i want me some meatballs and spaghetti

Let’s start the great debate! Do you twirl or slurp? (his/her answer revealed at the end)

On the days when I want to do nothing and just lounge and enjoy the warm summer sun, I like to make pasta. Spaghetti and meatballs make the perfect lazy summer day meal.

Like Sandra Lee, I used to cheat and buy premade bottles of sauce from Trader Joe’s. But, that was until I found this simple recipe for tomato sauce that only needed three ingredients to make. That’s amazing, right?! I am more health conscious these days and would much rather cook than buy it premade…especially if it’s easy and does not require much time. I would like to thank Marcella Hazan for creating this brilliant recipe. This was the perfect recipe for my first foray into sauce making.

As for the meatballs, easy-peasy! The best part was squishing all the ingredients with the meat and of course, making them into balls!

But the hardest part for me has always been time management…like what should I cook first, should I do this now or later, but I want it all to be done at the same time, etc. etc. By this point, I’m sure you all understand the anxiety I feel when planning a meal.

Well, here’s what I did!

First cook the spaghetti…

While the pasta’s cooking, start mixing the meatball mixture and assembling them into balls…

it was so cold, but I loved squishing it!

roll the meatballs roughly to the size of a golf ball

By now, the pasta should be done cooking so drain it and start making the sauce…

these noodles were just waiting to be covered in yummy sauce!

one can of whole tomatoes, onion, and butter

When the sauce is cooking, pop those balls into the oven. After 30 minutes, your meatballs will be done. I decided to let my sauce simmer a little bit longer so it can soak up the onion…

meatballs done!

while the sauce is simmering, mash the tomatoes and onion to get all those yummy juices out

Once the sauce is done, toss in the spaghetti. If the sauce comes out a little runny, my kitchen tip is to add some cheese into the sauce to thicken it up.

toss toss toss

top with meatballs and serve! :)

Baked Meatballs (adapted from How Sweet it Is)

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1/3 cup of romano cheese
• 1 teaspoon of dried basil
• 1 teaspoon of dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
• 1/4 cup of panko bread crumbs

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Mix all the ingredients. If the meatball mixture is a bit too mushy or loose add more bread crumbs.
3. Roll into bite sized meatballs and place onto the baking sheet.
4. Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes.

Tomato Sauce with Butter and Onions (adapted from Marcella Hazan’s Essentials of Italian Cooking)

• 28 ounce can of whole peeled tomatoes
• 5 tablespoons of unsalted butter
• 1 medium yellow onion, peel and halved
• salt/pepper to taste
• dash of oregano

Directions:

1. Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add all the ingredients and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and keep at a steady simmer. While it’s simmering, mash the tomatoes and onion.
3. Cook for 45 minutes, or until droplets of fat float free of the tomatoes. Stir occasionally. Discard the onion. Keep it covered until ready to serve.

OH! By the way, she twirls and he slurps :)

one of my favorite scenes from Friends