Recipes with a Purpose – Jim's Meatballs
Jim’s Famous Meatballs
From the Sunday Table of Meatballs & Mindset
There’s something about rolling meatballs by hand that brings you back to center. It’s grounding. It’s family. It’s focus. And it’s exactly the kind of recipe that tastes better when made with love and intention—just like a positive mindset.
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ pounds chopped roast meat (beef, veal, or a mix—your call)
- 1 ½ pounds hot Italian sausage, casing removed
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped fine
- ¼ cup Italian parsley, fresh and chopped
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 1 cup shredded Pecorino Romano cheese
- 1 cup Italian-style bread crumbs
- 3 teaspoons coarse black pepper
- 3 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon of crushed organic chilly. Optional. I like it spicy.
Mindset Tip: Like life, the best meatballs are a little messy, a little spicy, and held together with just the right mix of pressure and patience.
Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Take a deep breath—this is about to get good.
- In a large bowl, combine the chopped meat, sausage, garlic, parsley, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, and pecorino. Crack in the eggs, roll up your sleeves, and mix it all together. Get in there. This is therapy. Don’t overthink it—trust your hands.
- Take a golf-ball-sized scoop (or a little bigger if you’re feeling bold) and roll each meatball between your palms like you're shaping your day.
- Place them on a baking sheet, spaced out like siblings at the dinner table.
- Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden on the outside and tender on the inside—kind of like you after a good coaching session.
Serve with Sunday Sauce and a side of perspective. These meatballs don’t just feed your belly—they lift your spirit.
From Jim:
“These are the meatballs I’ve made through celebrations, recoveries, and quiet nights of reflection. I first learned this recipe—not from a cookbook—but from standing in the kitchen as a kid, watching my mom and her sisters cook with laughter, love, and a little bit of arguing at our Sunday family gatherings. That kitchen was full of stories, smells, and spirit. Whether you're feeding a team or just yourself, remember—a positive life starts with a positive plate.”
Recipes with a Purpose – Jim's Sunday Sauce
Jim’s special pasta sauce
1 – 28oz crushed tomatoes
2 – 28oz Tomato Sauce
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1/2 cup red wine
3 cloves Garlic
1 teaspoon scallions
2 tablespoons Olive oil (split)
½ lb – Hot Italian sausage (remove casing, and break up to small pieces)
1 tablespoon Italian spices
1 cup Parsley
Optional: Country Spareribs
· 2 LB Ribs
· Salt and pepper, Italian spice the ribs. (better if done the night before)
Let’s make it happen:
· Add tablespoon of olive oil to your pot. Heat up to medium high and add the ribs.
· Brown the ribs slightly.
· Pull the ribs out and set aside.
· Sauté the remaining olive oil, garlic, scallion. Spread the scallions, garlic to the sides.
· Add in the tomato paste. Let the paste slightly burn the paste so that there is some stickiness from the paste on the pan.
· Add the sausage and mix into the paste.
· Brown the sausage
· Add the wine and scrape the meat from the pan and cook out the alcohol. About 2 minutes.
· Add the crushed tomato and stir it for about 3 min.
· Add the tomato sauce and stir it for about 3 min.
· Add the Italian spices. (if you like spice you can add red chili flakes to your liking.)
· Add the ribs to the pot and make sure they are covered by the sauce. Do not boil. Let simmer all day if you want. I usually start the sauce around 8a and it will be more than ready by 5P.
The meat will fall off the bone and taste so wonderful.
Add the parsley when about an hour before serving.
Enjoy!
Jim’s Sunday Sauce
Simmered with Love. Stirred with Legacy. Served with Gratitude.
This is more than a sauce—it’s a Sunday ritual.
It fills the house with comfort, anchors the family, and turns a simple pot on the stove into a reminder that good things take time. This particular version—with country-style ribs so tender they fall apart on the spoon—was taught to me by my sister Scooter (Linda). She learned it from our mother and aunt, and together, she and my mom passed it on to me—just like every great tradition is meant to be shared.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 (28 oz) cans tomato sauce
- 1 tsp tomato paste
- ½ cup red wine
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tsp scallions, chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil (divided)
- ½ lb. hot Italian sausage (casing removed, broken up)
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 cup fresh parsley
Optional – Country-Style Spareribs
- 2 lbs. ribs
- Salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning to taste (season night before if possible)
Let’s Make It Happen
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large sauce pot over medium-high.
- Add the ribs and brown on all sides to lock in that flavor.
- Remove the ribs and set aside.
- Add remaining 1 tbsp olive oil, then stir in garlic and scallions. Let the aroma fill the room.
- Add the tomato paste and cook it down until it just starts to darken and stick—those bits are flavor gold.
- Add the sausage, mixing it into the paste, and brown thoroughly.
- Pour in the red wine to deglaze the pan—scrape those meaty bits. Cook about 2 minutes.
- Add crushed tomatoes and stir for 3 minutes.
- Add tomato sauce and stir for another 3 minutes.
- Sprinkle in Italian seasoning (add chili flakes for a kick).
- Return ribs to the pot, making sure they’re fully covered in sauce.
- Simmer low and slow—start at 8 a.m. and you’re golden by 5 p.m.
- Add parsley 1 hour before serving.
Mindset Tip
If life feels hectic, make sauce. Let it teach you how to slow down, be present, and trust the process. Like anything worthwhile—it takes time to become great.
From Jim
“This isn’t just my sauce—it’s our family’s story. I watched my sister Scooter, alongside our mom, cook this sauce with such care and presence that I knew it wasn’t just about food. It was about connection, tradition, and love. Every time I make it, I can hear their voices and feel that same kitchen warmth.
This recipe is my way of keeping them at the table—and now, inviting you to join us.”
Passed Down With Love
Sunday sauce taught to Jim by his sister Scooter, who learned it from their mother and aunt. A tradition simmered to perfection—now passed on to you.
Tag us when you make it!” or “Share your Sunday Sauce story”.
Stirring the Pot… Stay Tuned, there's more to come!
We’re not ready to spill the sauce just yet—but trust us, what’s coming will be worth the wait. Soon, this page will be loaded with delicious recipes, accidental kitchen wisdom, and maybe even a few stories involving burnt garlic and big breakthroughs. Because in our kitchen, mindset is always the main ingredient—and meatballs are just the bonus.