It was such a joy to come home and find my mom making spaghetti and meatballs for dinner. This recipe has always been dear to my heart.

Ingredients

• 2 cans (28 ounces each) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 3 cups soft bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 pound ground pork
• hot cooked spaghetti

Directions

1. In a 6-qt. stockpot, combine the first 6 ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 1-1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
2. For meatballs, preheat oven to 400°. In a large bowl, combine bread crumbs and water; let stand 5 minutes. Stir in eggs, cheese, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper. Add beef and pork; mix lightly but thoroughly. Shape into 1-in. balls.
3. Place meatballs on a greased rack in a 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake 15-20 minutes or until cooked through. Add meatballs to sauce, stirring gently to combine. Serve with spaghetti.