Auntie Elaine’s Spaghetti Sauce and Meatballs

Recipe from Elaine Daily. (It is written as she dectated it to me years ago.)

Auntie Elaine, as she is referred to in our family, was Michael's first babysitter when I had to go back to work. We met Elaine as neighbors in South San Francisco and have been life long friends with her for nearly 50 years now

Ingredients

For Sauce:
Plan on freezing 4-5 jars.

11/2 onion (chopped) I use sweet onions.
olive oil
4 32oz. cans whole tomatoes
2 *toes of garlic (chopped fine)
4 8oz. cans tomato sauce
4 cans tomato paste
2 Tbl. dried oregano flakes
2 Tbls. dried basil
2 Tbls. dried rosemary
1 Tbls. garlic salt
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper (sprinkle salt over 1/2 half of the pot and pepper over other half)
1 Tbls cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup red cooking sherry
Note: If desired, you can add 1/2 to 1 pound Italian sausage that has been sauteed in a little olive oil.

For Meatballs:
2 lbs. hamburger (ground beef)
2 eggs (slightly beaten)
dash of garlic powder or salt
1/2 cup red cooking sherry
Enough seasoned bread crumbs (start with one cup and keep adding until balls hold together well)
 


Instructions

For Sauce:
If using Italian sausage, brown and crumble in 1 Tbls olive oil before adding the rest of the ingredients.

Chop onion and *two garlic cloves and saute in 1-2 Tbs. olive oil until softened, (not too browned)
Add tomatoes (I break mine up ahead of time or use the crushed tomatoes)
Add next 12 ingredients and cook down sauce, stirring occasionally.

For Meatballs:

Slightly beat 2 eggs
Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl ending with bread crumbs starting with one cup and keep adding until *balls hold together well
Note: You decide on *size (usually golf ball size is perfect
Let stand 30 minutes (preferably in refrigerator)
Brown meatballs on all sides in hot olive oil and/or drippings from your Italian sausage
Add to sauce
Simmer for up to 5 hours hours or to desired thickness (Don't forget to give it a stir now and then)