topic Re: Wow- Rastelli Meatballs & Sauce $85.50. in Kitchen

Wow- Rastelli Meatballs & Sauce $85.50.

homedecor1 — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 01:45:40 GMT

I made lots of meatballs today for the freezer with a big pot of sauce or as Italians know it "Sunday Gravy".

As I heard the vendor talking about the ingredients I thought that's how I learned to make them as a kid! Veal - Pork - Beef, soaked Italian bread, etc.

I fry in olive oil but don't simmer them hours in sauce, just for a bit. Meatballs are usually served in separate dish with sauce over.

My cost under $20 since I had the sauce ingredients.

House smells so good I may just have pasta tomorrow. A couple of months ago I made "homemade" veal and cheese raviolis. I'll make a big salad, crusty garlic bread & dinner served.

It'll be a treat because we haven't had pasta in months🙂

Re: Wow- Rastelli Meatballs & Sauce $85.50.

FranandZoe — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 02:07:04 GMT

Yum - looks great!

I agree - way too expensive on the Q. All their food is. I was almost tempted lately by some shrimp scampi just for the convenience but didn't buy it.

Re: Wow- Rastelli Meatballs & Sauce $85.50.

Reever — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 02:20:33 GMT

@FranandZoe wrote:
Yum - looks great!

I agree - way too expensive on the Q. All their food is. I was almost tempted lately by some shrimp scampi just for the convenience but didn't buy it.

Many millenials claim they are too busy to cook. They willingly throw money out the window. Simple basic recipes that cost 10-20 dollars and QVC is charging $85.50 ? Its highway robbery.

Re: Wow- Rastelli Meatballs & Sauce $85.50.

January121 — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 02:25:47 GMT

I am a big fan of Rastelli’s products but, I have noticed the prices going up up up .... I buy the hamburgers & rib eye steaks because they are really good 😍

Re: Wow- Rastelli Meatballs & Sauce $85.50.

spent2much — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 03:04:13 GMT

@homedecor1 I'd LOVE to have your recipe for sauce... or Sunday Gravy!

Re: Wow- Rastelli Meatballs & Sauce $85.50.

homedecor1 — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 03:52:23 GMT

@spent2much : This is the recipe I've used since my childhood as taught to me by my grandmother.

Super easy! If you like "marinara style" omit meats. (I like meat flavor)

Sauté in dutch oven or large pot with 4-6. tbsp olive oil.

5 cloves finely chopped garlic (fresh), 1 med sweet onion chopped

Add sausage (I use 4 pieces), pork (I use 2 loin pork chops) continue to sauté for about 15 minutes. Do not drain excess oil.

Add:

2 large cans San Marzano crushed tomatoes

1 small can tomato paste (or in tube)

1 large can peeled tomatoes (I crush and squeeze into sauce)

1/2 c. water

season with salt,pepper, oregano, basil or dry Italian seasoning (I rub in my hands to bring out spices) and a pinch of sugar.

(Of course, you season to your taste)

Cover bring to gentle boil -- then simmer for about 4 hours, stirring slightly occasionally.

After I fry meatballs I add a few tbsp of the oil into the sauce.

* I do not simmer meatballs in sauce because I make a moist meatball and they tend to fall apart. I don't use bread crumbs in my meatballs but "stale" italian bread tore into chunks.

Enjoy🍷🍝

Re: Wow- Rastelli Meatballs & Sauce $85.50.

qbetzforreal — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 04:21:47 GMT

@Reever wrote:
@FranandZoe wrote:
Yum - looks great!

I agree - way too expensive on the Q. All their food is. I was almost tempted lately by some shrimp scampi just for the convenience but didn't buy it.

Many millenials claim they are too busy to cook. They willingly throw money out the window. Simple basic recipes that cost 10-20 dollars and QVC is charging $85.50 ? Its highway robbery.

