Lou's Rainbow Bday Cake

Grandma Maroni's Meatballs (100 Year Old Recipe)

(From The Food Network's ThrowDown with Bobby Flay) 

INGREDIENTS
Meatballs:
1 lb. ground beef chuck
1 1/2 c. grated Pecorino Romano Cheese
1 1/4 c. fresh bread crumbs
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 c. whole milk
1/2 c. minced fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/4 c. chopped fresh basil leaves
1/2 small onion, grated
3 T. minced garlic
pinch of kosher salt, or to taste

Maroni Sauce:
1/2 c. olive oil
12 cloves garlic, finely sliced
1 large onion, finely diced
2 (28 oz.) cans imported crushed tomatoes
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground white or black pepper
1 large handful fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
red pepper flakes (optional)

1 lb. spaghetti, cooked al dente

DIRECTIONS
To make the meatballs, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. Mix the beef, cheese, bread crumbs, eggs, milk, herbs, onion, garlic, and salt in a mixing bowl. Roll the meatballs loosely about the size of a large golf ball, and place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until cooked through and lightly browned. 35-40 minutes. To make the sauce, heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until it begins to shimmer. Add the garlic and onion, and cook until soft and slightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper and stir. Allow the sauce to come to a shimmer and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the basil. Add the meatballs to the sauce. To serve, divide the spaghetti on plates and top with the meatballs and sauce.

Cardamom Rolls

INGREDIENTS AND DIRECTIONS
For the dough 
2 ½ cup milk
¼ cup white sugar
¼ brown sugar
1 ½ heaping Tbs. yeast
1 stick room temp butter, cut up in cubes
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cardamom
6-7 cups flour


Heat 2 ½ cups milk, put in a mixer
Add ¼ cup white sugar
Add 1 ½ Tbs. yeast
Let proof 

In another bowl mix ¼ cup brown sugar, 1 tsp. salt, 2 tsp cardamom and 5 cups flour.

When yeast has proofed add flour mixture one cup at a time. Then add 1 stick of room temp butter (cut up into cubes) until all mixed in. Add remaining flour one cup at a time. (may need to add more flour until it comes clean from the bowl) mix or knead for 5 min.

Put in greased bowl and let rise until doubled in size.

Cardamom Filling 
1 ¾ stick butter room temp
1 ¼ cup brown sugar
2-3 Tbs. cardamom
beat together

golden raisins or craisins (optional)


When dough is ready you can roll out for regular sweet rolls or follow www.fixfeastflair.com, (but the raisins do not stay in the knot and make it hard to tie the knots)

Let raise until doubled again. During the second rise make topping.

Topping
In a small saucepan, heat ¼ cup water and ¼ cup brown sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla. Heat until the sugar has dissolved. Set aside.

In a small bowl mix 1 Tbs. white sugar 1 tsp. cardamom


*make sure oven has been preheated for at least 30 min!

Baking: If doing regular sweet roll style bake at 375 for 7-10 min. If doing the knots bake 420 for 7-8 min or until nice and golden on the tops. Once out of the oven brush with syrup and sprinkle with sugar mixture.