My Famous and Fabulous Meatball Recipe
Howdy! Sorry I kept forgetting to post this after promising to write it out. Now, please keep in mind that I don't actually use measurements when I make meatballs, so the second time you make them you may want to do some tweaking according to your own tastes. But here goes:
Make the sauce in a crock pot first, so that when the meatballs come out of the oven they will go directly into hot sauce.
Put in 2 16-ounce cans of tomato sauce, one 8-ounce can of tomato paste, and set the consistency you want by how much water you add in using the paste can (can will say 3 cans of water, but I want mine thicker so I don't use quite that much). Stir well to the consistency you like. Set it on high so the sauce will get hot while the meatballs bake.
Add the seasonings:
Teaspoon each: salt, black pepper, sugar, dry chopped oregano, ground basil
Cut up half a medium onion, then saute it in 4 tablespoons of olive oil along with 1 big , heaping tablespoon of chopped garlic (I buy the kind already chopped up in a jar from the produce department). Doesn't take but a couple of minutes -- don't let your onion get brown.
Heat about 1/2 cup of water in the microwave and put in a blender. Add the hot oil-onion-garlic mixture to the water and puree for a few seconds. Add to the seasoned sauce in the crock pot. Prepare a cookie sheet -- line with foil and spray lightly with oil. Set oven to 375 degrees.
Put into a big mixing bowl:
2 pounds of lean ground beef (at least 85% lean)
teaspoon salt, teaspoon black pepper, teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 egg
1/4 cup dry parsley flakes or you can chop fresh
1/2 cup bread crumbs (I use plain but you can use seasoned)
Use your hands to mix well, then form into meatballs. You will get 16 to 20 depending on the size of your hands and what you can comfortably work in your hands. The secret is to work each one in your hands at least 10 seconds so they come out nice and tender after baking.
Place formed meatballs onto cookie sheet then bake in oven for 25 to 30 minutes (don't over-cook).
Add meatballs to the sauce, adjust temperature of crock pot if needed, and let simmer at least 30 minutes (but it will be fine longer if you want to put it together and eat later). Cook spaghetti or other pasta according to package directions and enjoy!