Meat-a-ball Subs

I just came back from a wedding in NY and I'm feeling very Northern right now. I learned how to pronounce cannoli this weekend as "Gah-noli" or "Cah-NO-li" depending on what part of NY you are from. And just how high you swing your hands while yelling it. It seems to be a weird thing to argue about. Bless their NY hearts.

Upon returning back to NC and going to the grocery store, a dream was born. A dream for Meat-a-balls. (Hand gesture).

All thanks to our new losemyjob budget, I'm loving Harris Teeter's Meal Deals. I truly believe this deal requires some sort of secret government clearance to access. And upon losing my job, and thus having more time to stare at store signs in the entry way of HT, I somehow gained clearance to this magical deal. Andyoucantoo.

Here's this weeks Meal Deal: Yep, all this grub for $5! It claims to feed a family of 4, but I'm imagining 2 of your 4 should be munchkin-sized.

So it was the perfect inspiration for some super italian Meat-a-ball subs. And I have a little obsession with italian food, and anything drenched in marinara sauce. I have the opposite feeling for jarred pasta sauce. Sigh. I think that might be called loathing. But I am learning to love accept the cheaper things in life, and I was up for the challenge to make it spectacular.

The secret to the subs was in painting a garlic-butter-masterpiece on the rolls. Its a secret I figured out a long time ago for any hot sandwich, and I will never eat naked rolls again. Ever.

Meatball Subs: 


For the Meat-a-balls:
1 14 oz bag frozen Meatballs
22.5 oz Prego Meat Pasta Sauce
1/3 cup sherry or Red wine
2 TBSP EVOO
2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp basil
2 TBSP butter
1 tsp garlic powder or 1 clove garlic
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
6 slices provolone cheese

For the not-so-Naked Bread:
3 sub rolls
1 tsp parsley
4 TBSP butter
1 tsp garlic

1. Saute meatballs in EVOO for 1-2 minutes until browned. De-glaze the pan with sherry or red wine. Add Spaghetti sauce, red pepper flakes, basil, butter, garlic, and black pepper and cook for 6-8 minutes until meatballs are warm in the center. (Meatballs should be pre-cooked before frozen, so you are just heating them up.)

2. Meanwhile, melt butter, parsley, garlic in the microwave for 40 seconds to 1 minute. Using your super sassy polka dot basting brush, dress your naked rolls with the glorious mixture.

3. Assemble Meatball subs. Add 4-5 meatballs per sub and slather in sauce. Lay provolone cheese on top to melt. Serve with extra sauce for drenching.