Recipes: 10 Meatball Meals - FYI

Alota Meatballs (about four or so dozen)

12-ounces tomato sauce

1 1/2 cups dry bread crumbs

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup onion, finely chopped

1 teaspoon salt (optional)

1 teaspoon of Italian Seasoning or so to taste

4 pounds ground beef or 2 pounds each of beef and ground turkey

In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except meat. Add ground beef and mix well. Shape into meatballs (use a small cookie scoop if available) and place on broiler pan so grease can drain while cooking. Bake uncovered in a 350-degree oven for 30 minutes. Divide into meal-sized portions. To prevent from freezing into a solid meatball-mass, freeze individually on cookie sheets and then place in freezer bags. Label and freeze.

To serve meatballs, thaw completely, and reheat with your choice of sauces.

Each meal serves 4 - 6

Or Food stores have uncooked meatballs in the meat section. Cutting them in half will give you smaller meatballs. Or you can buy frozen already made meat balls.

Spaghetti with Meatballs

1 lb of cooked spaghetti pasta

1 jar of ready made spaghetti sauce or your own homemade sauce

1 family meal-sized portion of freezer meatballs

In a pan, add thawed meatballs to jar of spaghetti and simmer for 8-10 minutes. Pour over hot cooked pasta. Sprinkle with cheese.

Chili Meatballs

This recipe sounds a little strange (chili sauce and grape jelly?), but it tastes like burgundy sauce (only without the wine).

1 (12-oz) jar chili sauce

11-ounce jar grape jelly

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 cube beef bouillon dissolved in 1/2 cup water

1 family meal-sized portion of freezer meatballs

Whisk together chili sauce, grape jelly, lemon juice and bouillon, breaking up all clumps. Simmer on low heat until sauce starts to thicken. Add freezer meatballs; cook in sauce until meatballs are fully thawed and heated through. Serve over cooked noodles or rice.

Meatball Sandwiches

1 family meal-sized portion of freezer meatballs

hot dog buns (or hoagie rolls)

thin slices mozzarella cheese

2 cups prepared spaghetti sauce

Thaw meatballs and spaghetti sauce (if using frozen). Place both in medium saucepan. Heat until hot. Place meatballs into warmed buns. Ladle small amount of spaghetti sauce onto each sandwich; place mozzarella slices onto each sandwich.

Sweet-n-Sour Meatballs

1 (14-oz) can pineapple tidbits or chunks, undrained

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 cup water 1/4 cup cider vinegar

1 teaspoon soy sauce (or more to taste)

1 family meal-sized portion of freezer meatballs

1 (5-oz) can water chestnuts, drained and thinly sliced

1 green pepper, cut in strips

Drain pineapple tidbits, reserving syrup. In medium saucepan, combine brown sugar and cornstarch. Blend in reserved syrup, water, cider vinegar and soy sauce. Cook and stir over low heat until thick and bubbly. Carefully stir in meatballs, water chestnuts, green pepper strips and pineapple. Heat to a boiling. Serve over hot cooked rice.

Tomato Soup Sauce Meatballs

1 (10 3/4-oz) can condensed tomato soup

1/2 cup water

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 family meal-sized portion of freezer meatballs

Mix together soup, water and Worcestershire sauce. Place meatballs in a medium sized saucepan; pour soup mixture over meatballs. Simmer until meatballs are heated through. Serve over hot cooked rice.

Meatball Stroganoff

1 (10 3/4-oz) can condensed cream of mushroom soup

1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt

1 cup mushrooms, sliced and cooked in butter until soft

1 family meal-sized portion of freezer meatballs

In medium saucepan, mix together mushroom soup and sour cream. Gently stir in mushrooms and meatballs. Simmer until meatballs are heated through. Serve cooked rice or egg noodles tossed w/melted butter

Catalina Meatballs

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 bottle Catalina salad dressing

1 family meal-sized portion of freezer meatballs

Sauté onion slices in olive oil until softened. Place frozen meatballs in medium skillet. Pour dressing over meatballs. Cover skillet and cook over low heat until dressing caramelizes on meatballs and onion, and the meatballs are fully thawed and heated through. Serve over rice.

Swedish Style Meatballs (white or brown)

1 can Cream of Celery soup or 1 can Beef Gravy

a small container of sour cream

1 family meal-sized portion of freezer meatballs

To a pan, add a can of cream of celery soup for white sauce or a can of beef gravy for brown. Slowly stir in sour cream. Add thawed meatballs and heat for about 10 minutes.

Good over mashed potatoes or cooked noodles.

Escarole Meatball Soup

1 large head escarole

1 family meal-sized portion of freezer meatballs

6 cups chicken stock

Clean escarole. Shred into bite sized pieces. Combine chicken broth and escarole and bring to a boil. The escarole will cook down. When soup is boiling and escarole has wilted, drop in thawed meatballs one at a time. When all meatballs have been added, stir gently to combine ingredients. Reduce heat, cover and cook until meatballs are hot, about 5 to 10 minutes, depending on size. Serve with spoonfuls of grated parmigiano cheese.

Minestrone Meatball Soup

1 can (15 ounce size) tomato sauce

2 1/2 cups water

1 can (15 1/2 ounce size) kidney beans with liquid

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

2 beef bouillon cubes

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1 cup sliced celery

1/4 cup uncooked elbow macaroni

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 family meal-sized portion of meatballs

Add all ingredients except macaroni to a slow boil. Add macaroni; simmer 8 - 10 minutes or until macaroni is done. Stir in parsley.