Grammies Italian Tomato Sauce Meatballs Food

GRAMMY'S SUNDAY SAUCE

Steps:

• 1. In a large pot on low, heat the oil and sauté the sausage and pork chops until brown on all sides, about 20-30 minutes - don't worry if the meat is not cooked through because the meat will finish cooking in the sauce.
• 2. Remove the meat from the pan into a bowl; (here's where you can add a little red wine into the emptied pan, if you like...approximately 1 cup). Cook the wine for about 10-15 minutes to deglaze the pan. Then add the garlic and onions now. If you don't want the wine, just skip that step and add the garlic and onions to the emptied pan. Sauté until garlic is golden brown and onions are soft and translucent, about 5-8 minutes on medium low.
• 3. Add tomatoes, Parmigiano, basil and sugar; allow to simmer one hour over low heat. Add the meat back into the sauce and let cook on low for 3-4 hours. Stir frequently to avoid it from burning or sticking to the bottom of the pan. (See flavor tip below) This can be done in the slow cooker so easily. After you've added the tomatoes, skip cooking it for the hour, and add the meat and all into the slow cooker. Now, just sit back and relax, and let it cook all day. It's ready when the oil floats to the top.
• 4. If I'm adding meatballs (and that's always) I remove the pork and sausage to a bowl, cover them with foil to keep them warm. Then I add the fried meatballs and let them simmer in the sauce for 1 hour before serving the sauce over your favorite spaghetti or pasta.
• 5. My Mom's Tips: 1. Always save the oil from the meatballs, and add a small ladle to the sauce as it cooks. Adds great flavor and you can always scoop it off the top before you serve it. 2. An important quote from Mom, "Never use oregano in spaghetti sauce...oregano is for pizza sauce!"

ITALIAN MEATBALLS IN TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Make the sauce: in a heavy saucepan cook the onion and the garlic in the oil over low heat, stirring, for 2 minutes; add parsley, basil, tomatoes, tomato paste, stock, wine, sugar, romano, salt, and oregano, and simmer the sauce, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.
• While sauce is cooking, prepare the meatballs: in a large bowl combine bread (with liquid squeezed from it), chuck (it's really good if you grind your own!), eggs, romano, parsley, garlic, the oregano, salt, and pepper; mix well and form into 8 meatballs.
• In a large skillet brown the meatballs in the oil over high heat, turning them often; make sure to not crowd them in the pan, otherwise they won't brown properly.
• Transfer the browned meatballs to the sauce with a slotted spoon and simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.
• You can serve them with your favorite pasta right away, but these improve in flavor if they're cooled and chilled, covered, and refrigerated overnight or up to 2 days before serving.

ITALIAN TOMATO SAUCE WITH MEATBALLS AND SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Lightly coat bottom of a large 8 quart stock pot with Olive oil(roughly 3-4 Tbs.) Starting with a higher heat,heat oil and add onions. Stir to coat and cook 1-2 minutes. Add garlic and cook till all are soft not browning. Add two cans of crushed tomatoes. Lower heat just a bit to avoid splatting. With your hands crush the whole tomatoes into smaller pieces in a large bowl, leaving some larger pieces.(this adds the love) Add to pot. Stir and cook 1-2 minutes. Add 2 cans of tomato sauce. Use water to rinse out large cans and add the tomato paste to the water in the large can and stir to dissolve. Add to the pot and stir well. Add basil, oregano and sugar, salt and pepper. Bring back to a bubble and lower heat and simmer.
• Bake 2-3 lbs. Sweet Italian Sausage in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. Add to sauce.
• Do not clean the pan.
• Make My Italian Meatballs #105179 then add to pan from sausage to bake. Add to sauce and continue to simmer 1-2 hours.
• Serve over your favorite pasta. Enjoy!

GRAMMIE'S SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS

Steps:

• SAUCE: In a large pot, mix vegetable juice, tomato paste, water, parsley flakes, celery leaves, salt and garlic.
• Cover and cook over medium-high heat.
• MEATBALLS: Mix together ground beef, eggs, salt, parsley flakes, garlic powder and bread crumbs together. If too wet, add more bread crumbs; if too dry, spoon some of the sauce into the mix.
• GENTLY shape into 2-inch meatballs. You don't want to press too hard or your meatballs will be tough. My kids like to have "kid-size" meatballs, so we have a mix of big and small meatballs.
• Once the sauce comes to a boil, lower heat to simmer and add the meatballs.
• Cover and cook for 2 hours.
• Makes 12-15 servings.
• Our family usually doubles the recipe and then we have a freezer meal and a serving for a lunch the next day too!
• I have also made this in the crock pot. Put it on HIGH in the morning (I had it in there for 8 hours).

SPAGHETTI AND DROP MEATBALLS WITH TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring a stockpot of water to a boil and salt it. Put the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
• Put the ground beef in a medium bowl. Grate the cheese, put 1 cup over the meat and reserve the rest, about 1/2 cup. Chop 1/2 cup of parsley and add all but 2 tablespoons to the meat mixture; save the rest of the parsley for another use. Add the bread crumbs, crack in the egg, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Gently mix until everything is just combined.
• Raise the heat to medium-high; use 2 teaspoons to drop rounds of the meatball mixture into the skillet without touching one another if you can help it. Adjust the heat so the meatballs sizzle but don't burn and cook undisturbed until they're lightly browned on the bottom, 5 to 6 minutes.
• Meanwhile, trim, peel and chop the onion; scatter it around the meatballs. Peel and mince the garlic and put it on top of the onions.
• When the meatballs are browned on the bottom and the aromatics begin to soften, add the tomatoes to the skillet, along with the bay leaves and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Adjust the heat so the mixture bubbles gently but steadily, then cover the skillet and cook until the meat cooks through, about 8 minutes. Remove the lid and let the sauce bubble vigorously to thicken for another 5 to 10 minutes, essentially while the pasta cooks. Stir only as needed and carefully if you do.
• Add the pasta to the boiling water and stir. Start tasting after 5 minutes. When the pasta is tender but not mushy, drain it, reserving some cooking water. Return the pasta to the pot.
• Move the meatballs to one side of the skillet with a spatula and stir the sauce; taste and adjust the seasoning. Discard the bay leaves and spoon about half the sauce into the pasta pot. Toss the pasta over low heat, adding a splash of cooking water to make it saucier if you like.
• To serve, divide the pasta among 4 plates or bowls; top with the meatballs and the remaining sauce, and sprinkle the remaining Parmesan and parsley over the top.

GRAMMIE'S ITALIAN TOMATO SAUCE & MEATBALLS

Steps:

• In a large pot, add puree and then fill that can 3/4 up with water, and also add to pot. Put in tomato paste, then fill each empty can with water twice, scraping the sides of the cans, and add to pot. Add grating cheese, and other seasonings. Stir to mix. Add more water if the sauce seems too thick. It's better to add too much water, and let it boil down, than have it too thick.
• Bring the sauce to a boil, then lower heat and simmer with a lid for about 1 1/2 hours.
• Meatballs: Mix all together and make balls and drop into sauce that is simmering. Let them sit in sauce about 20 minutes before stirring.