Comfort Food; Meat balls and spaghetti sauce, real Italian comfort food

Copyright by The Old School Housewife
Nothing says 'Italian comfort food' like meat balls and spaghetti sauce
and the aroma that went through the house, would bring everyone into the kitchen to want a meatball before dinner was even ready.  Spaghetti sauce is what we called it in my family.  This was a staple growing up in my typical Italian family.  My mother made it every Sunday without fail and any leftovers we had during the week.  My mother taught me how to make the meatballs and sauce her way.  I married into a Sicilian family and my mother-in-law made it slightly different.  In fact, I still use the pot that my was my mother-in-law's, as you can see in the picture.  That's the beauty of this dish, is that you make it your way.  It's very personal.  If you don't like certain seasonings or are allergic to them, you simply omit them.  My meatballs and sauce are a result of a combination of my mother's, my mother-in-law's and even some tips from my sisters.  So with all of that advise, I came up with this version and my husband and family love it.   I'll share my recipe, but one warning, I never measure anything, so I'll do my best with the measurements.  You can adjust them to suit your taste buds. 
 Bon a Petit!

Meatballs and Spaghetti Sauce
For the sauce:
1 large can of tomato puree
2 small cans of tomato paste
about 1/2 cup Italian grated cheese (use your favorite)
1 clove of garlic crushed
salt, pepper, Italian Seasoning, onion powder, basil-fresh and chopped or dried,
oregano-fresh and chopped or dried, (all to taste)
1 or 2 dashes of crushed red pepper flakes
2 pinches of sugar
Stir this all together on a hot stove until the tomato paste is dissolved and add enough water to thin it out.  (It's better to start off with the sauce a little on the thin side and let cook down then to start it off too thick, you won't get as much flavor).  While this is simmering, make the meatballs.

For the meatballs:
2 1/2  lbs. ground beef
2 eggs
1 small chopped onion
about 1/2 cup grated cheese and about 3/4 cup bread crumbs
salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste
small amount of mint leaves (if fresh, finely chopped or dried -
this is optional, that was from my mother-in-law) or if you don't
like mint you could use Italian flat leaf parsley chopped finely
Before mixing this all together, splash a couple of handfuls of water in the meat to moisten it.  Mix the ingredients all together and start rolling the meatballs.  I drop them right into the sauce raw (this tip is from my sisters).  You don't get that added grease from the oil and they stay round and yes, they do get cooked and brown inside).
After all the meatballs are in the sauce, make sure they are all covered by the sauce, by just padding down on them slightly.  Don't stir for about 15 minutes or they will break up.  After the meatballs are cooked then stir from the bottom of the pan and up to get up all the sauce that is starting to thicken.  Simmer for about an hour with the lid on, slightly ajar.  Stir delicately once in a while.  (This recipe makes enough for at least 2 lbs. of pasta with a little left over to top off your dish).  I hope you enjoy it.