Weeknight Spaghetti and Meatballs

Please note the "weeknight" part of this post.  Note the pasta sauce sloshed all over the bowl because the whole shebang had just been dumped into a large serving bowl right before a hungry toddler dove right in to eat a meatball.  Spaghetti is a favorite of Miss F's and meatballs send her over the moon with happiness.  This great recipe comes from A Taste of Home Cooking.  Her weeknight meal has a lot more impressive presentation than mine does, but who cares?  It's a weeknight (and it tastes damn good!)

Weeknight Spaghetti and Meatballs

½ pound ground beef
½ pound ground pork
1/3 cup Panko bread crumbs
1 large egg, lightly beaten
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes
½ teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup red wine
1 cup water
½ pound spaghetti

Combine meat, Panko, egg, half the garlic, Italian seasoning and some salt and pepper in a bowl and knead gently until combined. Form meat into meatballs, about 1-inch around. Refrigerate for 20 minutes to firm up the meat.

Heat oil in a large, 12-inch non-stick skillet with high sides over medium heat until just smoking. Cook meatballs until well browned all over, about 5 minutes. Transfer meatballs to a paper towel-lined plate. Drain fat from the skillet.

Add 1 tablespoon oil to the now-empty skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, basil, oregano, red pepper flakes, wine, water, pasta, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often, until pasta begins to soften, about 7 minutes.

Return meatballs to the skillet and simmer, covered, until meatballs are cooked through and pasta is al dente, about 5 minutes. Serve.

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