Spaghetti and Meatballs

I normally consider spaghetti one of those meals you can make when you have no time or energy for creative cooking as it's always simple and delicious.  That is, until now. 

I had bookmarked Pioneer Woman's spaghetti and meatballs recipe way back when I first started obsessing over reading her cooking blog.  Never having made homemade sauce before (thanks to Prego), I decided to give it a whirl.  This was also my first experience using fresh parsley!  It is so much more flavorful than my typical can of the dried stuff. 

Luckily, our kitchen was filled with great smells as I was in there cooking for well over an hour and a half.  Upon first bite, Hubs and I declared it was well worth the time and the mountain of dirty dishes.

Before the spaghetti, I whipped up some dough for yeast rolls for the first time without a recipe.  My grandma would be proud.

Ingredients:

Meatballs:
3/4 lb ground beef
3/4 lb ground pork
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup fine bread crumbs
2 eggs
3/4 cups freshly grated parmesan
1/4 cups parsley, minced
1/4 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper
splash of milk
EVOO

Sauce:
1 whole yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 whole, 28-oz can whole tomatoes (I used diced- whole ones freak me out!)
1 whole, 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup parsley, minced

Combine all meatball ingredients.  Roll into 1.5 inch balls.  Brown in large skillet with EVOO.  Set aside.
In the same pot, add onions and garlic and cook a few minutes.  Pour in tomatoes and wine.  Add remaining ingredients.  Stir to combine and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes.
Add meatballs to pot and simmer for 30 minutes. 
Serve over cooked spaghetti. 

This recipe makes A TON of spaghetti.  We will be eating this all week!