There is nothing better than a house filled with the smell of a slow-cooked tomato sauce and simmered meatballs. This recipe is designed for the stove, but it can be done just as easily in a crock pot.

Ingredients:

1 lb of ground beef

1/2 lb of ground pork

1 yellow onion, diced and divided

4 cloves of garlic, minced and divided

2 cups of cubed Italian bread

2 eggs

1 cup of milk

1 cup of parmesan cheese

1 Tbsp of salt

2 tsp of pepper

2- 28 oz cans of tomato sauce

1 Tbsp of fennel seed

2 tsps of dried oregano

1 bay leaf

3 tsp of salt

For the meatballs, combine beef and pork with half of the diced onion and half of the garlic.  Add bread cubes, egg, milk, cheese, salt and pepper.  Mix until just combined.  (Do not over-work the mixture or the meat will become compacted and tough.)

In a large stock pot, heat the remaining onion and garlic in oil.  Add fennel seed.  Cook for 2 minutes.  Add tomato sauce, salt, oregano and 1 bay leaf.  Bring to a simmer.  Add the meatballs and cover the pot.  Allow the meatballs to cook in the tomato sauce for one hour.

Serve over pasta.