Talk about “comfort food”!! My Mom used to make her pot of spaghetti sauce on the stove top. This was before crock pots, or slow cookers came on the market for sure. She would use a large pot, and set it on “simmer” for hours, with the lid set just slightly off center. She would frequently stir the pot – or ask one of the other family members to do so, if they were walking through the kitchen. We have not found a written recipe for this sauce – so apparently she kept it all to herself! It tasted the same every time. I’ve watched her make it enough times to know exactly what she put in to it. I have also tweaked my version over the years, to make it exactly my own. I use my crock pot, and let the sauce simmer for about 1 hour on high, then 5 more hours on low. This yields a perfect spaghetti sauce.
In the early days, she fried her meatballs on the stove top – in a skillet. As we all know, this tends to make a mess! She later discovered that she could “bake” them in the oven with the same end result, but much less mess. I use this technique as well, however I like to place foil, or parchment paper on the pan first, to make the cleanup easier. Also keeps them from sticking to the pan!
Mom used her bare hands to roll the meatballs – she somehow managed to get them all the same size. I think that’s how she instilled the LOVE into this dish! I started out making it exactly like she used to – but have found a few ways to make it a bit easier. I use an cream scoop to measure each meatball. You can make them any size you want by selecting one of several scoop sizes on the market. I also like to use rubber gloves! Trust me – the LOVE is still in my version!
I like the addition of Italian sausage. I usually have both the meatballs and sausage in the oven at the same time. The flavor they add to the sauce is amazing! The aroma that fills your house while this sauce is simmering all day is mouthwatering to say the least! My husband always ends up dipping a crusty piece of bread into the sauce before it’s even ready!
Here’s how the sauce is made:
Turn the crock pot on HIGH.
Add 2 large cans of crushed tomatoes, 1 small can of tomato sauce, and 1 small can of tomato paste to a crock pot. I also add about 1/2 c water. (If you want to feed more than 6 – 8, or want some for leftovers, add 1 extra can of crushed tomatoes).
Don’t be scared now! Yes, I add about 1 1/2 Tbsp of brown sugar! It does not make the sauce “sweet” at all, but adds a really nice flavor. Then add:
1 Tbsp. Minced garlic
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
Then turn your attention to the meat. I put the sausage links on a sheet pan covered with parchment paper.
Bake at 350 for 20 min. Turn each link over, and bake for another 10 min. Then cool slightly, slice, and add to the crock pot.
Now for the meatballs.
Here’s what you need:
1 1/2 lb ground chuck (I prefer 80/20 for this)
2 eggs
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper
2 Tbsp parsley
1/3 c Parmesan cheese – either grated or shredded, but fresh!
1/2 c Italian style bread crumbs
1/4 c Milk
Mix all ingredients with your gloved hands. The finished texture should be soft, but able to be shaped into balls. If it’s too “firm”, add a little more milk. If it’s too “loose”, add more bread crumbs. Use an ice cream scoop to shape balls, then roll between your 2 hands to shape. This will make 18 large meatballs.
Bake at 350 for 30 min. Add to crockpot.
After 1 hour on HIGH, turn crock pot down to LOW for another 5 hours.
This will serve 6-8 people easily. Start with a nice green salad. Then boil the spaghetti of your choice according to package directions. Top with the sauce, meatballs and sausage, a little parmesan cheese on the top, and garlic bread on the side. This is comfort food 101!!
