Versatile Meatballs : Spaghetti & Meatballs

As promised, the recipe for the tomato sauce the meatballs are in. I love these spaghetti & meatballs! They remind me of when I was a child spending time at my grandmother's, she would spend an entire day making spaghetti & meatballs, then after a delicious dinner, she would freeze quart-size bags and then we could have spaghetti & meatballs whenever we wanted! 

Versatile Meatballs - Spaghetti & Meatballs : 

2- 28oz Can tomato sauce

1 Large Tomato (once chopped roughly 3 C) or 28 oz Can diced tomatoes

1- 6 oz Can tomato Paste

1 Bell pepper

1 Yellow onion

1 t Garlic powder

Salt

Black pepper

- In a large pot, combine tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, & tomato paste

- Finely chop bell pepper & onion -- add to pot

- Add garlic powder & stir -- Turn the heat onto medium-high & cover

- After 15 min, stir, add meatballs & salt & pepper to taste -- stir & cover

- After 15 min, taste the sauce, adjust seasonings if needed, if the sauce is too thick, add 1/2 C water & stir

- Let the sauce cook for another 30 minutes on medium -- Check at 15 min intervals

- Serve over pasta

VOILA!

Simple Spaghetti & Meatballs!

Versatile Meatballs : Meatball Subs

To follow up our versatile meatball post (because I promised I would) I want to show you how we incorporate them into other tasty meals! One of the meals we used our meatballs for was meatball subs. 

(My next post will include a recipe for spaghetti sauce)

Super easy & super delicious!

Versatile Meatball Sub : 

1 Mini baguette

2 Meatballs in spaghetti sauce

1 C onion (sliced)

2 T Olive oil

Sea Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

- Cut the baguette in half lengthwise & then cut the height in half to resemble the picture above

- Toast the bun in the oven @ 350 for 10 min -- if you like yours crispier like I do, turn the broiler on for 1-2 minutes as well -- watch carefully if you turn the broiler on so the bun doesn't burn!

- When bun is done, take out to cool

- Heat a skillet with olive oil on medium heat -- when oil is heated add onion and salt & pepper to taste

- Saute onions until they are soft

- Take your 2 meatballs and slice in half

- Place bun on plate, place the half meatballs on bun, top with onion!

** You can always saute a bit of thinly sliced bell pepper with the onion -- we just didn't have any in the house **

VOILA!

Simple Versatile Meatball Subs!

Versatile Meatballs

When we eat out I never order a meatball sub, spaghetti & meatballs, or meatloaf. Why?? Because I am very very particular about the taste of the meat. However, I do have a recipe from my grams that takes care of all the cravings I could have for these foods! Luckily, Steven likes the recipe too, even though when we were first dating and he discovered what I put into the meat -- he swore it was not going to be good, but agreed to try them. Some of his favorite foods are now made with these versatile meatballs! I will be updating with the two variations of meals you can make with these meatballs!

Versatile Meatballs :

1 lb Ground meat (beef / turkey)

1 Egg

3/4 C Fine Breadcrumbs (unseasoned)

1/4 C Bell Pepper (finely chopped & strained very well)

1/4 C Onion (finely chopped & strained very well)

1/2 t Salt

1 T Ground black pepper

- Preheat oven to 400

- Prepare a large baking sheet with foil & spay with cooking oil

- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well with hands -- Make sure all ingredients are incorporated into the meat

- Separate meat and roll into small balls about 1 inch wide -- Place on baking sheet

- Bake for 15-20 minutes (depending on the exact size of your meat balls -- check at 15, if they are cooked through remove from oven)

- Remove from oven and set aside to cool

** Make sure to strain the bell pepper & onion well -- or the liquid will ruin the consistency of the meatballs **

VOILA!

Simple Versatile Meatballs!