MILLIONS OF MEATBALLS
Source of Recipe
Ron
Recipe Introduction
MEATBALL MANIA!
Recipes adapted from "Frozen Assets: How to cook for a day and eat for a month"
Cooking up a large batch of meatballs in advance to store in the freezer goes a long way toward establishing a supply of quick and easy meals. And if you take advantages of sales on ground beef and stock up, this can be a tremendous boon to your family budget, too.
In addition to stirring meatballs into spaghetti sauce, you can also use them in soups, serve them on skewers (kids love this!) or heat in brown gravy or a warmed can of cream of mushroom soup served with mashed potatoes.
The following recipes prepare a large batch of freezer meatballs and also include examples of ways to use frozen meatballs. The sauces require some preparation, but the meals go together quickly with your stockpile of pre-cooked meatballs in the freezer.
List of Ingredients
12oz tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups dry breadcrumbs
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup green capsicum, finely chopped
1 teaspoons salt, optional
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
1/8 teaspoon dried marjoram, crushed
4lb ground beef
Recipe
In a large mixing bowl, combine the tomato sauce, breadcrumbs, eggs, onion, capsicum, salt, thyme and marjoram.
Add the beef and mix well.
Shape into meatballs (use a small cookie scoop if available) and place on a broiler pan so the grease can drain while cooking.
Bake, uncovered, at 350F/180C 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 (six sample sauce recipes follow).
Yields about 4 dozen meatballs
SWEET-N-SOUR MEATBALLS
Ingredients:
1 (14oz) 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 (5oz) can water chestnuts, drained and thinly sliced
1 green capsicum, cut in strips
Method:
Drain the pineapple tidbits, reserving the syrup.
In a medium saucepan, combine the brown sugar and cornstarch.
Blend in the reserved syrup, water, cider vinegar and soy sauce.
Cook, stirring, over a low heat until thick and bubbly.
Carefully stir in the meatballs, water chestnuts, capsicum and pineapple.
Heat to boiling.
Serve over hot cooked rice.
Serves 5
CHILLI-DAY MEATBALLS
This recipe sounds a little strange (chilli sauce and grape jelly?) but it tastes like burgundy sauce (without the wine).
Ingredients:
1 (12oz) jar chilli sauce
11oz jar grape jelly
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 beef stock cube dissolved in 1/2 cup water
1 family meal-sized portion of freezer meatballs
Method:
Whisk together the chilli sauce, grape jelly, lemon juice and stock, breaking up all clumps.
Simmer on a low heat until the sauce starts to thicken.
Add the freezer meatballs, and cook in the sauce until the meatballs are fully thawed and heated through.
Serve over hot cooked noodles or rice.
Serves 5
MEATBALL SANDWICHES
Ingredients:
1 family meal-sized portion of freezer meatballs (approximately 4-5 meatballs per person)
6 hot dog buns (or hoagie rolls)
6 thin slices mozzarella cheese
2 cups prepared spaghetti sauce
Method:
Thaw the meatballs and spaghetti sauce (if using frozen).
Place both in a medium saucepan.
Heat until hot.
Place the meatballs into the warmed buns.
Ladle a small amount of the spaghetti sauce onto each sandwich.
Place a mozzarella slice onto each sandwich.
Serves 6
TOMATO-SAUCED MEATBALLS
Ingredients:
1 (10 3/4oz) can condensed tomato soup
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 family meal-sized portion of freezer meatballs
Method:
Mix together the soup, water and Worcestershire sauce
Place the meatballs in a medium sized saucepan, and pour the soup mixture over the meatballs.
Simmer until the meatballs are heated through.
Serve over hot cooked rice.
Serves 5
MEATBALL STROGANOFF
Ingredients:
1 (10 3/4oz) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup sour cream or plain yoghurt
1 cup mushrooms, sliced and cooked in butter until soft
1 family meal-sized portion of freezer meatballs
Method:
In a medium saucepan, mix together the mushroom soup and sour cream.
Gently stir in the mushrooms and meatballs.
Simmer until the meatballs are heated through.
Serve over hot cooked rice or over egg noodles tossed with melted butter and chopped parsley.
Serves 5
CATALINA MEATBALLS
Ingredients:
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 bottle Catalina salad dressing
1 family meal-sized portion of freezer meatballs
Method:
Sauté the onion in the olive oil until softened.
Place the frozen meatballs in a medium skillet.
Pour the dressing over the meatballs.
Cover the skillet and cook over a low heat until the dressing caramelises on the meatballs and onion, and the meatballs are fully thawed and heated through.
Serve over rice.
Serves 5
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