Marvelous Meatballs

Ingredients

2T. extra virgin olive oil
1 pound ground meat--80 % lean
1 pound Jimmy Dean Premium Pork Italian Sausage
1 large egg
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 t. dried oregano
1 t. sea salt
1-2 t. Lawry's seasoned pepper
1/4 t. crushed red pepper
1/2 t. Tony Chachere's Original Creole seasoning

Step 1: Combine all the above ingredients in a mixing bowl except the olive oil.
Mix by hand and shape into 1 1/2 inch meatballs, making sure the balls are firmly packed.
It makes about 24 meatballs.
Step 2: Saute these meatballs in a skillet with the 2 T. of olive oil--I used Sur la Table's Marca Verde il Classico.
Brown the balls on all the sides.
Step 3: Next, put the meatballs in 9 x 13 baking dish--copper is nice to cook in and serve in--Preheat the oven to 400-450 degrees.
Coat the pan with 2 more T. of olive oil.
Step 4: Bake for 20-25 minutes or until they are thoroughly cooked. 165 degrees on a meat thermometer.
Step 5: while the meatballs are cooking, make this simple sauce recipe:
8 T. of Stubb's Sweet Black Pepper Anytime Sauce, 8 T. Mark's Cracked Pepper BBQ Sauce, and 8T. Cholula Hot Sauce--Chipotle flavor. Combine in a sauce pan and heat gently for a few minutes till warm. You can add a dash of more seasoned pepper too!
Taste and season with a dash of sea salt to taste.
Step 6: Remove meatballs from the oven and pour the sauce over the meatballs. Then top of shredded cheese and add torn basil leaves. It is ready to serve!
Simply Delicious...Hampton's Style!