My Meatballs

Ingredients:

2 lbs ground beef
1/2 lb Italian sausage
2 cups french bread crumbs
3 eggs
1 heaping T sweet basil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cloves garlic
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400

Prepare bread crumbs using day old French bread in blender or food processor
In a large bowl add all ingredients except water and mix well using hands.
Slowly add water and continue mixing gently until all is well blended.

Spray broiler pan with cooking spray

Using ice cream scoop form balls approximately 2" and palace on broiler pan.
Makes about 18 2" meatballs

Bake for 20-25 min until well browned with no pink.
Serve with your favorite sauce and pasta.

Donna's Spaghetti

Donna was one of my high school chums.  We did everything together.  Good times.  She gave me this when when we first moved out on our own.  She had her apartment and I had mine.  We took turns entertaining and cooking for each other.

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
2 T olive oil
1 large onion - diced
1 large clove of garlic - smashed
2 cans tomato soup + 1 can water
1 can tomato sauce
1 can tomato paste
1 -2 cups sliced mushrooms
2 tsp salt
2 heaping T sweet basil
1 lb thin spaghetti

Instructions:
Brown meat and set aside
Saute onions and oil in large pot just until translucent
Add garlic and cook 1-2 min
Add meat, soup, sauce, paste, mushrooms, salt and basil
Mix well
simmer 2 hours

Boil water and cook spaghetti

Optional (now my friend, Annetta gave me this little trick and I do think it made the sauce better)
Add to sauce while simmering
2 T sugar
1 tsp anise