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Happy Solstice!

Gameface said:
Well, here we are. Obviously the new year doesn't start until the calendar tells us it does, but for me the Winter Solstice is when I put the past year behind me and begin looking towards a new and brighter future. Never in my life have I wanted that moment to come more than I do right now.

With a vaccine on the way I think that all of us can start to see a brighter year ahead. Please, I beg you, continue to be safe. A woman I've known since we were two years old, who has essentially been part of my family as my sister's and my wife's best friend for more than 30 years lost her husband on Tuesday. He was 43 years old, had no significant health issues and was the father to a 17 year old son. He died from Covid-19. This is not the time to take chances. This is the time to make it just a little bit longer so that we can put this behind us.

I don't want the Solstice to be political, but all the same, we're moving on from one administration to the next one. For many of us, myself certainly included, the last 4 years has been a strange dark time for the U.S.A.. I look forward to change. I don't have any expectations of greatness or glory, all I can hope for is normalcy. Just that would be perfect right now.

Last but not least, the days will begin to get longer. This means so much to me as a night shift worker working from 6pm to 6:30am. It is hard to express the difference this makes as I can begin again to live more and more of my life in daylight. This is what makes this time special for me. This is also why so many human civilizations have had their most important cultural celebration at this time. The Solstice is not an attack on your more specific celebration, it is a feature.

I wish our nation well and I wish the people of the world well as we move forward into the light.
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Well said, and merry solstice my friend.
 
Gameface said:
Well, here we are. Obviously the new year doesn't start until the calendar tells us it does, but for me the Winter Solstice is when I put the past year behind me and begin looking towards a new and brighter future. Never in my life have I wanted that moment to come more than I do right now.

With a vaccine on the way I think that all of us can start to see a brighter year ahead. Please, I beg you, continue to be safe. A woman I've known since we were two years old, who has essentially been part of my family as my sister's and my wife's best friend for more than 30 years lost her husband on Tuesday. He was 43 years old, had no significant health issues and was the father to a 17 year old son. He died from Covid-19. This is not the time to take chances. This is the time to make it just a little bit longer so that we can put this behind us.

I don't want the Solstice to be political, but all the same, we're moving on from one administration to the next one. For many of us, myself certainly included, the last 4 years has been a strange dark time for the U.S.A.. I look forward to change. I don't have any expectations of greatness or glory, all I can hope for is normalcy. Just that would be perfect right now.

Last but not least, the days will begin to get longer. This means so much to me as a night shift worker working from 6pm to 6:30am. It is hard to express the difference this makes as I can begin again to live more and more of my life in daylight. This is what makes this time special for me. This is also why so many human civilizations have had their most important cultural celebration at this time. The Solstice is not an attack on your more specific celebration, it is a feature.

I wish our nation well and I wish the people of the world well as we move forward into the light.
Click to expand...

I have high hopes for the coming year. It has nothing to do with politics. I’m hopeful the vaccine works as advertised and we can stop wearing these damn masks. I miss seeing people smile at each other. I miss making silly faces at the little neighbor toddlers in church to see if I can make them laugh. I miss being able to walk around blowing bubbles with my gum. I know we’ve got some time before that is a reality, but I see the light at the end of the tunnel.


Sent from my iPad using JazzFanz mobile app
 
One Brow said:
A Merry Solstice to all. I'm looking forward to sleeping while going into work.
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man-sleeping-in-the-car-while-driving-in-a-traffic-jam.jpg
 
It's the magical time of year again when the days stop getting shorter and start getting longer again!

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After I post this I will begin the preparation of the traditional spaghetti and meatball dinner. I'm using Anne Burrell's recipe for both the meatballs and marinara sauce. I've used it in the past but mostly as a guide, this year I'm doing it pretty much to the letter except that I couldn't find ground veal locally (well, between Beltex Meats and Harmon's butcher shop).
 
Solstice is here again. It just won't stop coming year after year even though I could use a break now and then. Stupid axial tilt is gonna tilt iykwim.

Anyway, spaghetti and meatballs is on the menu for the 21st as always. This year we're gonna make the meatballs as we have before but then we're gonna add a parmesan and panko breading to them before cooking. I think the noodle in the sky is going to approve.

Anyway, I hope that any of you who have been dealing with darkness and uncertainty will begin to see brighter days ahead! I really do mean that. Enjoy more sunshine!
 
Here are some pics of the meatballs

This is a before cooking pic


h28yx7C.jpg


Pre cook close-up. The main one in the pic has a little face.
DxlrXjx.jpg


Here's an after of the same meatballs
orrSx31.jpg


4o2iQUM.jpg


The panko breaded meatballs had a light color and we have now renamed our Solstice meal "Spaghetti and Snowballs."
 
Gameface said:
Here are some pics of the meatballs

This is a before cooking pic


h28yx7C.jpg


Pre cook close-up. The main one in the pic has a little face.
DxlrXjx.jpg


Here's an after of the same meatballs
orrSx31.jpg


4o2iQUM.jpg


The panko breaded meatballs had a light color and we have now renamed our Solstice meal "Spaghetti and Snowballs."
Click to expand...
Looks great! Care to share the recipe?

Those balls look tasty! (That’s what she said…)
 
Gameface said:
Here are some pics of the meatballs

This is a before cooking pic


h28yx7C.jpg


Pre cook close-up. The main one in the pic has a little face.
DxlrXjx.jpg


Here's an after of the same meatballs
orrSx31.jpg


4o2iQUM.jpg


The panko breaded meatballs had a light color and we have now renamed our Solstice meal "Spaghetti and Snowballs."
Click to expand...
I'm curious. What is the significance of spaghetti and meatballs on Solstice day? I may be missing something easy. Yes, recipe, please.
 
Hearsky said:
I'm curious. What is the significance of spaghetti and meatballs on Solstice day? I may be missing something easy. Yes, recipe, please.
Click to expand...
It's just a joke really. It's a reference to Pastafarianism. I am not one but the meal was just something to build our little family tradition on and something we all like.

Recipe is Anne Burrell's Excellent Meatball Recipe and the included Marinara Sauce recipe.

www.foodnetwork.com

Excellent Meatballs

Get Excellent Meatballs Recipe from Food Network
www.foodnetwork.com www.foodnetwork.com

This year we used a slightly modified version, still Anne Burrell's recipe. The difference is that instead of adding water to the meatball mix you use chopped dill pickle and use a little more breadcrumb. It was interesting. Oh and I used a little extra pancetta.

www.foodnetwork.com

Excellent Meatballs

Get Excellent Meatballs Recipe from Food Network
www.foodnetwork.com www.foodnetwork.com

To that we made the breading from 1C panko, 1/2C Parmesan and 4tsp olive oil.

cook for 15 min at 425F. It was weird because one meatball recipe called for 500F for 15 min and the other called for 350F for 15min. I split the difference. The panko didn't brown as much as I would have liked but the meatballs came out at 172F in the center of the thickest meatball so the meat was done.
 
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