Good Living with Aprilanne

Grandma Rose’s Authentic Italian Tomato Sauce:

Why do Italian’s call Red Sauce - Gravy? The answer - Red Gravy contains meat, or the meat drippings from the browned sausage, meatballs and spareribs that eventually went into the sauce to be served with the pasta of choice.

Sauce as in Marinara Sauce - does not contain meat, and therefore retains the more common name of Red Sauce. Below is a “good” approximation of what goes into Authentic Italian Gravy - yet keep in mind - you can always get in touch with your “Inner Italian” and add whatever else you might like to “Make it Your Own.”

1. Place some Olive Oil ( a few Tablespoons) in the bottom of a large Pot - add a few cloves of garlic, gently brown - remove garlic cloves if desired.

2. Add 2-3 large cans of STRAINED Plum Italian Tomatoes - discard pulp (some will dice up the pulp and add it to the Sauce for a chunkier effect).

3. Add a hand-full of diced fresh basil, a pinch of salt and pepper to taste; bring to a boil, and reduce the heat to simmer to thicken. The thicker version is used on pasta, the thinner, lighter version is used when making your baked dishes such as lasagna and manicotti.

4. Add your browned meatballs, sausage, etc. to enhance flavor as desired - When meat is warmed through it’s ready to serve. Note: The longer the Gravy simmers, the thicker it will get, so be careful not to overdo the simmering process.

FUN FACT #2 - Grandma Rose would also pour the drippings from the browned meats into the Sauce for extra flavor but stopped doing this as she got on in years once the adverse effects of too much fats and oils in the diet became more well known.

5. At the end just prior to serving - toss in a pinch of fresh Oregano - if the Oregano sits too long in the simmering sauce, it will turn the flavor bitter. Serve with your favorite pasta and our Authentic Meatball Recipe from Grandma Rose.

Watch California Living’s “Making Meatballs with Aprilanne” now Ondemand!

Authentic Italian Meatballs and Spaghetti can be yours!

A little background on this recipe:  Grandma Rose’s generation did not use measurements in recipes, but rather cooked with their senses, how the food looked, tasted, and even felt, adding more cheese, or spices etc., to perfect the texture, consistency, and flavor of a dish. With this in mind, the following recipe is the official recipe known as  “Grandma Rose’s Authentic Italian Meatballs,” compliments of Joe Mack, Grandma Roses’ eldest son, who recommends tasting one as soon as it’s cool enough, “because that’s when they taste the best.”

Get in touch with your “Inner Italian” and give it a try…Buona Fortuna!

2 pounds of chopped beef, veal and pork
2-3 eggs depending on size, slightly beaten
1/2 cup plus of finely chopped onion
3 slices of white bread or 2-3 hotdog rolls, chopped finely - About 1/2 cup of skim milk or more - Very big bunch of Italian Parsley chopped fine/leaves only
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Heaping tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

1. Soak chopped bread in milk till it is nice and mushy

2. Add eggs, parsley, onions, cheese, salt and pepper and mix well

3. Add chopped meat and mix well using your *hands; there is no alternative

*Fun Fact # 1 -Grandma Rose would never wear nail polish when cooking for fear that it may chip into the food she was preparing..

4. When thoroughly mixed, form into meatballs by rolling in your palms. You should make 18 to 24 meatballs.

5. Place meatballs in lightly oiled, olive of course, cookie tin and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Do not overcook. The meatballs may be browned in a frying pan; however, the baking is easier and probably healthier.

6. When cool remove meatballs from pan and scrape off any fat that has formed. Did you make more than you need or want to freeze some to enjoy at another time? Try Joe Mack’s Freezing Trick - by laying them out on a cookie sheet and covering to freeze for later use. Check back periodically for additional “Authentic Italian,” Wine Country Cuisine, and “California Living” inspired recipes to try out!

Watch  “Making Meatballs with Aprilanne” now On-Demand on Aprilanne.com

Making Meatballs with Aprilanne!

Why “Meatballs?”   I began my quest for a chef to cook MEATBALLS with me on the show since I found out how “hungry” people are for real, authentic, Italian recipes by the popularity of my Grandma Rose’s MEATBALL Recipe .   And thanks to my Italian heritage - I’ve got a lifetime of great, authentic Italian recipes to share so consider MEATBALLS just the beginning of the many good things to come!

There are some things in life you just can’t live without -  like Grandma Rose’s Authentic Italian Meatballs and Spaghetti Sauce! 

