Being Lutheran with German heritage on both sides of my husband’s family, we enjoy lots of German food. Which means, we eat a lot of cabbage and sausage! Every year, our church holds a celebration of food for Oktoberfest – German Food Recipes.
When our daughters and their families come to visit on weekends, I like to serve big breakfasts, whether pancakes, French toast, or a breakfast casserole. This Puff Breakfast Casserole works well. I had my first lesson on puff pastry when I was a girl in …
I’d never tried making my own Homemade Spaghetti Sauce with Meatballs until one summer when I had a bunch of garden tomatoes to use. I have to admit that it’s time consuming to prepare the fresh tomatoes, but my, oh my, did it smell good in the kitchen. And it tasted great!
There’s something really wonderful to have a pot of sauce simmering on the stove. The smells that escape into the kitchen are divine. And this is an amazing motivator to produce the best meal possible.
Fresh Sauce. Fresh Pasta. Freshly Made Bread. You can do it!
One tip that will save you a lot of time and frustration is to parboil your fresh tomatoes. Bring a large pot or roaster of water to a boil and add tomatoes to the water. You want enough water to cover the tomatoes in a single layer. Allow to boil for 25-30 seconds or until you see the delicate skin begin to peel. Whichever comes first. Then remove tomatoes from the boiling water with a slotted spoon.
Place the hot tomatoes in ice water to stop the cooking. Repeat this process until all the tomatoes have been blanched. You will now be able to easily peel the skins from the tomatoes.
At this point, you can begin preparing the sauce. In a large Dutch oven, saute onion and garlic in oil, and then add the rest of the sauce ingredients. Bring to a boil, and then simmer for 2.5 – 3 hours.
Toward the end of the cooking time, prepare your meatballs and bake them in the oven. Make the meatballs small or gigantic. Our grandchildren like them big. That’s a Mighty Meatball. When the meatballs have browned, you may add them to the sauce, along with the buttered mushrooms. Continue allowing this to simmer while you prepare your pasta.
If you’re really motivated to make a fantastic meal, prepare my Homemade Pasta while your sauce is cooking. If not, I highly recommend De Cecco Spaghetti #12 Or Sam’s Choice Italia Bronze Cut Enriched Spaghetti.
Since you’re making this fantastic homemade Italian dinner, you may as well add some breadsticks and a dessert to the menu. Go ahead. Do it! You won’t believe the sense of accomplishment it will bring you.
See more Italian Dinner Recipes Here.
