Homemade Sauce and Meatballs become Meatball Subs

Sauces, soups, and stews always seem to improve overnight. The sauce and meatballs we made on Saturday were really, really good. And on Sunday I couldn't stop tasting the sauce as I was reheating it on the stove. I was so happy to have enough leftovers to share some with my parents, eat lunch, make tonight's dinner, and freeze 4 servings!

Jon spends his Sundays during football season out watching the Bills since we never get them on TV here. But since they were playing the Jets on Sunday, he was able to watch the game at home. At halftime, I put together these meatball subs.

Confession...I have never eaten a meatball sub. I wasn't a big meat eater as a kid, especially meatballs, and by 22 I was a vegetarian. But once I started eating meat again, Jon made meatballs and I was hooked - I love his recipe. And what better way to enjoy a meatball sub than with homemade meatballs and sauce?

Like with cheesesteaks, the roll makes all the difference. I only use Amoroso Rolls for cheesesteaks, so I also used Amoroso Rolls for our meatball subs.

I toasted the rolls in the oven for 30 seconds and then piled on the meatballs and sauce. I cut the meatballs into halves so they'd be easier to manage on the roll. I topped them with more sauce, a few slices of provolone, and put them under the broiler for about 3 minutes.

Comforting and delicious! And even better, a quick halftime meal so we can get back to the game!

Nothing Beats Homemade Tomato Sauce

Tomato sauce, as I call it, or gravy/tomato gravy, as others call it, is one of those foods that people are very passionate about. I'm sure major debates could be held to argue what makes the best sauce or gravy, and I have a feeling those debates could get ugly!

When I talk to friends or meet new people who like to cook, I like to ask what makes their tomato sauce the best. I have heard so many different responses - the type of tomatoes, the length time it simmers, starting it with meat, or simply because it's a secret family recipe that has been passed down for generations.

I have made tomato sauce several times, and the last time I made it, it was really good but I still felt that I could improve it somehow. So yesterday, on a cold and rainy Saturday after hearing Jon recommend meatballs and spaghetti for dinner, I set out to do just that. I looked back on all the times I made sauce, pulled together what I liked, and added a few new things. I think I have a winner here... this was the best sauce I have ever made.

The big difference this time was the use of red wine. I have heard people talk about it and they swear you can't make a sauce without it. Now, I agree!

Directions

• 1 onion chopped
• 6 cloves garlic pressed
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 sm can tomato paste
• 3 28 oz cans crushed tomatoes
• 1 28 oz can tomato sauce
• 1 c dry red wine
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning blend (marjoram, thyme, rosemary, sage, oregano, basil)
• Pinch sea salt
• 3 turns of freshly ground black pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• ½ c water (if it will be simmering for a while, wait 45 min or so to decide if you'll need it)
• Pinch white sugar, if needed (wait an hour)

Instructions

• In a large pot or dutch oven, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium high heat
• Add onions and garlic; saute until softened, about 5 minutes, adding red pepper flakes halfway through
• Add tomato paste and stir until completely mixed
• Add tomatoes and sauce, stir. Add wine.
• Add Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and bay leaves. Stir
• Let simmer over low/medium-low heat, stirring every 15 minutes. After about 45 minutes, I noticed that it was a nice thick sauce, but I would be simmering for another 3 hours and didn't want it to get too thick. This is when I added the water.
• After an hour or so, if it tastes too tart, add a pinch of sugar or two. I added one.
• I let my sauce simmer for 4 hours before we ate. In the last 30 minutes, I dropped in the meatballs Jon baked. For the meatball recipe, click here.

I don't mean to toot my own horn too much, but this sauce was perfect. It wasn't too sweet or too tart, but had the perfect balance of rich tomato flavor with just enough garlic and seasoning.

Three hours after devouring 2 meatballs and a plate of spaghetti with sauce, I pulled the sauce back out and ate it with some crusty bread. I already had some leftovers for lunch, and am looking forward to toasted meatball subs for dinner. I think I may even need to make chicken parm tomorrow just to use more of this sauce.

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. GO PHILLIES!!!

On the Menu - Week of 1/30/16

When I was meal planning this week, I tried to focus on making dual use of ingredients. One dish I had in mind called for some cilantro, so I found another dish to make that also uses cilantro so it doesn't go to waste.

Not only do I try to plan based on ingredients, I also like repurposing leftovers. My husband isn't a big fan of straight leftovers unless it is chili, meatloaf, or stew. So I'm always trying to get creative with mhy leftovers. Some examples -
 - Roasted or grilled pork tenderloin can become these Chinese Pork and Mushroom Wraps
 - Any type of risotto can become Arancini, risotto balls
 - Make extra rice one night and use it for Fried Rice another night
 - Leftover mashed potatoes can be used to make Potato Pancakes or Shepherd's Pie
 - Leftover cooked chicken can be used in a variety of soups or casseroles
 - And of course, meatballs make great Meatball Subs!

So when you are planning, think about how you can cook extra of a side to make it into something else later in the week, or how you can repurpose your main dish into something else. I hope this tip will help you with your meal planning!

Now here is our menu for the week -

Saturday: Meatloaf, Scalloped Potatoes and roasted broccoli

Sunday: Leftovers!

Monday: Creamy Chicken Chili - a new dish I'm trying based on a friend's recomendation

Tuesday: Leftovers. I may make some taquitos or enchiladas out of the leftovers depending on how the dish turns out

Wednesday: Breaded Pork Chops, buttered noodles and a veg

Thursday: Chicken Parm, spaghetti, and salads

Friday: Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers - I have been carrying these over for a while and hope I can finally make them this week.

Soup for the week - something with Quinoa and cilantro, using up ingredients from the Creamy Chicken Chili

Happy Cooking!