@Reever- People regardless of the generation in which they were born buy what they want. Just like you. I believe you posted previously about purchasing $500 worth of beef. Again you bought what you wanted.

Re: Wow- Rastelli Meatballs & Sauce $85.50.

jlkz — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 11:58:25 GMT

Suggestion: I switched to baking meatballs because I can cook more at a time with less mess and grease spatter.

Years ago, QVC sold baking trays with suspended racks that had several " aisles " for the meatballs. I line the trays with foil to catch the drippings. Before them, I lined the broilers trays and skipped every other row so I could roll the meatballs to brown on the under side.

Without the grease drippings, the meatballs were healthier eating....cholesterol issues.

Growing up in an Italian family, never heard of Sunday Gravy until this post !

Re: Wow- Rastelli Meatballs & Sauce $85.50.

Reever — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 12:01:22 GMT

@homedecor1 wrote:

Sauté in dutch oven or large pot with 4-6. tbsp olive oil.

5 cloves finely chopped garlic (fresh), 1 med sweet onion chopped
Add sausage (I use 4 pieces), pork (I use 2 loin pork chops) continue to sauté for about 15 minutes. Do not drain excess oil.

Add:

I also make a similar sauce using canned San Marzano tomatoes that I saw on Lydia's PBS Show. Now I must contend I do not agree that you should not drain the excess oil after sauteing meats like ground beef and sausage. Oil and water do not mix so I would most definitely drain yout excess oil.

Re: Wow- Rastelli Meatballs & Sauce $85.50.

FrostyBabe1 — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 12:47:24 GMT

@Reever wrote:
@FranandZoe wrote:
Yum - looks great!

I agree - way too expensive on the Q. All their food is. I was almost tempted lately by some shrimp scampi just for the convenience but didn't buy it.

Many millenials claim they are too busy to cook. They willingly throw money out the window. Simple basic recipes that cost 10-20 dollars and QVC is charging $85.50 ? Its highway robbery.

Ah, yes, @Reever those pesky millienials. Those 24-39 year olds who are finishing their undergraduate or graduate degrees, buying their first homes, working their way up the corporate ladder, raising young families, paying off student loans or combinations of the above. All while working full time and funding YOUR monthly Social Security check through the payroll taxes withheld from their paychecks. All so that you can sit at home at your computer and complain about them. Those horrible, horrible, busy millenials.

Again, where are you getting the statistics for "many"? What is your source? How is "many" being statistically determined? Please post a link to your source.

Re: Wow- Rastelli Meatballs & Sauce $85.50.

homedecor1 — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 13:50:42 GMT

the oil "left" is minimal after saute the onions, garlic and meats.

The oil is flavored from the saute mix although I do not use that much (that was a guestimate since I've made this recipe for many years) , just enough oil to coat the bottom of dutch oven. So maybe 4-6 tbsp is based on the size of the "pot" you use.

I use a 8 qt. OVAL dutch oven by LeCrueset. The picture I posted shows what I put in pot for dinner and to "share" with friends. The rest is frozen and ready for the next time.

But, as stated YOU would use recipe based on your taste or dietary concerns.

@Reever

Re: Wow- Rastelli Meatballs & Sauce $85.50.

homedecor1 — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 13:59:23 GMT

@jlkz

I tried "baking" method found them to be not as tasty for us.

I like a moist meatball and the baking method made them "dry" ----noticed the pan was "full" of oil after baking.

Every person has their own way of preparing foods. For me, I continue to do the recipe the way I have for many years.

Although, my gf just told me about Newman's Marinara sauce so I might try this when I run out of the packs of sauce in my freezer.

I'm surprised if you grew up in a Italian family you never heard them mention "Sunday gravy" then again, maybe its a regional thing. Or maybe because the sauce is not thick and like a "gravy" -- I don't know.

My grandmother in her later years lived with us. My dad put a full kitchen in our basement for her -- oh boy, the wonderful things she made are making miss those days as a kid.

