Sam, My wife was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, I took over the cooking, have never cooked, went to RU-vid, found you and I am now cooking. That was a mouthful….. Today's episode was incredible Sam, as a caregiver you gave me hope that we humans do care more about others than about themselves or things. Thank you for a glimpse into “SAM”, you are the real deal Sam. Bill-St. Louis
Alzheimer's is tough. Stay strong. If it get's hard remember, those are moments, they pass. You can have 23 hour's and 45 minutes of a rough day, but it's those 15 minutes that make it worth it. And no matter what, your wife is always in there!
That Charles story is part of what makes Sam so great. A guy he didn't even know, and he offers to make his last days enjoyable. Kudos to you Sam, you are awesome.
I am amazed that different regions of the world enjoy more of a condiment than others. A teaspoon of salt in something, unless it was a stock pot/casserole/stew would be waaay to salty here. Flavors shouldn't be dictated by plain salt, that is like adding MSG to things. Not bad, but don't make it the star I am sorry that the guy couldn't have made a show with you, that is heartbreaking. It reminds us of the urgency of the moment though, doesn't it? The world is finite, and we only have so much time. I look at as, not wasting time with things that don't matter. We should live in the moment and enjoy it, savor it. Enjoy it. Moments are fleeting. R.I.P man who couldn't make it. I salute you.
Made it, couldn't find ground veal, used 50/50 ground beef and ground pork. The ricotta in the mix is a game changer. Best spaghetti and meatballs I've ever had. I also I made meatloaf with the ricotta and it changed my life! Phenomenal.
Rest in piece Charles. Sam is right. When I was a kid, I used to visit my grandmother on the weekends and only thing I did was play on PC, swimming in pool and going for sweets to shop. It's not like I didn't spend time with her at all, it's just that I was young, 7-8 years old and I didn't know how important is to spend time with your family, relatives, friends and loved ones. I'm almost 22 and I wish I could be with her. Talk to her, tell her what I accoplished, how far I've gotten, but it's not happening. So if you have you grandparets, parents or friends still around you, spend time with them, laugh a talk or just text them something nice, because you never know when the last day is coming. Thank you Sam for reminding me and making this amazing dish. You are a amazing person and I wish you and all of you who are reading this the best. Cherish your life. Cheers!
So true. I was lucky to spend a lot of time with my grandma growing up, and would cook with her a lot. I moved away when I did 5 years in the Marines (in SD by the way), and would ask for reminders on how she made certain things. She passed away last year at 93, and she passed her passion for cooking on to me. Now I'm the one that my family calls when they need to know how Grandma used to make this or that.
Good words. I lived far away from my grandma so I didn't get to see her much. One thing I'm glad I did was write her letters. (she was old fashioned) I regret I sometimes rushed through writing them. I know they meant a lot to her but life goes fast sometimes. She passed away a week before my wedding and the last letter from her was waiting for me when I got back from our honeymoon. Apparently that was one of the last things she did, was write me a letter. So important not to take the time you have with family for granted.
Although the Gentleman has passed on and may he rest easy. I just gained a whole new level of respect for you Sam, to take your own time to fill someones wish is a very special thing. Many others would skip on it or not even talk about it. Well done sir. #Canadiansarenice
I “watch” this channel usually while I do something else and mostly listen and glance occasionally. He had my full attention for the minute or so that he was sharing that. Thanks for sharing Sam, I love this channel a little bit more today.
I know this is an older one, but my mother hasn't been feeling very well and we like to cook together occasionally, well...because, we have a lot of fun doing it! This seemed like a fairly simple meal we could prepare together and we plan to do so sometime later this week. Love you guys (Sam, Max and Chance). Thanks for all the recipes and hard work. You guys make my day brighter.
Love the story about Charles. It reminds me of when my dad passed, having never been able to watch my son play football. The message the pastor gave in the service was "now he gets to watch all of your games". Charles gets to cook all the time now.
