Spaghetti & Turkey Meatballs

 This is a big day for me because....I finally made my own spaghetti sauce. It's about time. It only took me twenty two years and 1000+ jars of store bought sauce later to figure out that I could have been saving money, eating healthier, and making my Italian relatives proud with a stellar sauce. Can you tell I'm pretty excited about it?  :)

It's simple, yet tasty and surprisingly healthy. The sauce gets it's flair from the herbs de provence, my new favorite seasoning. And the meatballs are mixed with garlic, soaked bread, parmesan, then into the oven to bake. It's a downright delicious home-cooked Italian meal, and I can't wait for you to try it!

Spaghetti with turkey meatballs

For the sauce:

• 2 28 oz cans crushed tomatoes
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 Tbs white sugar
• 2 Tbs minced garlic
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper
• 2 tsp herbs de provence
• 1 tsp italian seasoning
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 Ib thin spaghetti, cooked al dente

For the meatballs:

• 1 Ib ground turkey
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 3 slices white crustless bread, torn into pieces
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
• 1 1/2 Tbs minced garlic
• salt
• pepper
• garlic powder
• onion powder

Preheat the oven to 350. Heat a 6-quart pot with the olive oil on medium heat. Add the onions. Stir and let cook until onions are translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook a minute longer. Mix in the crushed tomatoes and add the salt, pepper, sugar crushed red pepper, italian seasoning, herbs de provence, and stir well. Lower heat and leave uncovered to simmer for about an hour or until the sauce thickens. Stir periodically.

While the sauce is cooking, begin making the meatballs. Line two baking pans with foil and some cooking spray. Set aside. Soak the torn bread in a large bowl with the milk. Squeeze out any excess milk and discard. Add the ground turkey, garlic, parmesan, and a generous amount of salt, (less of the salt) pepper, garlic, and onion powder.  Mix together well into thouroughly incorporated. Use your hands and form the meatballs. Space each meatball at least an inch apart and bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes, or until no longer pink in  the center. When meatballs are done cooking, scoop them into the sauce and let the sauce simmer another 15-20 minutes.

Serve with pasta and parmesan cheese. Enjoy!