MMMeatballs with Pasta

I love comfort food, don't you?! We had not had spaghetti and meatballs recently (as in the last year or so). I thought it sounded good. BAP actually ate the SAME dinner as us without objecting. He really enjoyed it (except the noo'les); he even asked for seconds (I think he would have eaten them all if we would have let him). The meatball recipe I made was a different one then I have made before. Definitely a keeper; so delicious.

Italian Meatballs

Joy of Cooking cookbook - adjusted to our taste buds

1 clove garlic (I used 4 or 5)

1/2 cup packed fresh parsley leaves (omitted)

1 medium onion, halved

Put all in food processor and dice/chop fine

4 ounces Parmesan or Asiago cheese, cut into coarse chunks (1/2 cup grated)

1 T Italian seasoning

1 pound lean ground beef (elk)

1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs (used Panko)

1 large egg, beaten

3 T dry red wine (used cooking wine)

2 T tomato paste

1/2 t salt

1/8 t pepper

Put all ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir together (lightly) until ingredients just come together; don't mix too much otherwise meat will become tough.

Using a cookie scoop, place meatballs on 2 large greased cookie sheets; I used parchment paper (less mess). Bake at 400 for 25 to 30 minutes.

Makes 40 meatballs.

Pour 2 T olive oil in large deep-sided sauce sauce pan. After baked, put meatballs in pan; should be enough room for all of them (if you taste-test 2 first). Pour on a 26-oz can/jar of your favorite tomato sauce (we love Hunts Garlic and Onion); put on lid. Put on low-med heat. Boil water. Add pasta (I used 10 oz); cook until desired tenderness is acheived. Turn down heat on meatball-mixture to low to simmer as pasta cooks.

Serve with garlic bread and a salad.

Easy Garlic Bread

Butter both sides of desired number of slices of bread (just regular sandwich bread).

Sprinkle each slice generously with garlic powder (1/4 - 1/3 t per slice). Wrap in foil. Bake at 375 while meatballs are simmering in their sauce.