11:33 Gentlemen, you had my curiosity, but now you have my attention. “Never put off what you want to do...” 2min later 13:52 “I never get to ANYTHING - ALL I do is STAND here and cook” 😆😂
It was an honorable gesture. My Dad was in a hospice. I worked late and got there around 7:30. He was asleep so I did not get to say anything to him. He passed at 1 AM. Your message is spot on.
Love this episode for a three reasons. 1.)spaghetti and meatballs are my go to meal when I reminisce about college days 2.) I learned something new about enhancing meatball flavor by adding ricotta cheese 3.) I got some wise advise about not putting things off in life with the Charles story...shed a few tears Thanks Sam and Max...😉🍀
My 6 year old son and I watch your show all the time! When I ask him "what's for dinner?" His reply is always "what Sam cooked yesterday". So I make a lot of your meals. Thanks for making me cook again! :-)
All kinds of emotions here... When you shared your story about Charles, I teared up...when you wiped your mouth with the entire roll of paper towels I laughed... Dinner tonight WAS going to be Chicken Cordon Bleu. Menu has been updated. Spaghetti and meatballs it is!
I just found your channel on Thursday and obsessed with it. My 16yo daughter loved this recipe so we gave it a shot today but with larger 3oz meatballs ......... amazing! We doubled the gravy portion so we can have left overs and absolutely fantastic. Great recipe but even cooler that i got to make it with my daughter and she said "Sam knows what he is doing". thanks again.
My wife and I find your videos genuine, sincere and entertaining. You and Max have become part of our daily viewing habits. We could not imagine enjoying the show more. Until this video. We are even more endeared to you simply for the size of your heart and kindness. This world certainly could use more of your shining example. Simply put... Thank you!
Pro tip: when you're frying your garlic is the best time to add the red pepper flakes, and also a few tablespoons of tomato paste and a little minced onions or shallots. I call it the holy tetralogy (or I guess the holy pentalogy if you count the EVOO). It's the essential flavor base for the sauce IMO.
A better pro tip sauté onions or shallots first sweat them down then add the garlic , garlic will not burn 🔥 in onion sweat, then add your tomatoes and other ingredients you prefer , let it simmer (marry), mangia !
Damn Sam, you just took me into my head. Hospice helped my grandma during her final moments. Also, my father passed away back in 2014, he died of cancer. I’ve had a hard time finding a positive path in life, because I was truly destroyed. My mother sold the house, her and my sister moved in with her boyfriend, and I had no clue what to do. To say I spiraled is an understatement. I’ve done self destructive things that broke the hearts of those around me, and I also lost a lot of friends because they believed my vices made me a bad person. 6 years later, I’m 26 turning 27 in May, and I’m finally, finally starting to follow a decent path. I’m not out of the hole yet, I have bills to catch up on, I don’t make very much money, but it’s enough to keep me going. Cooking has slowly become one of my outlets, and I’d like to thank you for the inspiration, the ideas, and the entertainment. I’m hoping someday I can make enough to truly get decent cooking equipment, stock up on supplies and groceries, and test myself.
Beautiful words for Charles. I can tell you really wanted to cook with him and how really touched you were by the possibility of cooking with someone as a final wish. Cooking is so therapeutic.
I think Charles took a lot of solace in that you were willing to give him one more chance at the helm. That was probably enough for him as a peace of mind, even if he wasnt able to make one final meal before he went. Thank you for being humble towards him
When you added the ricotta my brain instantly realized “that’s what will make them tender”! Close to my current recipe but I will use your wisdom to advance my own improvement!
Prayers for him and his family and your just amazing for thinking about this man God bless you and your family. I just love watching you cook and have a list of foods for my menu planning Thank you so very much.
Since I can't seem to find Veal, I've made this recipe twice now and the first time I used Buffalo instead of Veal and the second time I used Lamb. I gotta say the Lamb was AMAZING in these meatballs! The sauce is simply the easiest and best tasting sauce I've ever had. This is one of my favorite Sam recipes!!!
I saw this episode when it first came out, and I rematch it every time I make spaghetti at home. It is April 2023, and I still get sentimental when I hear Sam speak about the gentleman in hospice. Thank you Sam, Max, Chance and team for everything you guys do for us.
