To our newcomers, welcome. To our old hats, welcome back. I think I can speak for everyone when I say that 2020 was a wild ride. Life, as everyone knew it, was put on hold as the world struggled to fight the raging pandemic. Through calamity and sadness, however, shines a light. Humanity has proven over and over again its resilience in the face of peril, and this year was no exception. The ongoing struggle for life and happiness knows not defeat. This year, I have seen more community and neighborship through WECO than I have ever experienced before. Albeit virtual and contactless, we have been able to connect and spread joy to so many friends, families, and strangers this past year. Though everything has been turned upside down, I know someday things will resemble the life we all lived before- except better. Hardship brings people together. It makes you realize who and what is most important to you. It enforces positive change and awareness. And all this hardship produced WECO. So with an open mind, and an empty stomach, let’s embrace the turn of the decade. We’re starting with meatballs. Get in there!   

For the meatballs:

In a wide bottomed saucepot or saute pan with a lid, arrange your meatballs so that they are in a single layer. Pour over the tomato sugo, add a splash or two of water, give the pot a shake, and set them over medium low heat. Warm the meatballs in the sauce until they are nice and hot, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching on the bottom.

For the polenta:

I set the polenta before I portioned it, to make it easier for us to package, and for you to reheat. In a saucepot, warm a few splashes of water over medium heat. Break up the polenta pieces and drop them in. As it warms up, the polenta will soften and become smooth. Keep stirring it as it warms, adding more water to thin it out to your desired consistency. Once it’s hot, pop a lid on until you’re ready to plate.

For the chopped romaine salad:

Empty the contents of your box into a mixing bowl, and dress with the lemon peppercorn dressing. Season with salt and pepper, and plate up!

To plate:

Make a nice bed of polenta for the meatballs in a shallow bowl, and then scoop the balls and sauce on top. Enjoy the salad on the side 🙂

If you got a quinoa and veggie bowl:

Two options: hot or cold. I say cold, but feel free to warm it up. Either way, drizzle the dressing on, and dig in!