Spaghetti and Meatballs

If you have the time to make your own meatballs, I highly suggest it!  There is really nothing quite like a homemade meatball!  I understand that you don't always have the time, but plan ahead!  If you know you'd like to use them in a recipe during the week, make them on the weekend when the rest of your family is just sitting around watching TV one morning!  I made enough meatballs on Saturday to freeze a batch and use a batch for the Spaghetti and Meatballs!  They were absolutely delish!!!!!

Ok, my step-dad makes Spaghetti and Meatballs in the Slow Cooker all the time.  It's probably one of his and my mom's favorite things in the Crock Pot.  My mom says it tastes like her Granny's Spaghetti and Meatballs, so I definitely wanted to try it.  I changed the recipe only slightly because I like tomatoes in my sauce!

As I was putting the ingredients into the Slow Cooker, I never thought about the noodles clumping together.  Well, they did.  My step-dad says to add oil and to give it a stir toward the end.  So, I'll include some oil in the recipe I post below.  I think if I had stirred this halfway through the clumping wouldn't have been so bad.  I easily broke most of the clumps up with a large spoon....no biggie really!  Nonetheless, this tasted really really good!  The noodles are more cooked than we usually like them, but they soaked up SO much flavor and together with the meatballs, it was awesome!  We're excited to have the leftovers tonight!

I again used a Reynolds Slow Cooker Liner to help ease clean-up!  I am in LOVE with these!!!!   You can buy a single box or a 12 pack!!!! 

TIP:  If you are in a pinch, just use frozen meatballs.  Don't beat yourself up!  You can make them when you have time and use them next time.  It doesn't make you a bad cook! :)

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Ingredients:

Meatballs:

2 lb. lean ground beef

1 pkg. onion soup mix

1 cup Italian Bread crumbs

2 eggs

Olive oil to brown them in

Spaghetti:

1 lb. Wheat Spaghetti Noodles (they hold up better and are better for you!)

2 jars Spaghetti Sauce (I used Classico Sweet Basil)

1 jar water (use one of your Spaghetti jars)

1 14.5oz. can garlic and onion diced tomatoes (or whatever flavor your family likes)

1-2 Tbsp. Olive oil

Directions:

To make the meatballs:

Combine all ingredients and roll into golf-sized balls.  

Brown them in hot olive oil on all sides.

Pour 1 Jar of the Spaghetti Sauce and jar of water into the bottom of the Slow Cooker.

Break your spaghetti noodles in half and add those to the sauce.

This is where I would add the olive oil so the noodles don't stick so much.  Give it a quick stir to move that olive oil through the noodles.

Pour your can of diced tomatoes on top of that.

Next, place your browned meatballs on top.

(Mine were extra brown because I added a real onion to the mix.  It's harder to keep the meatballs together that way.  Stick to just the onion soup mix!  They taste just as good!)

Pour the second jar of Spaghetti sauce on top.

Cook on LOW for 4-5 hours or on HIGH for 2-3 hours.

Serve with buttered bread or garlic bread!

I added Parmesan Cheese on top of mine!

Enjoy!