To this day, I go home and love to go to my gf's house her grandmom is still cooking (at 95) in the basement kitchen.

Re: Wow- Rastelli Meatballs & Sauce $85.50.

RespectLife — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 14:20:38 GMT

@Reever wrote:
@FranandZoe wrote:
Yum - looks great!

I agree - way too expensive on the Q. All their food is. I was almost tempted lately by some shrimp scampi just for the convenience but didn't buy it.

Many millenials claim they are too busy to cook. They willingly throw money out the window. Simple basic recipes that cost 10-20 dollars and QVC is charging $85.50 ? Its highway robbery.

@Reever

It ISN'T throwing money out the window if you are purchasing something you WANT, use or need!

If some don't cook and want to buy prepared food, that is THEIR business. Just because you don't agree with someone's spending, that does NOT make it a waste!

I wouldn't presume to judge what people of ANY age want to spend their money on.

Side note: I am Italian and we NEVER called it Sunday Gravy! It is just Sauce! LOLOLOL!

Re: Wow- Rastelli Meatballs & Sauce $85.50.

ScrapHappy — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 14:24:08 GMT

I agree. $85 for meatballs is crazy. I make my own meatballs. Used to make my own sauce but not as often now. I can see people liking the convenience aspect of it though. I've heard Publix makes meatballs that are very good and I'm sure a lot more reasonable. Never tried them though.

Re: Wow- Rastelli Meatballs & Sauce $85.50.

mspatmac — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 14:32:33 GMT

I call smell the gravy from here @homedecor1 and you have my mouth watering. Growing up in NJ I remember calling it gravy. You're recipes sound great. Good meatballs are an art and while not growing up in an Italian family I had many friends who included me in Sunday dinners once in awhile and always sent me home with plenty of leftovers. As you so graciously stated we all have our own ways of doing things and that's fine but I do want to come to your home for Sunday Gravy!

Re: Wow- Rastelli Meatballs & Sauce $85.50.

Ladybug724 — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 14:46:50 GMT

Prices are high on QVC because they have to pay so many people. I remember some of the hosts commenting that QVC cuts out the middleman. But in actuality they are the middleman.

Re: Wow- Rastelli Meatballs & Sauce $85.50.

proudlyfromNJ — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 15:30:18 GMT

@Reever wrote:
@FranandZoe wrote:
Yum - looks great!

I agree - way too expensive on the Q. All their food is. I was almost tempted lately by some shrimp scampi just for the convenience but didn't buy it.

Many millenials claim they are too busy to cook. They willingly throw money out the window. Simple basic recipes that cost 10-20 dollars and QVC is charging $85.50 ? Its highway robbery.

@Reever I don't know any millennials who have even heard of QVC. It is not something they watch. It's us oldies who watch and buy the meatballs!

Re: Wow- Rastelli Meatballs & Sauce $85.50.

Sage04 — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 16:50:22 GMT

@jlkz I also bake mine on a rack with a baking sheet underneath to catch the liquid. I´ve never used veal or pork though, Only Beef.

First time hearing of Sunday gravy lol

Re: Wow- Rastelli Meatballs & Sauce $85.50.

Mj12 — Fri, 07 Aug 2020 13:26:56 GMT

Every food item sold costs more than if we made it ourselves.

However - the Rastelli meatballs are for 5 lbs. I certainly don't make 5lbs of meatballs at a time, just 1lb (beef, pork and veal). I wouldn't compare the cost to make my meatballs for dinner (for the 2 of us) with 5x the amount.

Re: Wow- Rastelli Meatballs & Sauce $85.50.

homedecor1 — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 18:21:01 GMT

@mspatmac

Not to many Sunday dinners here lately but if you're coming for dinner - I'll be making Sunday Dinner🙂🍝

I grew up in NJ so maybe that's it -- we called it "Sunday gravy" and always chocolate cake for dessert!