I remember when I was younger I popped some pasta in a pot and I Started to cook it, so I was looking around and I saw no sauce and I was like “fuck what am I going to do” So I remember I roasted some tomatoes and some Garlic and I put the whole thing in a blender and I Blended it with oregano Basil and Mint. Long story short It wasn’t very appetizing and I ended up throwing it all away Fast forward 8 years later I finally found out how to make tomato sauce for pasta. Thanks Sam
Godspeed Charles. Wishing his family and friends peace and comfort. I choose to believe he got as much of his wish as he was able. Good on you, Sam, for sharing this story.
Sam is from the midwest, i guess. Toronto too. He is the guy you would like to have as a friend. He can cook, sure, and his recipes are great, but he puts you, me into his recipes. It's like we are right there with him. Isn't it great when you can go to watch a recipe but come away with a smile that goes on and on?
I made your recipe almost to the T tonight Sam. It was amazing. I used beef, pork and chicken since Sprouts had no veal. Thank you sir for sharing. I enjoy your guy next door style and that you cook with your kids. I do the same.
My mother and I are going to do this later this week together and that's what we were worried about because there are so many shortages right now it's hard to find certain items. Hopefully we can find the three pack at Publix or another grocer. I can't wait to try it out we are big fans of cooking and definitely big Sam fans.
dude wtf i was just looking for a really good spaghetti & meatballs recipe i didn't expect to laugh OR cry 😭 why would you do this to me ...subscribed. 🍝
This channel has been a huge game changer in our house! We are learning to make simple, yet amazing meals. Cudos to you and best of luck with your restaurants.
Ok, I made this for my family and it was incredible! I did change or add a couple of things so it would feed 4 people. I added a second can of the tomatoes and could have used about another half can. I also diced scallions with the garlic and the flavor add made a big difference. I also added an equal part of red wine to the olive oil which is a must in Italian cooking but only after everything else was in the sauce. The great thing is that the meatballs are fabulously moist and flavorful. Yes, there are many in the freezer for the future. Overall, a simple dish, but making the sauce and meatballs the day before, then putting everything together to sit overnight really enhanced the flavor, texture and appearance. Oh, I did not prepare the final step the way you did by putting the sauce in a separate pan and introducing the parts separate. I highly recommend this dish!
I died when you said, "I can continue with this math but my head is starting to hurt." And your facial expression thinking about math was hilarious - LMAO
This just brought me to tears. I'm 4 months Post liver transplant. Hospice was the option I was given with less than 2 weeks predicted. For the 6 months before transplant I would watch your videos for recipes. I'm alive and well now and look forward to making this tonight. Prayers for Charles family. I knew the point you were trying to make right off the bat!
I grew up with spaghetti and meatballs as my favourite dish and I know how to make it. RU-vid recommended this and I decided to open it. I had never watched Sam before and I freaken loved this. His sense of humor is fabulous and so relatable too. The story about Charles was the highlight and it made Sam seem human. Let's live our best lives!
Sam, gotta hand it to you, this is the best sauce I've had since my grandmothers, I added the onions from your previous video and added some season, onion and garlic salt (her recipe), you nailed this and thanks for teaching me how to make sauce vs buying from the jar, this is way better and reminds me of her sauce!! Much thanks man!!
Love your videos. I'm sure you gave Charles hope and comfort in his last moments, a gentleman whom you didn't know. We need much more of this. Incredible my friend.
Some meatball tips that I use: 1. Use grated onion. The onion turns into a paste which is nice. 2. Let the mixed meat rest in the fridge for a 4-6 hours and let the flavors meld together. 3. I like to start in the oven for cooking and finish in the sauce. 10 minutes in the oven until the inside is at like 115°F or so, then in the sauce for the last 30-60 mins.
I usually skip some just to shorten the videos when I don’t have much time. Then the Charles story… now I’m sitting in the dark locked in. Thanks for being a good dude Sam!
Sam I’ve been meaning to comment that I went to San Diego for a football game over the holidays and made a stop at little italy for Not Not Tacos. They were amazing. Surprisingly, the meat loaf taco was my favorite. Anyways thank you for your videos this past year and I look forward to my next SD trip for more tacos.
