Best Meatballs and Sauce, with a side of pasta

March 24th 2014


Best Meatballs and Sauce
Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef (80/20)
1 handful of fresh parsley roughly chopped
1 piece of bread torn into small pieces
1/4 cup milk to soak the bread crumbs
1 TBSP garlic
1 TSP basil paste
1 TSP parsley paste
1 TBSP Italian seasonings
1 TSP red pepper flakes
salt and pepper
1 TBSP worseteshire sauce
1 can of tomato sauce
1 TBSP tomato paste
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese
1. Soak bread crumbs in milk for 5 minutes.
2. Reserve just a little bit of the seasonings for the sauce. Combine worseteshire, bread crumbs, parsley, garlic, basil, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to meat.
3. Roll into meatballs - should make about 10 meatballs. Place in a large sauté pan. Refrigerate until ready to use. When ready, drizzle meatballs with a light stream of olive oil and heat over medium heat. Cook meatballs, turning once about 4 minutes each side.
4. Remove meatballs to a plate. Deglaze pan with 1.4 cup chicken stock or white wine if you have it. Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, seasoning and mozzarella to the pan. Heat up over medium. Add back meatballs until heated through.
5. It is amazing what you can do by gathering a few ingredients on your counter and putting something together!  Today's pull together dinner was a success for sure!


Pasta a la TomatO:
1 pound penne pasta
1/2 cup olive oil
6 TBSP butter
1 handful of fresh parsley, chopped
1 TBSP Italian seasoning
2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese
1 TBSP tomato paste
1 TSP garlic seasoning
1 TBSP red pepper flakes


1. Make pasta according to directions and drain.
2. Add all the other ingredients and toss. Keep heat on low and combine all ingredients, tossing.


I served both of these side by side of each other. The tomato sauce from the meatballs will carry over into the pasta just a bit and it is delicious!  I am enjoying tonight's dinner with Coopers Hawk Innovation. This is an Anniversary blend wine for Wine Club members only!  So sorry I had to cancel my membership though..... This wine is good, I am still enjoying!


Good night
Julianne