Meatball sandwich

What you need:
1 package multi-grain French rolls
1 package part-skim mozzarella cheese
Meatballs
Grandma’s Secret Pasta Sauce

What you need:
Meatballs:
2 16-oz package of ground turkey
1 cup raw oatmeal
1/4 cup flax seed meal
1/2 cup finely diced sweet onion
1/2 cup egg whites or Egg Beaters
14 oz can low sodium diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons fresh diced parsley
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
3 tablespoons olive oil

Grandma’s Secret Pasta Sauce:
5 tablespoons dried oregano
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons fresh, chopped basil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Garlic powder
2 small brown onions,diced
Salt/Pepper
7 cloves of fresh garlic, minced
Dash of Cajun seasoning
2 tablespoons of Olive Oil
(2) 15 oz. cans of tomato sauce or puree
(2) 6 oz. cans of tomato paste
(2) 14.5 oz. cans of diced tomatoes
Red wine (any red will do)
Water (you will be adding approximately 49.5 oz. of water along the way during the cooking process. The water allows the sauce to cook longer and develop the flavor and consistency)

Making the sauce:
1. Put enough olive oil in the pot to just barely cover the bottom. You want to have enough oil where the garlic can soak a little in the oil.
2. Chop up the cloves of garlic as fine as you can. It’s better to do this manually with a knife and your fingers in lieu of using a garlic chopper or garlic press.
3. Add the garlic to the oil. Do not heat the pan up yet, just let the garlic sit there and bathe in the olive oil for a bit, this will help get the garlic flavor into the oil. You listening? These are grandma cooking secrets… it’s important stuff 😉
4. While the garlic is bathing in the olive oil, chop up (2) small brown onions as fine as you can.
5. Heat the oil and garlic – medium heat. Heat until you see little bubbles around the garlic. (DO NOT OVER COOK THE GARLIC) When you see the little bubbles around the garlic add the chopped up onions and lower the heat to medium low. Be sure to do this as soon as you see the little bubbles around the edges of the garlic ~ This is Important!
6. Simmer at low heat, the oil, garlic and onions for about 5 minutes. While the onion, garlic and oil are simmering add 1 tsp. Oregano, 1/2 tsp. Sweet Basil, a dash of Salt and Pepper and mix well.
7. Spoon in (1) 6 oz. can of Tomato Paste. Fill this 6 oz. tomato paste can with water, stir it up good to get all the paste off the inside of the can and add it to the pot.
8. Turn the heat back up to medium. Mix well until paste is liquefied and mixed well with the garlic and onions. Simmer for about 4 minutes. Stir constantly! Add a touch of salt, black pepper and 1/2 tsp. of oregano.
9. Stir in (2) 14.5 oz. cans of Diced Tomatoes. Mix well and simmer for 10 more minutes. Stir every couple of minutes. While simmering add 1 tsp. Oregano (yes, again), 1/2 tsp. Sweet Basil, 1-1/2 tsp. fresh chopped parsley, just a dash of Cajun Seasoning, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder and a dash of course black pepper. Also, this is a good time to start drinking some red wine.
10. Add the second 6 oz. Tomato Paste. Fill this 6 oz. tomato paste can with water, stir it up good to get all the paste off the inside of the can and add it to the pot. Mix well and heat for another 15 minutes or so. Add a little salt and pepper. The heat should be set to medium heat, the sauce should not be boiling, if boiling turn down heat just a little. Also be sure to stir sauce every minute or so, you don’t want anything sticking to the bottom of the pan in this part of the sauce making process.
11. Add (2) 15 oz. cans of Tomato Sauce or Puree (“Hunts”). Mix well.
Fill all (2) of these cans 1/2 full of water, stir it up good to get all the sauce off the inside of the cans, then add this to the sauce. Mix the sauce again.
Add 1 tsp. Oregano (yes, again), 1 tsp. fresh parsley, 1 tsp. sweet basil and 1/4 tsp. garlic powder. Mix well. Keep at medium heat and cover pan. Be sure the sauce is not at a rapid boil. A little boiling is OK but not too much. Heat should be at medium or lower.

Making the meatballs:
1. Lay a piece of parchment on the counter. This is where you place your meatballs before you cook them.
2. Wash your hands.
3. Put all your ingredients in a large bowl and use your hands to blend it together well.
4. Heat large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Put 1 tablespoon of oil to coat the pan.
5. Form meatballs into 1 oz portions so you should have 32 of them on your parchment.
6. Brown all sides of the meatballs in the hot pan.
7. Transfer to your pot of pasta sauce.
8. Do the same for the second and third batches of meatballs until all 32 are cooked and soaking into the pot of sauce.

Putting the meatballs & sauce together

1. Split the sauce into two large saucepans.
2. Lower the heat of the sauce to low, so both pans of sauce are simmering.
3. Add in the meatballs. Put half in one pot and half in the other so they won’t be crowded as they soaks in the juices and flavors of the sauce.
4. Simmer for three hours.
5. The sauce actually tastes better after it sits for awhile so you can let it cool and then just reheat when ready to eat.
6. Toast your multigrain French’s sandwich roll.
7. Place 2-3 meatballs on one half of the toasted roll, top with a tablespoon of mozzarella cheese.
8. Let it melt and then enjoy!