Meatball Sammiches

Jason is super stoked. Tonight we're having meatball subs with homemade turkey meatballs. I make meatballs at least once a week, for spaghetti.. but this week I decided we should change out the noodles for sub rolls and the parm for provolone. Not all my kids love spaghetti the way I do (still not sure I took the right baby home from the hospital because of this).. But they all LOOOOVE meatball sammiches. So tonight I shall make them all happy happy.

My meatballs are super duper easy.

1 package sweet italian turkey sausage links, casings removed (you could do this with regular pork italian sausage.. but I'm on the weight watchers train for the umpteenth time so we do the turkey)
2 pieces of toast ground up in the food processor (or you could go with 1/2 cup breadcrumbs.. but I keep forgetting the dang breadcrumbs at the store)
a splash of wine (like an ounce or so.. not a ton, but enough to make you feel good about yourself)
1 egg, beaten
some garlic pepper (yeah, idk how much.. like a teaspoon maybe? I really should measure things, but where's the fun in that)
some dried oregano (again, I outta measure this, it's prolly a teaspoon or so)
some fresh basil (haha are you seeing a theme here? this is prolly more like a tablespoon or two)

Mixy Mixy this all up with your hands, and roll into little meatballs.. Bake them off in the oven at 425, until they are golden brown (throw a sheet of parchment paper on the cookie sheet to make your life a LOT easier when removing them) . I really am not sure how long I bake them.. I just watch them.. when they are golden, they come out and go for a swim in the sauce. If I had to guess, I would say around 10 mins. Usually it takes the same amount of time to bake the meatballs as it does to make up the sauce.. so that's my time measurement.

The sauce.. is simple. Start with an onion and 5 or 6 cloves garlic that you've finely diced and browned up in some olive oil with a little salt and pepper. When they are nice and translucent you add the tomatoes. Tomato Puree. Not tomato sauce. I don't like tomato sauce. Sorry to any tomato sauce lovers out there.. but I think it's grody. I just do. So, tomato puree.. and if you use the sauce, just don't tell me about it, okay?.. then add in a a couple teaspoons of dried oregano, a big ole handful of chopped fresh basil.. a couple tablespoons of sugar.. and you are in business my friends! If you're feeling frisky (and I usually am) and the wine is still out (why wouldn't it still be out, you know you're drinking it).. deglaze those onions and garlic with a bit of wine before throwing the tomatoes into the pot. Check your seasonings for salt and pepper, and voila! You have homemade sauce that your homemade meatballs can swim in!!f Let them swim in the sauce with a lid over the pot for 10 mins or so (this is when I cook the noodles) with the heat on medium heat.. so all the flavors can marry, and the meatballs can soak up some of that lovely sauce.. Whether you put those meatballs and sauce on some nice cooked spaghetti and top with a little parm... or shove them between a big soft sub sammich roll and top with a slice of provolone.. is up to you. Either way.. you will have a happy crowd. Unless they don't like meatballs. In which case, find a new crowd. :D

This is yummy. :)