Spaghetti and Meatballs

Classic Italian, made easy!

:Marinara Sauce:

4 Ribs of celery chopped
4 Carrots chopped (or use a couple handfuls of baby carrots)
1 Large onion chopped
6 Cloves of garlic minced
1/2 Cup Olive oil
3 32 oz. cans of crushed tomatoes
1 tsp. Sugar
Salt
Pepper
3 Bay leaves

In a large pot, heat the oil until it begins to simmer but not smoke. Add the onion, carrots, celery (this is called a Mirepoix French but we're borrowing it for Italian food right now) and a bit of salt. Cook these until the onions are translucent and the carrots are soft. Add the garlic. Cook until the garlic is fragrant (this will take like 30 seconds). Add the crushed tomatoes. Stir and admire the beauty of the sauce. Add sugar to take the acidic edge off. Add dried bay leaves. Let the sauce simmer for an hour. Salt and pepper to taste.

I usually make a ton of this and freeze the majority in tupperware for quick dinners. If I am adding meatballs, I do that while it is simmering for an hour.


:Turkey Meatballs:
(Shout out to Giada for these meatballs...imagine her obnoxious accent while you read this)

1/4 Cup bread crumbs
1/4 chopped flat leaf parsley
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 tbls milk
3/4 Parmesan cheese
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp black pepper
1 pound turkey
1/4 cup olive oil

Stir together first 7 ingredients. Add the turkey and mix until just blended. Shape quarter sized balls of the meat mixture and place on a plate.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working with about 6-8 balls o' meat at a time, cook in the skillet about 3 minutes each side. The meatballs should be browned all over. Set these meatballs aside on another plate. Continue working one batch at a time until the meatballs are all cooked. Add the meatballs to the marinara sauce. Heat until warm!

Add the meatball marinara to your favorite pasta. Kirk and I like whole wheat pasta, typically angel hair with the meatballs. I used to not like whole wheat pasta as much but I found that cooking it a bit longer works well for us.

Enjoy!