Spaghetti and Meatballs!

 This is the milk soaking with the bread. This time I only had rye bread. It was surprisingly good!

 This is the mushrooms and spices. I used half white button and half baby portabellas! Yum!

 Here is the meat, foil lined pan, and the ice cream scoop used to form the meatballs.

Uniform shapes are best for evenly cooked meatballs.

This is after they are baked. Notice the nice crust. Remove them from the pan and let cool to prevent them from crumbling in your red sauce.

Dinner is on like a pot of neck bones!- That is a southern saying!  I realize writing this web site. I can not wait to eat. So.... all my pics have gobs of steam rolling off them!

Meat balls:

3 to 4 pounds of 80/20 ground beef

4 slices of wheat bread

3/4 cup of milk (we used skim)
2 eggs (Thanks for editing me Theresa! :-) I did not realize I omitted the eggs!)
1 small Spanish onion- minced finely.
1 clove fresh garlic- minced

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon onion powder

2 tablespoons of Italian seasoning

salt and a generous amount of pepper

Soak bread in milk. Get in there and rub the milk/bread mixture until- it becomes a sandy mixture with a little liquid. Beat the two eggs and add all the spices, onion and stir. Add ground beef and mix well. Use your hands God intended it that way. Do not over mix. It will make the meat texture become hard. I use an ice cream scoop to insure the meat balls are all the same size. Roll them in your hands to insure they are all round. Place on a foil lined sheet pan and bake on 350 degrees. This will take about 45 minuets. Let them cool before you add them to your red sauce. This ensures they will not break up and fall apart.

Marinara sauce:

3 cans diced tomatoes

2 large cans of tomato sauce

1 large onion diced
2 containers of mushrooms or 3 to 4 cups (they cook down)

1 large carrot -grated

1 large zucchini- grated

1 rib of celery- diced fine

3 tablespoons Italian seasoning mix

4 cloves garlic-minced

1 cup of Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot

3 tablespoon olive oil

salt and pepper

***When ever I have left over wine. I add 1 cup or more to the red sauce*** 

Use a large stock pot. Sauté mushrooms on medium heat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil until tender. Add onions, carrot, zucchini and 1 tablespoon olive oil and sauté with salt and pepper. Add all tomato products, herbs, garlic and wine. Let simmer as long as you want. Add the meatballs gently to the sauce. Just simmer!

This is a fantastic way to spend some time in the kitchen. This is very rewarding. You can freeze some for another day. I usually freeze the meatballs separate from the sauce. Remember. Have fun in your kitchen and reward your family. Remember, you can ROCK THAT PLATE!