With Cheese On Top

Today Thatmom came down to San Diego so we could all go see a show. I love to watch the Tony Awards every year, mostly for the musical numbers from the new shows each year. We usually use this as a basis to determine what shows we want to see.

After the 2009 Tony's Thatboy put in a request of his own. It was the first time he'd done so, and I was certainly not about to argue. What did he want to see? Next to Normal.

The musical number had won us over, so I put it on the calendar as soon as I saw it coming to San Diego. I didn't even bother to look up what it was about. I mean, it didn't really matter, we would have gone no matter what.

Thatmom found out we were going and decided to get us tickets for Chanukkah - and join us! The show itself is fantastic. It's a fascinating look at mental illness - the fear, the pain, the treatment, and of course, how it effects the family. However, the cast was severely lacking. It was painful at times to watch. What's funny, is we actually had the opportunity to see the actress who won the Tony for her role in Next to Normal. And she sounded awful. We winced as she sang - it sounded like she was swallowing, and you couldn't understand a single word she sang. If you haven't played the above video, you can hear her sing there, and she sounds normal. Thatboy thought she must have been sick (or next to normal?).

Whenever Thatmom comes down to San Diego she usually asks about Italian food. Who am I kidding, Thatmom asks about Italian food no matter where she is. We ended up taking her for pizza, which usually serves as an adequate substitute. We went back to Pizza Port, a place we have been on a regular basis since our first visit, the one where Thatboy made us order a cheeseburger pizza. It sounded weird. And I wasn't expecting it to be any good. But it was delicious. And it made me rethink my view on cheeseburgers. They're more than just meat on a bun. I've taken the idea of a cheeseburger pizza, and used it to create a deal that seems like a natural transition - cheeseburger meatballs! Like the cheeseburger pizza, this is a delicious mix of cheese, meat, and sweet tomato sauce. Served over spaghetti, which is Thatboy's favorite noodle, this was a huge hit in Thathouse. Maybe it will be in yours too!

Cheeseburger Meatballs
1/2 lb sausage meat
1/2 lb ground beef
3/4 cup bisquick
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp minced garlic

1. Preheat oven to 375. Combine all ingredients and form into 1 inch balls.
2. Bake for 20 minutes.