In a Meatball Minute

Before I started cooking my own meatballs, I felt they were the kind of food that only an old pro could make--some wizened Italian woman in her seventies with hours to spare in her kitchen. Those kind are probably pretty fantastic, but my improvised version takes way less time and expertise. Super slapdash and a little different every time, depending on what's in the kitchen--behold!

Not Yo' Mama's Meatballs (serves 2 with leftovers)
1/2 lb. ground beef or turkey
1/4 white onion, finely minced
1/4 green bell pepper, finely minced
1 Tbsp. flat parsley, finely minced
2-5 cloves garlic, smashed and finely minced
1 egg, beaten
1 splash red wine or red wine vinegar
1/4 c. bread crumbs and/or oatmeal and/or wheat germ
ground black pepper to taste
ground sea salt to taste
dried italian seasoning blend to taste
pinch red pepper flakes
1 32 oz jar pasta sauce (I like Newman's Own or the Whole Foods 365 brand)

Mix all the ingredients together except for the pasta sauce. Add just a spoonful of the sauce to the meat mixture for additional flavor. The only real way to do this is with your hands, so wash up good and get meat-y. In a large pot, heat 1-2 tsp. olive oil. Then, form the meat mixture into round balls. This recipe usually gets me six or seven. Brown them in the pan, turning with tongs to cook them through. This takes around ten minutes. Then, pour the sauce in and bring to a simmer for another ten-ish minutes.

We like to chomp on this with whole wheat spaghetti or tortellini, a simple green salad, and Alexia's evil/awesome Garlic Bread. Way better than spaghettios, for real.