Stacey's Sauce & Meatballs

I love making this dish on the weekend...the sweet aroma of the sauce simmering on the stove all day.  Served with a garden salad and some buttery garlic bread...Mmmmm. 

I will start with the sauce (gravy for all my Italian friends, but I won't get into that age old debate...not today!)

Here's what you'll need...

Oregano
Bay Leaf
Sweet Basil
Fresh Parsley
Garlic Powder
Crushed Red Pepper
Med. Vidalia Onion
S&P
Garlic (lots of garlic!)
Olive Oil
Sugar
(2) 28 oz cans of Tomato Sauce
(2) 6 oz cans of  Tomato Paste
(2) 16 oz. cans of Diced Tomatoes
Red Wine (Chianti is good)

Ready??

1. Put enough olive oil in the pan to just barely cover the bottom
2. Chop up (3) large cloves of garlic as fine as you can and place in the pan.  (Yes, the heat is not on yet.  Just let the garlic sit in the oil!)
3. Chop up the vidalia onion, as fine as you can
4. Heat the garlic and oil over medium heat.  Heat until you see little bubbles around the garlic.  Do not overcook the garlic!  When you see the bubbles, add the onion and reduce the heat to medium low.
5. Add 1 tsp oregano, 1/2 tsp sweet basil, a dash of S&P and mix well.  Simmer for 5 minutes.
6. Spoon in (1) can of tomato paste.  Fill the can with water, stir it up in the can, and add to the pan and mix well.  Turn the heat back up to medium and simmer for about 4 minutes, stirring constantly.  Add a dash of S&P and 1/2 tsp oregano.
7. Add (2) cans of diced tomato.  Fill these cans with water, mix, and add to pan.  Mix well and simmer for 10 minutes.
8. Add 1 tsp oregano, 1/2 tsp sweet basil, 1 1/2 tsp parsley, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, dash of pepper, and dash of crushed red pepper.
9. Add the 2nd can of tomato paste.  Fill with water, mix, dump in pan.  Mix well and simmer for 15 minutes.  Add dash of S&P.
10. At this point, the sauce should not be boiling.  If it is, turn the heat down a little.  Also, be sure to stir every minute or so, you do not want the sauce sticking to the bottom. 
11. Add (2) cans of tomato sauce.  Mix well.  Fill 1 of the cans with water and add to the sauce. 
12. Add 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp parsley, 3 dashes of sweet basil, 3 dashes of garlic powder.  Mix well.  Heat should be at medium or lower.  Cover pan.
13. Add 1/3 C of red wine and bay leaf and mix well.  Simmer for 15 minutes.

Phew...now the meatballs...

1 lb Ground Chuck
1 Egg
1 1/2 pieces of dark Wheat Bread with crust
3 tsp Italian Breadcrumbs
1/4 C fresh Parsley
1/2 C Parmesan Cheese
Fresh Garlic (2 cloves, crushed fine)
Cooking Spray
Garlic Powder (dash)
S&P (dash)
Red Wine (splash)
1 tsp Sweet Basil

1. In a large bowl, pour all ingredients except wheat bread
2. Under the faucet, soak the bread in your hands.  Squeeze out as much water as you can (bread should be gooey)
3. Break up the wheat bread and add to bowl
4. Mix ingredients well.

Okay, how you make your balls is up for debate.  Some people bake them, some people fry them, and some just throw them in the sauce.  The choice is yours.  It's all a personal preference!  I like to fry them, however be forewarned, this does smoke up the house!  When I do this, I am usually forced to open all of the windows in the house.

To fry your balls...

1. Get a good nonstick frying pan and spray with cooking spray
2. Roll the balls into 1" - 1 1/2" balls
3. Heat the pan on medium high to high
4. You want to sear the balls.  If you are not getting a LOT of smoke from the browning, you do not have the heat high enough.
5. Place balls in the pan (do in batches) and sear to get a good crust  You want your balls to be firm.  Firm balls are good balls!
6. Prior to putting the balls in the sauce, add 2 tsp of sugar into the sauce
7. Gently place balls in the sauce
8. Cover and simmer over low 1 1/2 - 2 hours
9. Serve over your favorite pasta and enjoy!!