The Secret is in the Sauce

My Aunt Jan has been making her spaghetti sauce and meatball meal ever since I can remember. A few years ago, I begged her to pretty please with sugar on top teach me her secret. I didn't have to twist her arm very hard at all actually, she was so excited to pass the recipe down!

Just like the chocolate chip cookie recipe that is written down on a random piece of paper where the recipe is slowly fading away, so is this one. I asked if I could share her secret recipe on my blog, as this is where I do write EVERYTHING down (or try to at least) and she happily agreed (actually, a long time ago, I just haven't made it since I got the okay and I didn't want to post without pictures)!

***The steps might be all over the place, but this is exactly how I make it, so giving it to you like I know how to do it!

To start out, place at least 3 hot Italian sausages in a pan that has a small amount of water at the bottom (we used about 16, they are always a crowd favorite) and bring to a boil. Cover and turn until cooked to nice and brown. There are too many in this pot, so I moved half of them to another pan to cook at the same time.
This step does take awhile, so while they are browning, I start on the meatballs!

Below is everything you will need to make 'em, remember to preheat the oven to 350 degrees before you start!
3 lbs ground beef
1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley
6 eggs (slightly beat and put in a separate bowl and set aside, add in right before the milk and bread crumbs)
1 tbsp oregano
1/4 Romano cheese (Parmesan can be used if you can't find Romano)
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp black pepper
2 chopped garlic cloves (I use more, I like garlic!)
1/2 tsp garlic salt (you can use powder if you don't have salt)
1 and 1/2 cups milk
1 and 1/2 cups bread crumbs

Put all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix together with your hands, or have your six year old do it! Just so happens that this is my least favorite part and Kyan's favorite, so it is a win/win situation for both of us!
While he is mixing, this is the perfect time to take care of the sausages on the stove! They probably aren't done yet and this is about the time that I cut them in half for two reasons. One, so that I have enough room in the pan, and two, because I am so paranoid about cooking meat all the way that I want to make sure that it is really cooked!

Back to the meatballs! After everything is mixed up well, it is time to start rolling into small balls. I use an ice cream scoop to get just the right amount out (I haven't invested in one of those meatball gadgets yet, but need to), roll into a small balls and set them on a broiling pan.
Once you have filled the pan (you will have just enough to fill one), place in your preheated over for 30 minutes and then go check on your sausages!

All done (or close anyway)! Take them out of the pot and set aside. Scrape the bottom of the pot but do not throw away the scrapings, you want to keep it all in there for the flavor! This is going to be the same pot that you make the sauce in and once it is scraped you are ready to start!

Speaking of the sauce, below is everything that you are going to need.
1 yellow onion
2 garlic cloves (again, I used a few more)
2-3 carrots
2-3 celery sticks
1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley
1 basil leaf
1lb 12 oz can whole peeled tomato w/ basil
1lb 12 oz can crushed tomato
1lb 12 oz can tomato puree
12 oz can tomato paste
sprinkle of nutmeg
1 bay leaf
2 tsp salt
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup Romano cheese (Parmesan is a good substitute)

Now that you know what you need, time to get started!
Take that pot that has the sausage scrapings in it and add the chopped yellow onion, garlic cloves, carrots, celery sticks, and parsley. Cook on medium heat.

Just about the time that you get this going, the oven should be beeping for the meatballs in the oven. Time to flip them over.
Put them back in the oven for another 30 minutes.

Back to the sauce. After it turns a nice golden color, put the heat on low and put in your basil leaf.

Time to put in the tomato cans. I always start with the whole peeled tomatoes. I don't like chunky sauce, so I squish the whole tomatoes in my hands, over the pot, before I actually add them in. I don't break them all the way up, but enough so that guests won't be eating a giant tomato with one bite. Then, I run the can under the faucet, to get any excess sauce stuck to the side off (I fill the can 1/2 way up with water) and then I add it to the sauce. Again, it makes the sauce less thick, so skip this step if you want thicker sauce.
Repeat this same process for the remainder of the tomato cans: crushed, puree, and paste. Stir and cover. Let it simmer until it starts to reach a boil.

When it begins to boil, lower heat and sprinkle in nutmeg, add the bay leaf, salt, oregano, sugar, pepper, and Romano cheese. Cover and stir every every 10-15 minutes or so.

BEEP! BEEP! Just in time for the meatball timer to go off. Take 'em out of the over and set aside to cool.

Now, I let the sausage and the meatballs cool off and then I put them in separate containers and throw them in the fridge. I let the sauce cool down and put the entire pot in the fridge too, but not before my sweet boy gets to try it, after all, he worked just as hard as me to make everything! He lives for meatballs (he even ate them for breakfast the next morning)!

It was late, Lola fell asleep on the couch after all of our cooking (we made our cookie dough for the Chocolate Chip cookies the same night we made the meatballs and sauce, girlfriend was pooped) so I couldn't help adding this one in here too! Love to watch both my kiddos sleep and kiss on them too when they are snuggled up like that.

I let everything sit overnight in the fridge, it helps the ingredients to blend together I think, but you could certainly serve as soon as you are finished making it. The next day, I throw the meatballs and sausage in with the sauce and let it cook on low for a few hours before serving with fresh garlic bread (butter, garlic powder, oregano, Parmesan cheese, cook in oven about 10 minutes on 350 degrees) and tortellini noodles.
I only make this once or twice a year, as it is seriously enough to feed a small army (easily 15-20 people) and it is so much work, but worth the reward at the end! My dad and his, errrrr, I mean Kyan's golf buddies LOVE this meal and every time they come into town, we make it for them! On Saturday they were here for one of their two golf trips per year and they came hungry!

Thank you Aunt Jan, for letting me watch you and write down your secret (that is now getting shared with everyone)! You are an amazing cook and it is always so much fun to be in the kitchen side by side with you! I love that Kyan loves to be in there with me now too!