Name: Meatball Sliders
Cook time: 1 1/4 hr
Total time: 1 1/2 hr
Yield: Makes 20 small sandwiches
Ingredients: 2 (28-ounce) cans whole tomatoes in juice; 1/4 cup olive oil; 1 medium onion, finely chopped; 5 garlic cloves, minced; 1 teaspoon sugar; 1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf; 3 cups coarse fresh bread crumbs (6 slices firm white sandwich bread); 2/3 cup whole milk; 1 pound ground pork; 1 pound ground beef chuck (not lean); 4 garlic cloves, minced; 1 1/2 cups grated Pecorino Romano (1/4 pound); 2 large eggs, lightly beaten; 1/2 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley; 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano; 2 cups vegetable oil; 20 small (2-inch) soft buns or rolls, split

Photo by Roland Bello

Food editor Gina Marie Miraglia Eriquez often cooks for hordes of children, including her three-year-old son, Alex, and she knows that meatballs are always an easy sell. Inspired by the tiny meatball sandwiches served at New York City's Little Owl restaurant, she came up with these kid-size treats that can be eaten with one hand (leaving the other one free to wreak kid-size havoc).

Recipe notes

Mascarpone Cheesecake

An extra-silky filling (no water bath needed!) and a smooth sour cream topping make this the ultimate cheesecake.

Our Favorite French Onion Soup

Caramelized onions, melty Gruyère, and a deeply savory broth deliver the kind of comfort that doesn’t need improving.

Golden Mushroom Soup With Orzo & a Pat of Butter

This is the type of soup that, at first glance, might seem a little…unexciting. But you’re underestimating the power of mushrooms, which do the heavy lifting.

Butternut Squash–Kale Salad With Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette

Round out these autumn greens with tart pomegranate seeds, crunchy pepitas, and a shower of Parmesan.

Crème Anglaise

The silky French vanilla sauce that goes with everything.

Caramelized Onion Pasta

Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.

Smothered Italian Sausage

This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.

Béchamel Sauce

This classic 15-minute sauce is your secret weapon for homemade mac and cheese, chowder, lasagna, and more.