the meat mixture. I must admit unlike my DH grandmother i use garlic powder not chopped garlic I find it to be overwhelming.

Very close to Mamma's meatballs which I love.

We went to Rao's last time we were in Vegas, while I must admit I was underwhelmed with the pasta dish, given the price, I have to say the meatballs were delicious.

If this is the recipe he uses in the restaurant then I have to say they are very, very good. I would probably soak fresh bread in milk and squeeze out the liquid though and forget the water and dry breadcrumbs.

I've never eaten there nor have I bought their jarred sauce, but to give the benefit of doubt I wouldn't judge a restaurant based on a mass-produced jarred sauce that they market.

Why don't you try my recipe . You may be surprised.
Grandmom won't mind.
You already used Powdered Garlic !!!uuuuuuuuhhh

FOAS:
I'm waiting for you to judge, how your Pasta Sauce turned out !!!!!
Lou

Lou I know you're waiting for me... but... I just checked and at the moment I have 12 pints of meat sauce in my freezer and two kids who refuse to eat spaghetti and meat sauce. Maybe I'll make a lasagne next week to help work it down. I need to clear inventory before I try new!

(Oh and I decided not to use your package for pizza sauce. By the time it gets smothered with cheese and all that's not a fair place to judge it.)

I love Rao's Lemon Chicken. Got the recipe from here - dishesdone:) It is delicious.

Recipe

Rao's Famous Lemon Chicken

Ingredients

* 2 (2 1/2 to 3 pound) broiling chickens, halved
* Lemon sauce, recipe follows
* 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

LEMON SAUCE:

* 2 cups fresh lemon juice
* 1 cup olive oil
* 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
* 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
* 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
* Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Whisk together juice, oil, vinegar, garlic, oregano, and salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Whisk or shake vigorously before using.

CHICKEN: Preheat broiler at least 15 minutes prior to using. Broil chicken halves, turning once, for about 30 minutes or until skin is golden-brown and juices run clear when bird is pierced with a fork. Remove chicken from broiler, leaving broiler on. Using a very sharp knife, cut each 1/2 into about 6 pieces (leg, thigh, wing, 3 small breast pieces). Place chicken on a baking sheet (that will fit in the broiler) with sides. Pour lemon sauce over the chicken and toss to coat well. If necessary, divide sauce in 1/2 and do this in 2 batches. Return chicken to broiler and broil for 3 minutes. Turn each piece and broil for an additional minute. Remove from broiler and portion the chicken onto each of 6 warm serving plates. Pour sauce into a heavy saucepan. Stir in parsley and place over high heat for 1 minute. Pour an equal amount of sauce over each chicken and serve with lots of crusty bread to absorb the sauce.

My favourite meatballs are Mama's Meatballs. I use to use soak bread crumbs in milk, but now I use chicken broth. The garlic,onion, parsley and chicken broth are blended together and added to the meat mixture. I always add parmesan cheese to my meatballs and prefer them fried over baked.

Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

Mama's Meatballs and Tomato Sauce
==================================

Serves 4 to 6

My own Sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 or 3 cloves of garlic minced
2 cans of quality tomatoes
season with basil, salt and pepper.

Rocco's Mama's Meatballs
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 large sweet onion, rough chopped
4 cloves garlic, rough chopped
1/2 bunch parsley, chopped
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 pound ground veal
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
5 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
2 to 3 pinches chili flakes
2 to 3 pinches salt
Olive oil, to coat hands and for browning meatballs
Cooked spaghetti (optional)

Make the sauce: Heat oil in a large saucepan. When oil is hot, sauté onions until translucent.Add the garlic and the tomatoes. Simmer. when the meatballs have been browned add them to the sauce and simmer for at least one hour.

Make the meatballs: Place the chicken stock, onion, garlic and parsley in a blender and purée. Set aside.

Place the meat, breadcrumbs, eggs, grated cheese, chili flakes and salt in a large bowl. Add the puréed chicken-stock mix. Using your hands, gently but thoroughly combine all ingredients, being careful not to overmix the meat.

Coat your hands with a little olive oil and form the meatballs.

Pour oil in a large skillet to a depth of about 1/2 inch and place over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, brown the meatballs, turning once. Add as much of the tomato sauce as you desire, and bring to a simmer. Cook until meatballs are done. Serve over spaghetti.

My favorite Meatball Recipe is
" Lou's Italian Hamburger and Meatballs " Google It "

Here is another similar.

Making Meatballs, Traditional Style, in a KA Mixer

For years IÂve heard about not mixing the meat too much,
( they will be tough )
I know Grand Mom didnÂt do it this way but it is worth a try.
They are Good !!!
Lou

Ingredients: Close to Traditional

5 3/4 pounds of lean Ground Beef. ThatÂs all that fits in the Bowl.
Most times I use Ground Sirloin.

5 links of Mild Italian Sausage. Remove skin and chop into 1 in. pieces

2cups Bread crumbs. I use dried Italian bread
1 cup of Onion chopped small and micro waved , 1 ½ minutes w. bit of water.
2 teaspoons of Garlic powder or Fresh Garlic minced fine.
I use Garlic Powder, because I make tiny meatballs too,
for Chicken Wedding Soup .

