spaghetti and meatballs

 want a quick and easy meal that's both delicious and comforting. well don't you dare look further. spaghetti and meatballs are a staple meal for many people and they definitely are for a reason. They will take you 20 minutes to make and 30 minutes to cook but your family will think you have been cooking for them all day long,  and they will be very grateful. heck, they might even offer to do the dishes. We both know that probably won't happen but we are allowed to dream right?! two simple steps and you'll be ready to feed your very hungry family.

 let's start with the spaghetti sauce. the better your ingredients, the better your sauce will be. try to grab good quality crushed tomatoes at the grocery store. It will make a big difference. I use a little bit of sugar in my sauce. It was my mom's secret trick. It cuts down the acidity of your tomatoes and helps cut the cooking time in half. I love using crushed pepper flakes for a lil spicy kick but if you're not into spicy food/heartburn, you can totally ommit it:) I use dried oregano and thyme. If you only have Italian seasoning, simply use a teaspoon of that and you will get very similar results. I love using loads of garlic in my meals but if you're not a big fan simply go with one clove.

ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion
• 1-3 garlic cloves
• 1 can crushed tomatoes
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

instructions:

• In a saucepan sauté the onion in olive oil until translucent.
• add in the garlic and cook until soft.
• add the crushed tomatoes and all the other ingredients.
• bring to a boil.
• lower the heat to medium-low and let it simmer semi-covered for about 30 minutes

                                              
for the meatballs, I am using pecorino Romano but you can totally go with parmesan. If you've never tried pecorino I would recommend it 100%. I worked in a cheese shop for a whole year and it was my absolute favourite cheese. The flavour is much softer than parmesan and a little more salty. It is made with sheep's milk which makes it lactose-free. When it comes to breadcrumbs, I like making my own when we have stale bread at home. it's a way to save money and waste less food. All I do is put stale bread in the oven at 200F and forget about it for a few hours. I let it cool and then pulse it in my blender and it's ready to use. On the plus side, it freezes wonderfully. I like cooking my meatballs until they are almost fully cooked and then placing them in the spaghetti sauce for their last minutes of cooking. it makes them more juicy and flavourful.

ingredients: 

• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup pecorino or parmesan

instructions

• mix all the ingredients together. Beware of overmixing. that would make your meatballs tough
• with 1 1/2 tablespoons of meat, form balls and place on an oiled baking sheet.
• bake at 350f for 15 minutes.
• transfer the meatballs to the sauce and cook for an extra 5 minutes

now cook yourself some pasta, grab the biggest plate you can find and  

 enjoy all these delicious carbs.