Now while I have 2 Meatball Recipes to share with you  - the first is my Grandma Rose’s Recipe since it is recipe to make the Meatballs I grew up on…which has been handed down generation after generation.  The secret ingredient in this recipe is the hot dog roles (yes you read that right!) which are soaked in milk prior to mixing in with the meat to give these meatballs that delectable softness Grandma Rose’s Meatballs are famous for.

The 2nd recipe is courtesy of Sonoma County Chef Graziano Perozzi who, graciously showed us how to “make meatballs” on California Living Prime Time - which can be viewed in the video player above for an easy step by step account of how to…make Meatballs!

Graziano’s Meatballs, unlike Grandma Rose’s, don’t call for any bread or breadcrumbs.  Are they still soft and delicious?  Why not make both recipes and you be the judge…and if you are so inclined - drop us a note to let us know your vote on which recipe makes the better Meatball - Enjoy!   Aprilanne

AuthenticMeatballs.com

Graziano Perozzi’s Fresh Tomato Sauce and Meatballs Recipes as seen on California Living with Aprilanne primetime:

Graziano insists on using fresh ingredients for the best flavor and nutrition!

First you make the Fresh Tomato Sauce:

1. Cut a small X on top of 4 ripe, large, on the vine tomatoes - place in boiling water (boil for approx. 2 minutes to blanch - remove from water and pull off skin - dice.

2. Place approximately 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive in a large saute pan and saute 3 large shallots, minced.

3. Once onions are clear in color - add diced tomatoes to pan - one 8 oz. glass of white wine and approximately 8 oz. of water.

4. Add 1 bunch loosely cut fresh basil and 2 tsp. each sea salt and black pepper.

5. Simmer about 2 hours - the longer it cooks the thicker the sauce will be.

Now, you “Make The Meatballs!”

(Recipe makes enough for 4 people):

1. Mix 1 lb. each of ground lean beef and ground lean veal in large mixing bowl.

2. Add 3 eggs, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, sea salt and black pepper to taste (2 tsp. each).

3. Mix in 3 cloves garlic, minced and 1 shallot finely chopped.

4. Add 1 bunch chopped fresh Italian parsley.

3. Mix all ingredients together well using your hands; there is no alternative to do it right.

4. When thoroughly mixed, form into meatballs by taking a nice sized chunk of meatball mixture and rolling in your palms. You should make 8 to 10 nice sized meatballs. Set aside formed meatballs and set up a pan with some flour in it to roll them in as outlined below…

5. Lightly roll each meatball in flour and place in frying pan with enough olive oil in it to brown them - which should take approximately 3 - 4 minutes. Discard extra oil from the pan ~ add a few ladles of the Fresh Tomato Sauce you made above onto your freshly browned meatballs, sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and/or fresh chopped parsley and Mangia!!! Serve alone, or as a side dish with your favorite pasta.

Watch “Making Meatballs with Aprilanne” On-Demand!

Try our original Authentic Italian Meatball & Red Sauce recipe Grandma Rose’s “Baked Meatballs” recipe from the Southern part of Italy here…

Aprilanne and Hilary Newsom filming "Step Out on the Town for a Cause" Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign

Endorphins are those “feel good” chemicals that get released in our bodies when we exercise (among other vigorous activities), are in pain, laugh, and do something nice like volunteer or help out others in need - which has been dubbed the “helpers high.” 

HeroesHappen.com recently lauched it’s “Find the Hero in You” - Public Awareness TV Campaign and “Volunteer Match Making” Website to encourage people of all ages “unleash their inner hero and volunteer.”      

Click here to go to HeroesHappen.com to watch this Public Awareness Campaign produced promoting Volunteerism featuring Masi Oka - star of hit TV series “Heroes” and program supporter Captain Maggie of the Angel Island Tiburon Ferry on location in beautiful Tiburon, CA!  

Get On-Board with Captain Maggie & Crew - the fresh air will do you a world of good!

Oh, and the dose of Negative Ions you will get out on San Francisco Bay with Captain Maggie’s crew will also boost your endorphin production - making you feel happier, more relaxed, and ready for anything you encounter on your mission in Life…Enjoy!  Aprilanne

Visit CaptainMaggie.com and get your FREE companion Ferry Ride Ticket! 

HeroesHappen.com

Information on Hilary Newsom’s 2010 11th PlumpJack/LINK Golf Classic supporting breast cancer research and education.

 Endorphins

 Masi Oka

Health Benefits of Negative Ions