1 teaspoon of Onion Powder
4 tablespoons of Parsley Flakes
1/4 teaspoon of Oregano
1/4 teaspoon of Black Pepper
1/4 teaspoon of Old Bay Seasoning
4 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon of salt ( to taste )

1 Egg beaten
1 cup of Chicken stock , College Inn or
I use 1 cup of hot water w. 2 teaspoons of Chicken Flavored Soup Base
- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Place all the Meat and Sausage, pieces alternately into the mixer bowl.
Start mixing slow, using the Paddle blade, just until blended.

Place all the Crumbs, Onions and spices etc. into a mixing bowl and dry mix.
Beat the egg into the cooled Chicken Stock of choice and
add to the Crumb mix. Add enough water to dampen all the crumbs.

Put this into the Mixer Bowl with the meat and mix slow until everything is blended.
Add a little water if needed but not soft.

I use an Ice Cream dipper to measure out and compact the meatballs

Bake them on a Cookie tin with oiled Aluminum Foil.
350 Degrees for about 15 minutes . Test with a meat thermometer to 130 Deg.
This Recipe will make approx. 40 meat balls, according to size.

You can put them in your Spaghetti Sauce 1/2 hour , before it is done cooking.

I double bag them and place in the freezer for later.

This recipe can be used for Meat Loaf. Sub some small bread cubes for Crumbs and
some Cream of Mushroom Soup for the Chicken Stock.

Should have been 2 eggs in my recipe.
LOU

Some of the Rao's clan live several blocks from me. Always wanted to check our their garbage!

Sue

Rao's Marinara Sauce makes approximately 7 cups
from Rao's Cookbook - page 5

2 twenty-eight ounce cans imported Italian plum tomatoes with basil (preferably "San Marzano")
¼ cup fine-quality olive oil
2 ounces fatback or salt pork, optional
3 tablespoons minced onion
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
salt to taste
6 leaves fresh basil, torn (optional)
pinch dried oregano
pepper to taste

1. Remove tomatoes from can, reserving juice in which they were packed. Using your hands, crush the tomatoes, gently remove and discard the hard core from the stem end, and remove any skin and tough membrane. Set aside

2. Put oil in a large, noncorosive saucepan over medium-low heat. If using fatback, cut into small pieces and add to the pan. Saute for about 5 minutes or until all the fat has been rendered. Remove and discard fatback.

3. Then add onion. Saute for 3 minutes or until translucent and just beginning to brown. Stir in garlic and saute for 30 seconds or until softened (see note). Stir in tomatoes, reserved juice, and salt. Raise heat, and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce heat to a very low simmer and cook for about 1 hour or until flavors have combined and sauce is slightly thickened. If you prefer a thicker sauce, cook for an additional 15 minutes.

4. Stir in basil, oregano, and pepper, and cook for An additional minute. Remove from heat and serve.

Note: Take care when adding garlic to hot oil, as it will burn and turn bitter very quickly. If this happens, discard oil and vegetables and start again.

If you have leftover sauce store it tightly covered and refrigerated for a day or two. Freeze for up to 3 months.

??????????????
Lou

Sounds good to me!!
The only thing better might be with fresh tomatoes....but that season is rapicly coming to a close.
Linda C

I use the Mama's meatball recipe posted by Ann T, the kids like the fact that the onion and garlic are all blended into the chicken broth and there isn't a "chunk" of anything. I bake them and I use all beef because that's what I have. My girls have proclaimed them "the best ever" and told me to never use another recipe, so I don't.

Are they better? Couldn't tell you, I don't eat 'em, LOL, but I make hundreds of them for the freezer so Ashley can pull out a quick meal and warm it in the microwave.

I also use that mixture for meatloaf, and top it with the sauce that Nancy (wizardnm) uses and gave me the recipe for, it's catsup, brown sugar and vinegar. I think she said it was a Cook's Illustrated recipe, but the kids always want me to make a double batch of the sauce to go over the meatloaf or meatballs.

Never tried Rao's restaurant or jarred sauce but like Maggie, I've made that lemon chicken that Carol posted and it's good.

Annie

My reason for posting the Marinara Sauce is....someone posted that Rao's Sauce is terrible. However, I assume that they are talking about the commercial jar sauce available in the stores. Personally I have never tasted the commercial, so couldn't judge.

Along with the recipe Rao's mention, in their cookbook, that in the "old days" they used fresh tomatoes in summer and canned tomatoes during winter months, but now use only the canned all year-round.

Thought that someone might like to try making it in their own kitchen, to go along with the meatball recipes given here.

LOL Lisbet I think Lou's "??????" was for the post prior to yours!

Maggie, thanks for posting the Lemon Chicken recipe. I know I had it copied but couldn't find it. I love lemon chicken!

Thanks for the sauce recipe Lisbet......sounds yummy.

That lemon chicken recipe gets around. :) I've used it often myself.

I always liked Rao's products and Frank P's second cookbook. (They're both good, but I like that the seond one has more vegetable and seafood dishes.)

OOOOOHHH I am so hungry for meatballs!!

I did see Frankie on Today. My only gripe was his were too big. I like a smaller meatball.

I will give them a try but I am another on the Momma bandwagon....her meatballs are the best!!
My family ate at Rocco's during the 2 minutes the restaraunt was open (he was taping a reality show around the business) and I did get the meatballs for the table and they were divine!! Momma even came to the table to see how we liked them!!

I am off this week and I see a batch of gravy and meatballs in my future!!

Cheers!
Susie