Meatball Bake

 Ingredients

6 vegan/vegetarian meatballs.  I like the ones made of mushrooms.
1 cup spaghetti sauce
2-4 oz fresh mozzarella, cut into pieces

 How to Make Meatball Bake

This is a super easy, delicious weeknight meal that the Beau really loved.  I was inspired by some fresh motz that needed to be used and some leftover spaghetti sauce.  Feel free to add in whatever you want here, but I found that this was simple and delicious.

Little ramekins will make this a lot easy to make and serve, but if you don’t have any, you can use oven-safe bowls or a little oven-safe dish.  This might not seem like a lot of food, but it is actually quite filling.  I served this up with a nice green salad (and some wine of course).

To make, warm sauce and meatballs together in a small sauce pan.  Then, simply spoon the sauce and meatballs into the ramekins and cover evenly with cheese.  Put under the broiler on low until cheese is melted and bubbling.  Enjoy!!

Spaghetti Sauce

Ingredients

28 oz can of diced tomatoes
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 tbs olive oil
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried Italian herb mix
1 pinch granulated onion/onion flakes
1/2 tsp granulated garlic
6-8 whole peppercorns
1 pinch red pepper flakes
S&P
Splash of balsamic vinegar (optional)

1 tsp reduced fat cream cheese (optional)

10 oz whole wheat pasta, cooked in salted water
Parmesan Cheese (optional)

 

How to make Spaghetti Sauce

This is a recipe that only gets better the longer you cook it, so be prepared to wait a bit for the deliciousness that will ensue.

If you like, add some vegetable towards the end!

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat.  Add garlic, salt and pepper.  Heat until fragrant (about 4 minutes).  Add in tomatoes and juice, herbs, and seasonings.  Be careful with the salt here.  You do not want to over salt this because it will reduce.

Bring to a slow boil and then reduce to a simmer.  Cover and cook for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally.  For the last 30 minutes, I leave it uncovered to reduce a bit more.  If using the cream cheese and/or balsamic, add it in at the very end.

Break up any large pieces of tomato with a fork, and serve tossed with pasta and topped with Parmesan cheese.  Enjoy!