Penny's Spaghetti Sauce and Meatballs

Trinkets's Note:

This is such a great meal to make in abundance. Serve it to a crowd AND freeze some for later. So many different uses, too. I sometimes make the sauce with the meat crumbled into it and use some of that sauce for lasagna and/or baked ziti. Hope you like it, too!

• Total Time: 3 hrs 30 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 3 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 20

Sauce

• 2 onions, chopped
• salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 28 ounces petite diced tomatoes
• 30 ounces tomato sauce
• 24 ounces tomato paste
• 10 1/2 ounces consomme
• 1 1/2 cups dry red wine
• 5 cups water
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 1 tablespoon sugar

Meatballs

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 lb Italian sausage or 1 lb ground pork or 1 lb beef
• 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup olive oil

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a very large soup/stew pot and saute onions until soft, salt and pepper to taste.
2. Add remaining ingredients and stir until well combined.
3. Simmer the sauce for 3 hours and if you are going to add the meatballs:.
4. Place all meatball ingredients, except olive oil, in a large bowl and mix gently.
5. Do not over mix the meatballs, they will be tough.
6. Form and shape either small, 2" diameter balls or larger.
7. Salt and pepper and set aside.
8. Now you can either drop the meatballs into the simmering sauce for 3 hours or you can sear them first in the remaining olive oil and then drop them into the sauce.
9. My Italian friends prefer the fried meatballs.

Reviews

[Sunshine Forever]

I chose this recipe for PAC Fall 2008. I am picky about my meatballs and red gravy--but this was fantastic. I have always fried my paste, which took close to an hour. I really like the fact that I could throw this together quickly. For the meatballs, I used 1# of ground meat and 1# of ground pork. I put the meatballs in the red gravy raw and let them cook. I have always baked my meatballs for 30 min. then added them to the red gravy. This is my new favorite!

[QueenBee49444]

Absolutely delicious, did not need to add any additional seasoning. Even though I cut this recipe in half, both my husband & son had seconds and there is still enough for to freeze for leftovers later this month. Served this with salad and garlic bread. Sure to be another family favorite. Made, enjoyed, and reviewed for PAC, Spring 2008