Sam, dude, I’m very used to cracking up through these videos. I’m not used to tearing up. It means a lot that Charles’ request meant a lot to you. I found out today that a cousin of mine passed from cancer. 40ish, two beautiful girls and wife. Your message rings true. Live as if there is precious little time left. Just, LIVE. PURSUE. EVOLVE. HEAL. FORGIVE. Do the things. Salud. And thank you for sharing.
I am a hospice nurse. It is so important to understand how valuable every second is. Surround yourself with good food and friends. Also, throw in a few adventures! Life is so short.
I love when Sam can take a moment out of his ordinary self, and get serious about something near and dear to him. For example, the story about Charles. Or the time the Soldier serving in Iraq, wrote to Sam about how tough things are there, but, Sam's videos are one of the few bright spots in his life. Or when Sam talked about sending his Demo tape to all the local TV stations in San Diego, and everyone passed on him, except one man. You're a good man, Sam. Keep up the great work!
Love your lessons in cooking . I am 74 but I still learn more ,how to cook better. After all its like you say don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today , you never know when its time for you to go HOME. I WOULD BUY A SWEATER BUT NEED 3X.
Sam the cooking guy I find that you are quite the genuine food taster because when you taste your food it looks like you are really enjoying it and you make me want to cook what you just cooked Good job Sam thank you for appreciating good food
Sam, I liked how you intro'd the 2nd school of thought on meatballs. I like the slow cook in the sauce/gravy with no pre-cook, oven baked. Think it's an East Coast thing. Really makes the sauce magic!!
Sam, you made me tear up. You have such a great impact on people. You have truly found your passion in life. Thank you for being so compassionate and caring. Charles is up above right now wiping meatball meat and tomatoes off of his hands! He'll "meet up with you later" to prepare the shrimp and grits! 😉
12:55 "This is not a camera moment". Sam this is one of the reasons I love you guys - you're just good fucking people. You could have taken advantage of the situation and tried to get some viral click bait video out of that scenario but instead you just wanted to help the guy out with one of his last wishes. I dont know, it just seems so easy to forget that there are good hearts left in the world sometimes. Anyway thanks for that reminder.
We made these, they were absolutely everything you said they were. We will never make them any other way now. I LOVE this channel, Sam, Max, Chance, Kelly, Jill!🥰
I totally love the authenticity of this cooking channel, Sam and his son! You guys are a perfect VIBE! I absolutely love the recipes and everything! RIH to Mr. Charles and deepest condolences to his family and loved ones 🙏🏽✊🏾💙
@@tewksburydriver8624 yes I did. Did have those whole tomatoes like Sam so just used some cheap tinned chopped tomatoes. I also smashed them up when in the pot with a potato masher to break them down a bit.
@@brendanmcateer5827 ... last question, was it bitter. I make a lot of homemade sauce and typically I add a bit of sugar or Vidalia onion to sweeten a tad.
@@tewksburydriver8624 Ask away friend. No not at all. Giving it a good simmer for 20 min or so sort of breaks down the tomatoes a bit and not bitter then. Its really worth a try and then adding more or less to your taste. I have made the sauce a couple of days before hand in a big batch by doubling up the quantities and I think the flavour improved after a day. Trust in Sam is my motto and happy cooking.
Hey Sam, in the past two weeks I have made this recipe (twice) and the baked Ziti pasta (twice). All enjoyed them tremendously. I certainly appreciate how you present your recipes in a very simple and understandable way. My cooking skills, though pretty good, have been elevated by watching and implementing many of your ideas. I've always enjoyed cooking...you (and the crew) have caused me to personally enjoy cooking even more. Thanks so much for caring about creating good food! P.S. This sauce and meat balls recipe is simply the best simple sauce recipe I've ever had.
The absolute best spaghetti I have ever had and made. I have been wanting to make this recipe for years and finally did. I will never make it any other way. Thank you for sharing!
I always envy people who are confident enough to crack eggs right into dishes. It always makes me so nervous that I'm going to shell that sucker up. Thanks for the videos! 😊
